How to Be Someone People Love to Talk To (2015)
I think the article severely downplays the importance of attractiveness. If the other party finds you attractive, the bar is lowered to the point of you simply being normal&#x2F;average in terms of intelligence, wit, and whatever else you want to include in your definition of what makes a person &quot;interesting&quot;. You basically need to be a vapid idiot to give anyone a bad impression as an attractive person.<p>It&#x27;s a huge factor. I&#x27;ve started putting some of my big programmer bucks into improving my appearance before I hit 30, starting with braces (family couldn&#x27;t afford them as a kid), eyelid surgery to fix some mild ptosis, and a nose job. I&#x27;ve also started using sunscreen and moisturizer on my face on a regular basis.<p>The past few years have made me realize that your appearance only becomes more important as you age and progress in a white-collar career  -- not less, as I was led to believe as a child. This is especially disheartening to realize while working in CA&#x2F;NYC tech, which have always been billed as one of the most meritocratic and progressive sectors. Getting into shape only takes you so far. I consider myself average now, but I want to be hot.