I think maybe your post relies a bit on stereotypes that perpetuate the problem. Poodles didn't wake up and say, "All I have to do is be pretty!" as you accuse them of doing. Poodles received constant affirmation of their prettiness and NOTHING ELSE, often with negative comments when they try to do anything more difficult. Sexism plays a huge role in that.

And it comes off as a bit sexist when you act as if the poodles are getting everything they want without having to work for it. The poodles are getting what other people want to give them - that's a pretty big difference.

I do not walk into a coffee shop in the hopes that three guys will interrupt me to talk about the lame soundtrack, but that's often what I get. How does that improve my life? I'd rather be able to walk into an interview and ask for 20 percent more than the offer, without seeing that offended look of, "The cute thing talks! Who does she think she is?" A lot of the time it's just easier to give in and play dumb. Trust me, though, it's not what I want.

Finally, if the pretty pretty poodle is boring you, it's possible you're not seeing her as a separate person, and she knows it. Why should she tell you all about her childhood hopes or her interest in Japanese samurai history, if it's obvious that all you want is to have your buddies see you standing next to her in a bar? You're probably the fifth guy to pull this on her and she can't tell you all what a special, unique person she is. If you're not looking beyond the surface, she may not feel the need to educate you.

Poodles have fully embraced the social construct that is our culture. Look at our obsession with celebrities-- the beautiful people -- most of them aren't doing anything amazing with that celebrity -- they're just going about their daily routine, and we buy tabloids to watch them grocery shop and night club hop.

In reality, poodles acknowledge take advantage, knowingly or unknowingly, of our beauty blinders.

Just looking at the weight component of societ, a recent study showed that discrimination against fat people starts at 13 pounds overweight for women and 68 pounds overweight for men.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/fat-bias-worse-for-women/

@ Zak - Maybe I'm not making myself clear.

Celebrities are not poodles. They are celebrities.

I wrote a short post a while back that explains this: http://gurugilbert.com/2007/07/09/why-i-like-paris-and-i%e2%80%99m-not-t...

I'm talking your everyday girl who is not famous, who is not in movies and who isn't on magazine covers - although she ('the poodle') might think she is famous in her own little world...

@Liz - Ohhhh, booooohoooo, being beautiful is SOOOOOO hard...gimme a break - if looks are causing people to underestimate you, you're lucky, that gives you the perfect opportunity to suprise them with your deep intellect and knowledge.

Got a whole raft of IT stories about dealing with poodles and their leash holders. My wife, the retired cop/firefighter/paramedic who, as big and stunningly beautiful as she is, is probably the poster woman for the anti-poodle. She's got a whole bunch more.

Great topic! I have a great idea for an article and I will be backtracking this article to reinforce my view.

I have witnessed people being given a position based mostly on looks but it kills me when they beat out someone who was obviously more qualified.

I also think it's cruel to use your parents to pay for things, especially when you have no desire or plan to cut the financial ties.

I mean come on, they birthed you for God's sake, give 'em a break!

I didn't ask anyone to feel sorry for me; I just said the article's assumptions were flawed. It's like he just wrote something quickly that would appeal to the frat boy types who want to say, "Yeah, I know those dumb bitches!" AND the self-hating girls out there. It's poorly reasoned, and the only way to fill in the gaps is with sexist assumptions about women.

The idea that people benefit from being good looking is hugely overblown. Some things come easy, like crappy jobs at Dairy Queen or "direct marketing" cigarettes in bars. But generally in the working world, the demand for good looks is an EXTRA hurdle imposed on women, in careers such as media talking heads (where the boys don't have to bring the pretty, but the girls get fired for crows feet - which is great when all the good jobs require at least a decade of experience).

And sure, there are people who bought into the pressure and behave (maybe even believe) that all they have to offer is looks. So we should yell at them to shape up? That's like telling an anorexic, "You should eat dummy!" The whole article just comes off as weirdly unsubstantiated, over-simplified and kind of mean-spirited.

"@Liz - Ohhhh, booooohoooo, being beautiful is SOOOOOO hard…gimme a break - if looks are causing people to underestimate you, you’re lucky, that gives you the perfect opportunity to suprise them with your deep intellect and knowledge."

