Sunday Times, " Here's proof: Looks do matter in job search", dated 6/5/07

I post this entry, with reference to the article as mentioned in the title of this post, from the Sunday Times of 6 May 2007.

The incident mentioned in this article, is of a graduate, Edmund Lim, who had little success with finding a job, and when he sent out 2 resumes with different pictures, one of himself and other of a beautiful lady, the latter got chosen.

The issue with regards to this article, would therefore be of beauty and perception as well as social perspective of the notion of beauty in our modern society.

In this modern society, many countries, as well as organizations and companies, especially Singapore, claims to work on a meritocratic system. That is, people who are more capable, doing better academically or in their respective jobs and fields gets more oportunities to further develop their talents. This means that talents, would almost be fully taken up by the companies and governmental or non-governmental organizations and companies. However, there are still several cases in which, the one chosen is not the one who is more talented, but more physically appealing or attractive.

This brings us to the question:"Is physical appearance important to a person in society? Are people placing too much importance on physical appearances?". Before we explore this question about vanity, we have to first ask ourselves. Do we treat people who are more good-looking better, or are we equal and fair regardless of their appearance? I personally find myself treating those who are good-looking better, and I attribute this to the fact that i was sort of brought up with this belief that first impression matters, and that ur physical appearance is important in building up a good impression upon others.

Therefore, we can see that society does place importance on looks to a certain extent. However, is it fair? Of course it isn't fair! However, who or what is to be blamed for this? Though many proclaims the equality among genders, are we able to draw a clear line among the two genders? It is something that is ambiguous, and is not able to solve. We have long learnt to judge people firstly by how they look because we have been taught that how you look can tell alot about a person. Hence, does this mean taht we focus more on people's appearances? No! However, physical appearances does influence us to a certain extent because it is something within us, something of a human instinct to look at people and think of them in a certain manner. You see someone with a beard and moustache, and is wearing a cap and sunglasses approaching you. He wears a frown on this forehead, yet seems to bear a grin a you. As he walks nearer to you, would you rather believe that he is out to harm you, or that he is just an ordinary citizen passing by. Put a young child into ur situation instead, and would you think that he might have intentions to kidnap the child, or could he be the father?

Physical appearances is something that we cannot get rid of in our perception of people because it is human nature. However, placing too much emphasis on it would lead to problems regardin vanity. People might start to place huge importance on looking good, and this could be detrimental to individuals who who become too obsessed with appearances, which could then lead to a social problem. Obsession with one's weight has caused several teenagers to contract bulimia or anorexia.

Thus, Looks do matter in life, but we must always remember, that appearances are not everything even though it could make you nothing, but you are something, that is out to stand up to anything.

Virginia Tech Massacre

This picture might look like a scene from one of those violent movies which you watch on television, the main character or some villian or terrorists carry arms, setting of to engage their opposing characters in a gun fight. However, the shocking fact is that this picture is anything but fiction, and is actually the picture of the killer in the United States Virginia Tech University massacre.

This man in the picture, is actually Cho Seung-Hui, a korean student at the university itself. Before the incident itself, who would have thought that such an incident would actually occur, right in the midst of a school, a university in fact, and this actually causes great controversy to not only the American society, but the world, and as the revelation of the chain of events that occured comes to light, there are more issues and lessons that we can take from this incident.

Firstly, the fact that a student can carry a gun and run around in school, killing students is like a storyline that occurs in badly written movies. In actual fact, many would actually think it deviates from reality, even absurd, to think that such an incident could occur in a school. As this incident begins to unravel itself to the world, there are several things we can question about it. One of it, would be that, how did Cho, the antagonists, even laid his hands on the guns that he used to kill the 32 other people. Where did he get his guns? A check at BBC news website ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/despatches/americas/23433.stm) actually shows that almost any individual in US can purchase and own a gun. This ownership of a gun, which especially shown in this incident, is a weapon of great destruction. Is it necessary then, to allow individuals, especially ordinary citizens to own a gun? What is the rationale of the government then, to allow guns to be carried around by any person in the country?

Secondly, another issue which we can think about is: What is the purpose of a school? What is the definition of a school? A search online (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/school) on the word school at www.dictionary.com actually gives up to 20 different results regarding the word school. However, most of it only includes it being a place where people learn and acquire skills to work in society in future. However, in this modern world, is it not the time, to change this whole definition, to include psychological education as well as character development as well? Education, does not refer only to the academic aspect alone. To allow a person to be equpped with skills, but not the ethnics and morals- is it appropriate? In educating a person, or in a school, a group of people, is it not efficient if the students are psychologically sound and at ease? The modern world has changed, and so should passe definitions n ideas. Modern education should take care of the psychological growth of the student as well. Had the college took notice of Cho's psychological well-being, would such a tragedy had taken place?

Though hypothetical the arguments might have been, but at least it is better to take pre-emptive action than regret it after. After all, prevention is better than cure.