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submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by Anticorp@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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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[-] Bearlydave@lemmy.world 1 points 34 minutes ago

I chose Chameleon from the Xanth universe.

[-] KnightOfOldEmpire@lemmy.ml 5 points 6 hours ago

Attractive, it's wild how people are more likely to help you in either small or greater acts or be willing to overlook some of your flaws.

[-] HelixDab2@lemm.ee 5 points 7 hours ago

Honestly, according to IQ tests, I'm already in the 95th+ percentile for intelligence. I'm also on the autism spectrum, and just got diagnosed with severe ADHD late last year. I've accomplished fuck-all by being smart, and it's mostly made me depressed. I'd pick being slightly dumb, but hot.

[-] Anticorp@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

What IQ is the 95th percentile?

Edit: huh, if this chart is accurate then I'm in the 99th percentile based on the score I have repeatedly received from multiple tests. This can't be right. I'm not that smart!

[-] HelixDab2@lemm.ee 3 points 6 hours ago

I'm officially in the 99th+ percentile, but IIRC your score gets less accurate the farther you deviate from the mean. And a high reasoning ability is absolutely no predictor of success in life.

Plus, I feel like a douchebag when I say shit like, "oh, my IQ is 140..." as if that's some kind of achievement or worth something all on it's own.

[-] Anticorp@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago

Right? I never talk about it unless someone else brings it up first and doesn't have an embarrassing score. LOL. I have a friend who took the test when we were in high school, and was bragging about how he got a 98. He wasn't smart enough to realize that's not a good score. The rest of us were like "oooh, that's greeeeat!".

[-] gazter@aussie.zone 4 points 7 hours ago

I think I'd rather be smart. I'm honestly often so impressed with beautiful people, because that shit takes work.

I can roll out of bed, pull my three week old sauce stained shirt over my gut, and go do smart shit with a terrible haircut and no one gives a fuck.

Beautiful people will have chosen matching outfits worth thousands, spent an hour on hair and makeup, all after a morning gym session, and they'll keep that hair perfect all day, getting their spa session in and finding time to do their nails.

How do they even have time to cook a healthy well balanced meal?

[-] Enkrod@feddit.org 4 points 8 hours ago

So... the genie offers to make me look better by increasing my looks to only slightly below average? Noice!

[-] Anticorp@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago
[-] aeki@slrpnk.net 5 points 9 hours ago

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

[-] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

I pick the grilled cheese sandwich.

[-] deadcatbounce@reddthat.com 5 points 9 hours ago

Beautiful.

I've tried the other way already. Not so good.

[-] BigBenis@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago

If we're talking 90+ percentile then no question I'd go with smarts and use it to have a big impact on some field of science. Otherwise I'd probably still pick smarts but it's more of a tossup.

[-] gerryflap@feddit.nl 2 points 9 hours ago

The latter. I guess that's kinda what I have already and I have no complaints. I'm aro/ace anyway so I don't really need the stunning looks for dating purposes. My relatively decent ability to learn new things never ceases to entertain me

[-] daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 10 hours ago

I'm already smart and beautiful.

Isn't there a genie out there that cures anxiety?

[-] deadcatbounce@reddthat.com 4 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

Not really a genie, more of a willo the wisp, but I get it from a bloke called Spider. It's very more-ish.

[-] folaht@lemmy.ml 1 points 7 hours ago

Can I so intelligent as to quickly figure out how to CRISPR-Cas9 my looks or does tge wish prevent me from changing my appearance?

[-] whaleross@lemmy.world 3 points 11 hours ago

Would I be pretty and daft enough to not overthink and complicate everything and to finally be happy?

Ok then. Let me be a himbo. The ladies may take advantage.

[-] AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee 1 points 9 hours ago

Smart because if I ever started getting into making videos for my fictional P²EMG company, would needs the smarts to make a v-Tuber model of my fursona work, alongside some other tools I won't disclose.

[-] That_Devil_Girl@lemmy.ml 5 points 19 hours ago

It's lonely being intelligent. Maybe I'm just in the wrong social circles.

I like to read books at my construction job when we're not busy. Yet none of my coworkers have read a book since early middle school, and they only skimmed it to half-ass a book report. I can't talk to them about anything except work.

I've never been beautiful my whole life. I'd give myself a 4 out of 10, a little less than average. I never really cared about my looks, I haven't worn makeup in ages.

I'd be interested in giving beauty a trial run, see if it suits me better than intelligence.

[-] Anticorp@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

There are definitely intelligent people in the trade jobs, but the overall mindset is completely different, and a certain lack of soft skills that get developed in other types of careers.

I want the intelligence, but could I settle for my current level of attractiveness?

[-] Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 14 hours ago

Not beautiful anyway. I'll take the smarts

[-] rekabis@programming.dev 2 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

I have always taken the metaphorical red pill when given a chance. I would rather live in pain and suffering knowing the truth, than living in ignorance and happiness.

And I don’t mind being ugly. I’m a misanthrope anyhow. Being ugly just means you are more likely to be left alone.

[-] Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world 6 points 22 hours ago

Beautiful. I've tried smart, it sucks.

[-] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 21 hours ago

Yeah, told the genie I want to be smart. Motherfucker turned me into a car.

[-] Ardyssian@sh.itjust.works 1 points 15 hours ago

Intelligence can be attractive too! And even in the cases where it's not, I think I can always go for surgery or something if it's really that bad.

Intelligence can be learnt, but it's much harder than say, correcting one's facial features or getting into shape imo.

[-] Ardyssian@sh.itjust.works 1 points 15 hours ago

Maybe it would be a more difficult choice if it was between Intelligence or Constitution (i.e. physical health)

[-] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee 14 points 1 day ago

My intelligence makes me depressed, so beautiful.

[-] SpaceFox@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 day 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.

[-] tetris11@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 day ago

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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[-] NineMileTower@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago

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

[-] SpaceFox@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 day ago

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

[-] morrowind@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago

intelligence goes away too, it just takes a bit longer

[-] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 2 points 23 hours ago

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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[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

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

[-] Psythik@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

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

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[-] ReakDuck@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 day 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

[-] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 day ago

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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[-] lemmyknow@lemmy.today 4 points 1 day ago

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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this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2025
61 points (93.0% liked)

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