There is an article in the Irish Independent today by Thomas Stuttaford about the importance of being tall. Unless my memory is failing me, It is the same article that was printed in Times Online a month ago, so never let it be said that modern media is anything but diverse in its interests and pursuits.
On the importance of being tall, it says:
In the 21st century, as it was in the 19th century, to be tall is to be dealt a trump card by nature that could make someone’s life easier. Research has shown that a tall, broad-shouldered man is more likely than a shorter rival to have an advantage when looking for a mate, or for employment. Research published last year from Princeton University showed that both tall men and women earn 10 per cent more than those who are 4in shorter. The chances of a man reaching the equivalent in Britain of the directors’ boardroom are 3 per cent greater if he is 6ft 2in than 5ft 10in.
It should be pointed out that directors’ boardrooms are full of former Oxbridge rowers and rugger players, whose towering height is the result of many generations of fine feeding and even finer breeding practices. Meanwhile, many other people in Britain are the children and grandchildren of people whose diet improved as a result of rationing introduced during the second world war.
The article blathers a bit about prejudice against short people, and then produces a series of recommendations about how to ensure that your children grow to their full potential. It would be a good laugh if one of these papers produced an informative report on how light-skinned people have better job prospects than dark-skinned people, and, in an accompanying section gave recommendations on how to get your children to reach their light-skinned potential.
In case you’re wondering, I’m 5ft 11.
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