this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2025
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A genie appears before you and says you must choose to be very physically attractive, but slightly below average intelligence, or very intelligent, but slightly below average attractiveness? Which would you choose, and why?

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[–] theywilleatthestars@lemmy.world 24 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Smart, being beautiful would just get attention from boring people

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

But if you're not smart then those would be your people.

I don't want to be boring

[–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 22 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The only people you fool are other stupid people though.

[–] runiq@feddit.org 4 points 2 months ago

That's cool though, there's so many of us that you'll never run out of fools to dupe.

[–] just_an_average_joe@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 2 months ago (7 children)

Why so many people think being smart means getting phd's and good job/money?

Good job, phd's require discipline not smartness and often being attractive gets you better confidence/charisma, thats far far more important for getting good money or recognition than smartness

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[–] python@programming.dev 15 points 2 months ago (3 children)

I think being intelligent gets you better jobs and more money sooo 🀷

[–] osaerisxero@kbin.melroy.org 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Being intelligent doesn't let you bypass rules one and two, or at least rule two for jobs specifically.

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[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I mean slightly below average is not bad attractiveness wise. Less hassel to some degree, especially if your a woman. below average intelligence though can really hamstring you. Intelligence all the way. Doesn't say gorgeous though or genius. sounds to me like I would basically be asking for the genie to do nothing based on my academic achievements and dating lack of achievements.

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[–] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

My intelligence makes me depressed, so beautiful.

[–] SpaceFox@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 months ago

As someone with below average intelligence I can tell you it really doesn't. Trust me, having a low intelligence doesn't make your life easier it just makes it harder and puts you at a massive disadvantage. It's the most soul crushing experience there is. You can become beautiful but intelligence is forever, be thankful for what you've got.

[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Ignorance is bliss, so I'll take beauty. I just want to be happy.

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[–] brokenlcd@feddit.it 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'm studying engineering, so i'll take smarts, we all know that anyone in this field ends up bald by some mystical force anyways

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Too real. In the middle stages of my career I am fighting a losing battle against this plight.

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Why am I forced to downgrade if it's a genie wish?

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Sometimes it do be like that.

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[–] NineMileTower@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

I am lucky enough to already be both, so I don't have to choose, thank you very much.

[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] tetris11@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 months ago (5 children)

... I visit my therapist weekly to cope with my ongoing god complex?

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[–] Azzu@lemm.ee 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If I'm very smart, I could just use my intelligence to make money and then get beauty surgery.

[–] frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 months ago

That's not how any of that works.

[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 months ago

Appreciate the offer but no thanks.

[–] wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 2 months ago
[–] stinky@redlemmy.com 6 points 2 months ago

i'm already dumb and cute, take a hike genie

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Intelligence, easier to figure out how to improve my attractiveness and deal with complex problems in general than trying to get smarter.

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[–] OmegaLemmy@discuss.online 6 points 2 months ago

Beauty I guess, intelligence doesn't make a damn unless you're brave, lucky, or born well

[–] tetris11@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 months ago (4 children)

I am the most intelligent person I know. So naturally I would choose intelligence, because christ do I need perspective if that's what I actually believe

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[–] communism@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If I'm that smart maybe I can work out how to make myself beautiful too.

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[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

Being smart has only gotten me anxiety. I'll go with attractiveness.

[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Long Covid and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis have noticeably lowered my IQ. It's a terrible feeling to be more stupid and know that I normally could do better.

So give me intelligence every day. Physical attractiveness can only go so far.

[–] sneekee_snek_17@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

I feel this to my core. I had a pretty successful career in army special operations, which ended after ten years with a few years of extremely heavy drinking, which ended with me getting out of the army and getting boatloads of mental health treatment, which is ongoing.

When I was at my peak, though, my most prize characteristic was my intellect. Now, though, my short term memory is measured in seconds, my working memory is like five digits at most, I forget words many times per day, and there's many more examples.

It's been absolutely crushing to remember such high performance, but be incapable of it now.

[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (4 children)

You could be Hermann Rorschach or Hedy Lamarr, and be both!

[–] jsomae@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

That guy really looks like Bradd Pitt

[–] OmegaLemmy@discuss.online 3 points 2 months ago

Hermann looks like a Hollywood actor

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Those people definitely aren't below average attractiveness.

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[–] ReadMoreBooks@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 months ago

Ignorance is bliss.

[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 5 points 2 months ago
[–] meyotch@slrpnk.net 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Being both already I would tell said genie to take a hike.

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[–] 2ugly2live@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

Smart. Pretty, dumb people get taken advantage of. Besides, I'm already unattractive, might as well give me something after making me go through high school πŸ˜’

[–] lemmyknow@lemmy.today 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

What is the definition of 'beautiful', here? Do I get to decide, or is it up to the genie's interpretation?

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[–] wildcardology@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

I'm an introvert so I'm going for very intelligent.

[–] SpaceFox@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

Smart... Looks good away but intelligence is forever.

[–] ReakDuck@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

Smarter.

But I feel like I already have both. At the same time I feel like I have nothing od them both.

Especially because only a selection tells me that I look very attractive. I get more compliments from males when I dress like a female for Halloween while I am hetero. But mostly I feel like its not true because many people just accept my presents. But maybe they only accept me because I dont look unattractive.

So choosing attractiveness leads to better social connections which I rely on.

The intelligence.. I feel dumb as fuck often times because simple tasks are difficult for me or getting a focus in general. But I get compliments of being smart as fuck, especially when they see how many peogramming languages I can write in or see the projects I created or I was creative on.

Still, I guess this is the sideproduct of being too intelligent. That being too intelligent with Asberger and ADHD results into not being able to do simple tasks. I feel like the word "dumb" is just a question of perspective, because i am dumb in too many simple things, except its about a topic I love like Computers, electronics or Math sometimes.

So the question arrises. When I choose being intelligent. Would I be able to be Intelligent in tasks which people with lower IQ (I guess dumb?) can easily master? And at the same time also in tasks which only people with higher IQ can master? (Idk my IQ btw, could be both high or low. I really dont know)

Also, would I be able to still connect with people with the intelligence because I would have a high Empathic Intelligence? I noticed that the Higher the IQ of someone is, the lower their EQ will be. Making them a bit Egoistic and unhandsome.

Its a complex topic with many questions

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Hello beautiful.

[–] aeki@slrpnk.net 4 points 2 months ago

How about slightly below both but with some solid executive functioning and 0 mood disorders? I'll take that.

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

I thought I blocked this shit hole instance a couple days ago. Apparently it didn't work. Time to add them again!

Why do you keep coming back, OP?

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