Lookism: An Overview Of Controversy

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Overview of Controversy The phenomenon of “lookism” has been a running topic of discussion for a long time. The term is a culturally formed word used to describe the treatment of people who are thought to be physically attractive. As far back as 42 BC, Publilius Syrus declared that “A fair exterior is a silent recommendation” while Shakespeare said that beauty in itself persuades people without another form influence (Cavico, Muffler, & Mujtaba, 2012). A perfect example was given by James (2008), that when two women of similar qualification apply for the same job, the employer would likely pick the most attractive of the two. This decision is purely based on and informed by the notion that physical attractiveness is accompanied by other favorable

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