This post from The World of Wealth reminded me of something I’d been trying to write about a few months ago. First, an excerpt from MEG’s post:
It’s been over a month since I joined my new upscale gym, and I have never looked back!It costs over $130 a month (compared to the $44 a month I used to pay for a regular gym), but I have not had even a twinge of buyer’s remorse…..
Going to the gym makes me feel strong, healthy, and energetic, but this one in particular – like any upscale spa or designer boutique – also makes me feel pampered, composed, and worthy.
Also, there is plenty of good eye-candy!
That last line was the kicker for me (emphasis mine). The post I’d been working on several months ago was inspired by two lunches I had at places near my office, one being a typical NYC pizza joint, and the other an upscale, expensive, gourmet Italian cafe. I never got very far writing it, but the tentative title was “Where Do the Beautiful People Eat Lunch,” because it seemed to me that the more expensive the lunch spot, the more attractive the clientele was, which seems to have been MEG’s observation about gyms as well. Are expensive places really frequented by cuter customers? How might that work in terms of cause and effect, or mere correlation?
There’s some logic to thinking people are more likely to be attractive if they can afford upscale lunches and gyms– money can’t create good looks, but it can certainly help enhance an otherwise average appearance. People of a higher socio-economic status are also more likely to be healthier and less overweight, which can improve one’s looks. And in the case of restaurants, people who eat pizza for lunch every day might indeed be less healthy than those consuming organic salads from the gourmet place.
Then there’s the question of who can afford the more expensive places: I’m sure I’ve read of plenty of studies showing that attractive people are more likely to be hired for jobs, and paid better. I can’t cite any of those studies now, but I think this is something most of us would instinctively believe is true, whether or not it should be!
And there are psychological reasons– if people value the things that differentiate upscale places from their less expensive counterparts, they are also more likely to prioritize appearance and wear the sorts of clothes or jewelry that might be judged fashionable or attractive by others. And from the perspective of the beholder, perhaps we are predisposed to find people more attractive because we think they have money.
Of course, all of this is very subjective– everyone has different definitions of what is attractive in the first place. If your aesthetic tends more towards artsy thrift-store skinny-hipster chic, you might not find much eye candy at any gym, at least not in the weight room!
Where do you find your eye candy? Does it have anything to do with money?
