from Lawrence, this Sunday PhiloMadrid meeting: Looksism

Dear Friends,

As a consequence of the ultra liberal attitude of the English language we can create such words as
Looksism. Basically, this is another way of saying that the prettier one is the more successful one
becomes.

Indeed, the Economist has a book review by Deborah Rhode, a law professor at Stanford, called "The
Beauty Bias", on this very subject. The author considers the legal aspects of Looksism in society
such as at the work place. (The Economist, Looksism and the Law, May 24, 2010,
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/05/appearance_discrimination)

Dan Ariely, in the meantime, in his book The upside of irrationality (Harper 2011) describes a
process which he calls Assortative Mating. Basically what this means is that pretty people end up
partnering with pretty people and not so pretty people end up partnering with not so pretty people.
We are all familiar witht he issue.

The Economist calls this "appearance discrimination". Despite the liberal intentions of the English
language we all know that what is going on here, it is discrimination plain and simple. But this
still leaves us with a small problem. Whilst we can sue our employer if they fire us because we are
not pretty enough, what can we do about a prospective partner who thinks we are not pretty enough?
In the meantime this Sunday we are meeting again at Finnegans Irish pub. Diana kindly confirmed with
the pub that there won't be any football this Sunday. So those who want to start early can come at
6:30pm and those who want to start late they can come at 7:00pm.

Finnegans Irish pub Plaza Salesas, 9
http://maps.google.es/maps?hl=es&tab=wl&q=Plaza%20Salesas%2C%209%20Madrid%2C%2028004

take care
Lawrence
PS don't forget that Carlos is still looking for speaker for his philo club.

from Lawrence, this Sunday PhiloMadrid meeting: Looksism