“What a strange illusion it is to suppose that beauty is goodness”, thus spake Leo Tolstoy.  And it is so much the truth whether we like it or not.  Today, we are all so much caught up in this superficial world, that external looks matter more than the actual person beneath. ‘ Personality’ is more often confused with appearances, therefore trying to appear what we are not confused with appearances, therefore trying to appear what we are not, both from inside and outside has become our priority.

Why else then, I spite of our intelligence, broad out-look and maturity, do we still take a instant liking to good-looking, well dressed people?? And belittle others who are not so fortunate? Perhaps it is just human tendency, no malice involved; yet we end up hurting people who are short, fat, ugly, dark, bespectacled, having buck teeth.  We judge a book by its cover. 

And all that funda about inner personality shining and confidence reflecting does not ring true when you are overlooked in the presence of a stunning face. 

Today we are much more broad in our outlook where religion, region, caste, community does not matter.  We are global citizens.  But when it comes to appearances, we are divided. 

How else can you explain the beauty contests? Those models with beautiful faces and hourglass figures? And mind filled with knowledge of the questions to expect?

How else can you explain the selection of airhostesses whose qualification is 5ft. 6 inches and pleasant looks??  What has the height got to do here? Aren’t etiquettes enough? 

Why do we need only good-looking people to endorse the products?? Aren’t they used by plain looking people?

More recently the death anniversary of Princess Diana was celebrated.  In last week’s Herald Tribune, Call Thomas titles his write up as “Power of the Diana cult”, and he points out that ‘ No one celebrates or elevates plainness; less so goodness’.

Considering the kind of attention Princess Diana got, more after her death, one wonders about the footage Mother Teresa, who died just one week after Princess Diana got.  No stadium event was conducted for Mother Teresa who, though plain in her looks, had a personality that shone brilliantly. 

Closer home, some years ago one of the winners in the singing contests won merely because of the public votes who voted him for his looks than for his talent. 

People with good looks are liked, preferred and adored though they may be filled with deceit and conceit. 

Such is the blinding power of beauty that it covers all sins. 

We see the advertisements on television, which show how a plain girl is transformed into a beautiful princess after using the magic fairness lotion.

Every second magazine carries tips on grooming yourself. 

More recently an article in ‘Deccan Chronicle’ titled “ Your face is your fortune” says blatantly that good lookers have more chance of getting the jobs.  Fat, short, skinny, squint-eyed people are not even given a second look.  According to the newspaper, research shows that good-looking people were thought of as being helpful. Ad that even outside the beauty and entertainment industry, slim, good-looking people are preferred for the jobs. This is the kid of hype being good-looking carries with it.  Sad, but an undeniable fact of life.

But all is not lost.  Perseverance pays.  While the good-looking people work on their appearances, the plain-looking people work in the pursuit of intelligence.  Perhaps this is why the popular saying came into existence that Beauty and Brains are a rare combination and that brawn ad brains don’t go together.

People gifted with good looks are forever conscious of their hair do, costumes, appearances, who is giving them admiring glances, etc and they splurge shopping for accessories to groom themselves.

A small flaw in their appearances can have them worked up.  A small story of a beautiful girl who got her hooknose replaced by a nose more flattering to her face but that still did to prevent her from holding the handkerchief to her nose while speaking as she used to before the nose job. 

It can be safely said that in the light of the above that beautiful people suffer from a complex too. 

We all know the truth that it is the content and not the attractive packing that determines the value of the product.  Good looks fizzle out when it comes to the matter of the brain. 

And when we come across good-looking people and plain looking people, we must remember that looks are not important.  To like, trust, hire, and adore a good-looking person is shallow.  It takes some thinking on our part to sum up a person not merely on looks but on their true self.

After all at the end of the day, looking good is not important, but being good is!