Stop Talking About Susan Boyle- What Living in a World of Magazine Eugenics Does to Us

It's unimaginable.  Some people are not beautiful!   You'd think that the discovery of a not-beautiful person is as stunning as that of a person with a tail or horn. Some freakish accident of nature.

Apparently what's even more shocking to us humans without tails or horns, is that a not-beautiful person can actually have utility--that is sing well.

The talented Susan Boyle has rated 2 million google mentions and has become the most talked about topic on twitter--the terse conversations in which 10 million people now communicate.   Nearly a week after her debut, newspapers are still writing about her, CNN broadcst from her wee house last night. 

But the fact of the matter is that most people are not beautiful.  Most people are pretty unattractive, and consequently we don't see them outside of daily life on the streets and in the shops.

I think what's really shocked our culture is that an unattactive person was not just let of her house, but she was put on public view--to millions.

Our cultural gatekeepers try to make sure we don't see normal not-beautiful people.  Casting directors don't chose them to act on tv, or films.  Bookers for TV news shows will ask how people look on camera; they will not pick unattracitive people to discuss their expertise.  Even in house or food magazines--where it's the stuff that's supposed to look so good, editors will ask if they're photogenic people.  If not, even the owners of the most beautiful house, or the yummiest dinner party won't be featured, but will fall victim to the secret of magazine eugenics--whereby only pretty people can be seen in "aspirational" shoots.  Editors will insist that arms be covered, since normal people have bad arms. It's true, I've seen it happen.  

So let's remember, we're not all expected to be beautiful. It's what people look like that counts, but what they do.  From now on, just refer to the singer Susan Boyle.  Or don't talk, blog, chat or report about it. If you do, you'll grow horns and a tail