Realizations Regarding Attractiveness

Amy Erdman Farrel opens her book Fat Shame with a tale of Greek life, underscoring that popularity is  subtly indicative of aesthetic appearance. Similar to Allegheny Greek life, there is a stark difference between the social placement of the pretty girls and the more heavy-set girls, correlating to which sorority they join.  

I was not totally aware that it was as cut and dry as this, ignorant until it was overtly spelled by a girl in a sorority last year. This particular girl was talking about another female who intended to join her sorority, and said: 

"She's so pretty -- she could join anywhere." 

I immediately realized the extent of my naivete, and began to accept that, especially prevalent with girls, social placement is based mainly on appearance, that a girl can be part of one sorority but shunned from another because they're not pretty enough. I quickly began to think that popularity could be tied up in all of this. 

What is popularity based off of? Is it defined by having a set of fraternity brothers who wanted to talk to you? And why do fraternity guys want to talk to one sorority and not another?

And the more I thought about it, both framing it in the context of individual experiences and the social practices of Allegheny's Greek life, the more I realized how vain this school and our culture is. Why was I more inclined to hang out with one sorority? Because - and I hated to admit this to myself - I enjoyed looking at one more than another. 

Our society is straight up vain, where attractiveness depicts popularity. There is a stigma - one which Farrel elaborates on - which follows overweight people in every day life. Eating junk food, searching for a partner, these are social practices in our culture made more onerous (for some) by physical appearance.  

This perception lurks and follows people around. In any setting, someone who is more attractive, or who is perceived by others to be more attractive, may garner more attention than someone who is overweight. Despite the capabilities of one person, at the bone and bare of it all - what creates initial perceptions for themselves - is how they look. 

The manner in which these perceptions are formed and created are usually external and stem from what others think about one person. It has nothing to do with how someone might be or is - the way in which they are perceived by others is what defines them the most.  

In America, the concept is almost paradoxical - we are one of the most overweight cultures, our obesity issues are unparalleled across the world. Yet we are thought to be a beautiful, successful, and hard-working culture - and what does that say about the people who represent us? 

It only perpetuates the perception that more attractive people are the ones who are more successful. Overweight people are not capable of representing us, they would never be. Faces of this country, like high-ranking officials, are required to be thin and good-looking. That is the essence of our vain society.