第十四类 外表

01 How important is a person's look?

1.1 很重要

I think a person's look is very important. It can help a lot when it comes to finding a job. We'd like to believe that the key to securing a job is strictly talent, drive and skill set, while it turns out that appearance can affect the likelihood of being hired even more than a good resume. A person in a well-fitted and wrinkle-free outfit, clean fingernails, neat hair, and a little color from makeup is taken more seriously by prospective employers. On the contrary, a person who is unkempt, with dirty nails and messy hair will leave employers with a very bad impression. While your job skills and abilities are most important to your work, your grooming and attitude also represent your professionalism. Also, a tidy person who cares about appearance gives other people the impression that he is responsible and capable of surviving and confronting difficult situations in a positive manner.

1.2 不重要

1.2.1 内心品质更重要

I don't think a person's look is that important. There's no substitute for a charismatic personality that makes other people want to be around you. For example, generous people always have lots of lifelong friends because they are willing to offer their time, energy, or efforts without the expectation of something in return. People who are optimistic are usually able to interpret situations in a promising light. Also, people who are reliable are more likely to win other people's trust, because they can be consistently depended upon. So good looks may help you get into a conversation with somebody quickly, but if you have a boring personality the conversation will soon be over.

1.2.2 视情况而定

I think it depends. Looks matter a lot in some industries. For example, the film industry has gotten very tough to get into. Directors prefer someone who has good looks because good looks do boost a film's reputation and increase box office sales. Movies are audiences' fantasies and people go to movies to break their daily routine in life. Thus, people are inclined to imagine their heroes are good-looking guys. The same is true for the modeling industry. Victoria's Secret models are all beautiful, tall and slender, with perfect proportions, because designers want them to show off their designs in the best way. Also, models who have the look, style and body can make companies go mad for them, because models can help them sell their products and earn more money. So, we can see that some people are more willing to hire attractive people for those public service jobs. But in the IT industry, where employee's work is primarily with computers, no one cares whether he/she is a stunner or just an ordinary-looking person, as long as they're good at their work. Appearance will never replace talent, skill or intelligence.

02 How do we improve appearance?

2.1 注意饮食

We've all heard the old adage,“You are what you eat.” And that is so true. There is no substitute for eating healthy if you want to look your best in the long run. Whether it's your heart, brain, bones, eyes, skin, or hair you seek to nurture, there are foods up to the task. I used to have very bad eating habits. I ate bagels and cream cheese in the morning, chicken burgers at lunch, and frozen pizza in the evening. Those foods contain too many calories. So, I weighed something like 160 pounds at that time. And I found myself suddenly breaking out in acne. So I began to give more importance to a well-balanced and diversified diet. I started buying more fruits, vegetables, meats and fishes. Within 5 months, I lost like 20 pounds, and my skin is much clearer than before.

2.2 做运动

The No. 1 way to improve your appearance is to consider exercise as a non-negotiable ritual. Exercising regularly slows down the aging process, gives you smooth skin and makes your muscles look leaner, and thus more attractive. I usually do yoga to keep fit. It's very convenient because I can learn all moves from YouTube. For me, the obvious benefit of working out is to lose weight. I lost about 30 pounds after I picked up yoga! It also greatly improves my circulation. After about a week of working out, I noticed that my cheeks have become naturally rosier!

2.3 注意睡眠

One of the best things that you can do to improve your appearance is getting more rest. Prioritizing sleep will guarantee people appear attractive and refreshed. If people don't get adequate sleep, they will begin to show signs of aging, because sleep is a restorative process in which your body repairs itself. When I don't get enough sleep, I get dark circles and bags under my eyes. I look like a haggard zombie. That definitely scares the boldest man/children. So now I usually sleep from 11:00 p. m. to 7:00 a. m., and try to be consistent in my bedtime. Even though the exact amount of sleep a person needs may vary according to age and lifestyle, usually seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep at night are recommended.

2.4 化妆

My best tip is to start wearing a little bit makeup. Wearing makeup can make you prettier and even confident, and putting it on can be fun too! Also, it is the easiest way to enhance your appearance. There are tons of great YouTube tutorials on makeup application. I can't even tell you how much my appearance has changed since I started exploring those makeup videos. I feel like a new person. I used to put a dark line around my eyes and call it a day. Now I use BB cream, blush, mascara, highlighters, eyebrow pencils and lipsticks. I have a complete, professional“look” now, and it feels great.

2.5 自信

People always focus too much on physical appearance, but ignore the impact of inner spirit — confidence. Confidence changes the expression in one's eyes, which I think, is the most important part of anybody's appearance. It determines a person's spirit. Those who are too self-conscious about their drawbacks, such as small eyes, single-fold eyelid, flat nose, thick lips, will never show a firm and steady eye. But those who embrace their features, both the good and the bad, are definitely more attractive. Your sprit is more important than your appearance.

03 Should one undergo plastic surgery to change their look?

3.1 Yes

Of course! People can choose to get plastic surgery if they have the need. My aunt Sarah got surgery 2 years ago, because she felt sad and insecure about her aging face. The lines on her face just bothered her a lot. She told me she didn't want to look old and tired. So she got a facelift. And that was really a self-confidence booster for her. Now she is so happy. She is 57 years old now, but she looks like a young lady. She told me that feeling beautiful, healthy, and rejuvenated inside and out was absolutely priceless.

