Head v. Heart

It was a Monday morning, not a particularly good time to face down yet another glaring bias most people in our fair society unwittingly have.

A friend's blog started it all - after Shu Hyphen Wen had posted a picture of a good-looking guy on her blog (not me this time... overexposure's never good), her tag board came alive with comments regarding the "cuteness" and "hunkiness" of the guy in question.

"This cannot be right," I told my Germaine (names changed to protect the truly innocent) before lecture began. "How can one afford to be so superficial, and work up so much attraction to someone you don't even know, based s0lely on how he looks?"

My tirade continued - one must be fully aware of the natural bias to accord good-looking people more good-feelings compared to the rest, to ensure full impartiality in social dealings. What about people who look less good? Do you immediately distrust them?

Furthermore, looks are but a single facet of a person, and society shouldn't harp on it so much in lieu of all the other qualities a model citizen should possess, right? For a moment, I felt like a walking GP essay.

My friend rousingly agreed. And when I looked into her eyes I knew she had seen the light - there was a clarity of vision, a certain fiery edge to her concentrated gaze. I saw a woman awaken from years of slumbering under false perceptions, and my jaded little heart beat anew. Hear, hear, how quickly does man's folly undo through careful reflection!

Just then, the aforementioned good-looking guy strode into the LT.

The broken spell was cast anew. Resolve was quickly thrown out the window, followed closely behind by logic and reasoning. My female friend's eyes glazed over once again, as she did a little jig of merriment, hands clapping on their own accord.

"Oooooooooh Hanting look at him today! He looks so good!"

15 mins of hard persuasion to set her mind free from bias. 3 seconds to bring it all back. Oh yes, the world is fair.