i had to tear this out of the magazine

[greensilkchai]

in a culture in which women are generally considered "beautiful" or "gorgeous" only if they fit a certain physical formula, this article nearly made me stand up and cheer.

walter kirn for the ones who always get passed over

Comments

[mconverse]

I'm glad I've always liked the ones who get passed over.

[little_licks]

The sentiment of the article is a recurring theme in Bill Cosby's old stand-up routines, where he talks about how in any group of pretty girls, there's always "the ugly friend."

"But," he declaims, "do not - NOT - ever disrespect the 'ugly one.' I have never gone after "the pretty one" in my life, because I have learned that "the ugly one" is always the friendly one!"

What I find very interesting is that you, as the clearly "pretty friend" in just about every group I've seen you in (without the inherent malicious intent that Kirn ascribes to "your" ilk), have such an empathy for the "plain" friend. For whatever reason, I think you've always identified with "the plain friend," which really is one of your charms.

And I, too, have always gone for the "plain" girls - Maryann (instead of Ginger), Kaylee (instead of Inara), and Saffron (instead of...wow, the alternatives in Absolutely Fabulous are truly horrifying).

[nachtwyrm]

This is why i am not a fan of realistic cosmetics on women.
Beauty is found in the entirety of a person...heart, mind, and body.

In many ways it is our flaws that define us as individuals. Clones have no individual identity and nothing compelling to recommend them over the next automaton in line.

to thine own self be true and your compelling presence might not bring you all of the people you want it to, but it will probably bring you the interesting ones.

as Dirk Gently would say, you might not get where you wanted to go, but you'll probably get where you need to be.