3.2 No

I think it's a bad idea to improve one's appearance through plastic surgery. You only have one body, and once you change it through surgery, things will never really be the same again. And it can become a vicious cycle. I have a friend who got plastic surgery last year, because she was obsessed with looking like her favorite actress Fan Bingbing. However, she thought that the result was disappointing. She has had Botox injections, which left her with a fixed duck face. So she got more surgery to“fix” it. She told me she experienced a lot of depression and pain during this process. In addition to that, there are multiple risks, as with any surgery. Scars and nerve damage are all possible complications. So love yourself, and leave your pretty face alone.

3.3 视情况而定

I think it depends. If people are getting surgery for themselves, such as fixing scars from a childhood accident or a hooked nose, then,it would be a good thing to do because it changes their whole life for the better. On the contrary, if people are getting surgery for someone else, that would be a totally different situation. Sometimes people get surgery because of pressure from a boyfriend, a gift from parents, or social recognition. But none of these are good reasons to get surgery. Getting your breasts done won't make an unfaithful boyfriend stop cheating. Getting a brow lift won't make a husband with a wandering eye stop looking at younger women. Getting liposuction won't get you that job promotion you've been denied. Surgery can absolutely enhance your life, but in the end, it's just fixing something on the outside. It can't fix your whole life.

04 How important is a product's appearance?

4.1 包装不重要

I think we have put too much emphasis on packaging. I'm not saying that packaging isn't important — it certainly is. My point is that when companies put more emphasis on their packaging than their products, it results in the disappointment we've all experienced. I once bought mooncakes in a large fancy metal box, which was decorated with exquisite patterns. And it was very expensive. However, it turned out there were only 2 mooncakes in the box and they tasted like feet! I felt so disappointed. How could they cheat me like this? Nowadays, it is just so common to see that some products are over-packaged which serves no real purpose other than to make something look pretty. It's just not necessary for everyday products.

4.2 包装很重要

4.2.1 可以吸引顾客

I think giving the container a pleasing appearance is very important, so that consumers will feel comfortable displaying it in their home. For example, in the past, a lot of companies sold cookies in a plain cardboard box. But now they might sell them in a nice metal box, and they might decorate that box with beautiful pictures. That way, when customers present the cookies to guests, they look nice and classy. Attractive containers like that can make a product much more appealing.

4.2.2 市场竞争过于激烈

It is very important to make the package appealing, because there are thousands of products on the market competing for customers' attention. Most customers don't have the time or energy to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the products in their shopping carts, so they use a shortcut to make their decision. That shortcut is products' packaging. Think about it: A new product on a shelf, a consumer seeing it for the first time, not having any association with it. If the packaging is weak, plain and boring, no one would want it. But if it is exciting, informative, creative and alluring, it can make a great first impression. Packaging is how a product introduces itself. To succeed, your brand packaging has to stand out and look different from your competitors. For example, as a shopper walks through the coffee aisle of the local grocery store, the bright orange, pink and white packaging of the Dunkin' Donuts coffee brand may be easily recognizable for the consumer to grab on his way by the coffee shelf. It's just so eye-catching!

4.2.3 有助于品牌形象的建立

Packaging is powerful because it tells consumers why your product and brand are different. In other words, it is a helpful marketing tool through in-store advertising. A uniquely designed package helps consumers remember your products next time they are shopping. Take a moment to think about some of your favorite brands. They all have one thing in common: they are memorable. Over the decades, brands like Coke have made minor changes to their packaging and stayed true to their original look. Also, Apple is known for its clean, white, minimalist packaging. And think of Tiffany & Co. For most people, the iconic blue box is more recognizable than the jewelry itself.

4.2.4 有人为拆包装而活

I think many manufacturers realized the importance of good packaging in the early 80s. Steve Jobs was one of them. Just look at the gorgeous packaging of Apple products;just search on YouTube for the keyword“unboxing”. Millions of results come up within a second. People just love the feeling of getting a present, a gift, or a high-tech item that they have been saving money for months for. I totally get these people who love posting videos about unboxing. I was just thrilled when I received my GoPro Hero 5 camera last summer, and when I was opening the package. I will never forget that feeling.

5 Has a person's appearance become more important than before?

5.1 没有原来重要

I disagree with this statement. For example, we used to judge teachers based on their appearance. I had a science teacher who always wore a white lab coat over his suit. It did seem to make him look more qualified and generally like a better educated teacher. So, what a teacher wears affects students' perceptions of them. However, now, thanks to the Internet, we have online classes. Even though I live in Beijing, I can study with a teacher from America to practice my English by using Skype. And I have no idea what he looks like or how he is dressed, but it doesn't matter at all. To me, he is the best English teacher ever! So I think appearance is less important than before because of the Internet.

5.2 和过去一样重要

I don't agree with the statement. Our habit of“judging a book by its cover” stays exactly the same as before. It is human nature to judge by physical experience. Those who are fortunate enough to be born beautiful or handsome have an edge over others, either now or in the past. This happens because beauty is an indicator of other characteristics, such as good health. Our minds are still looking at factors, such as great-looking hair, teeth and skin, as indicators of survival and success. And that's why employers use them when they choose people who they think will make the most money or do the best job for their organization.

5.3 比过去更重要

I think a person's appearance is more important than before. Imagine you have two candidates for a job. They are both of the same sex. They both graduated from world elite universities. Their CVs are equally good, and they both give good interviews. You cannot help noticing, though, that one is ugly and the other is handsome. Are you swayed by their appearance? Perhaps not. But most people might be. Thanks to the spread of education, nowadays, most people meet the requirements in terms of skill set. However, beauty has become a necessary qualification, especially in public service jobs.