You sound like a winner Andy. I bet the women just don't get that you're really a nice guy and they all only date jerks because they're stupid that way and that's why no one ever goes home with you, the nice, nice, nice guy..

@Liz - It's amazing how defensive you are. I'm a little confused because it doesn't seem like you even read the article or any of the comments.

Let me be clear. There is nothing wrong with being good looking, obviously.

There's plenty of gorgeous women in high power roles.

What bothers me, in my opinion, is how some gorgeous women carry themselves...

That is it.

I've been railing at the trend over the last few years that emphasize looks, pleasant personality, and political skills over such things as competence, intelligence and hard work. I've had far too many of these poodles, both male and female come through, think all they have to do is look good and connect with the right people to make the new email system work properly.

Some have a modicum of intelligence, common sense and hard work and they can be taught that being good looking may calm down the VP who's not getting his email, but it doesn't do a thing to fix the problem, which is the job they've been hired for.

Others continue blundering on, inflicting the the problems they encounter and cause on the rest of us. I do my best to get them into sales or marketing, where their focus on image can be utilized better.

Not in the least, Ian.

Demamding what you want from me doesn't mean you are going to get it, unless I decide you deserve to get it. Thinking I'm automatically just going to give you what you want, just because you're good looking, means you're totally clueless.

Confidence with nothing but good looks to back it up, makes you look like an arrogant fool.

So to sum it up, their "gains" make them nothing more than clueless, arrogant fools, in addition to lacking endurance and tolerance.

In any contest of style and substance (how good things look and how well they work), I'll take substance every time and twice on every other Thursday.

I agree that Paris was impressive by follow-up her fame from 4 years ago. The reason for the 2 person up (1 fiction, the other not).

Both start off as the so-call poodle, then took advantage of those assets & evolved.

I was trying to point out that they do have good points that we can't see at face value, ironically.

Ever since there were rich people, these type existed, Shakespeare wrote about it on the shrew.
What do they become when these people get older? Were they able leverage any of those assets?
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@jrandom42
Knowing what you are looking for & then demand it is not a bad skill to have; even though it may annoy alot of people if they looking down at others while doing it. (I'm in my late twenties & all I'm able to do is to ask nicely for what I want, not demand)

Also, Aren't some grayers & boomers bosses look at us & think the same thing as you describe. (Replacing: you're looking good & substance, with: you have a college degree & experience)

Remember we ask/demand for opportunities, promotions, flex-time ...

Depending on perspective these situation can the same or different.

What if we are unconsciencously acting with a smaller version of a similar attitude? Can we do something about it?

Liz - I'm really confused as to why you are so upset and I am truly baffled at your comments. Did you read my post???

First off, I wrote about 'poodles' so telling me what I could have written about is rather silly. Cats meow, dogs bark and I wrote about poodles.

Secondly, your overreacting is like me getting upset every time someone calls a guy with muscles a 'meat head' or 'gym rat'.

Thirdly, if you work and make your own way in life, you're not a 'poodle' as per my post. I thought I was rather clear on my definition.

Finally, I'm really amazed at your comments. Not once did I write about "Some hot girl bored me! She should shape up! Yeah. They all should..."

Seriously, did you read this post?

This is not a post bashing 'hot girls' at all. This is a post about guys/girls who live off their parent's money and don't have jobs who have no character, depth or perspective whatsoever and don't really worry about anything but looking good.

Read the post Liz. Please.

@jrandom42
'Hell No' a completely legit response, especially if they work under/with you.
What if they had the leverage & become you/my boss (through family)? What can be done in such situations?

By knowing how to demanding in a position of power, rather than just ask nicely is a skill. Of course that's not enough, if the people can answer the 'why?' after the demand, then we just won't do it!
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Liz point out the reason why I join in this post: it gave a Vibe of Poodle are good for nothing... , then let's look down at them; I don't believe we should do that either.
Besides they work hard ... on their appearance & value it very much (I think); They found the value & prestige in looking good.

Some people values grades alot & work hard at it; then avoid/look down on others that had bad grades. How is that attitude any different?

I think we all can agree 'just looking good isn't enough'.
Although looking good has it's value, many knows how to exploits it & poodles are just at the pros of that.
(Even though we might not repsect them for it)