This may seem blindingly obvious...

...but in this world, you need brains and personality to get ahead. Politicians, for example, aren't exactly supermodels, but they (quite literally) rule our world. Similarly, scientists, economists, CEOs and other assorted big shots aren't necessarily good-looking, but they got to where they were by using their intelligence, presence and more than a little bit of what's politely called "networking".

Apparently, a couple of people seem to have missed the memo. Granted, they're still in secondary school, but their sheer stupidity and paranoia (I'm not going to mince words here) makes me want to throw up while laughing. I can't believe the dominant species on Earth are such idiots...then again, I'm an idealist.

Names have been changed to protect the innocent, the guilty, and everyone in between. The following paragraphs are mainly about school drama, so feel free to skip them.

Basically, there's a new girl at school (some girls have left, including a dear friend of mine, and the school needs somebody to pay the fees). Let's call her Arianne. For the last week or so, rumours and gossip have been a-buzzing about what she's like, how good-looking she is, et cetera and kai ta loipa (literally means "and the other things" in Greek, if I remember correctly) - from boys and girls equally. Mainly the boys want to fuck her. Cue much rolling of eyes from me. (If anyone from school is reading this, I do not apologise in the slightest for bruising your egos and/or digging up your dark secrets. It's a free country and I don't particularly care for your social conventions.)

Today, Arianne arrived. My House (school house, that is) was rather...ahem...curious, meaning quite a lot of people were trying to get a good look at her when we went to sign in. I was rather apathetic myself; considering I'm normally curious and fired-up, this wasn't a good sign. When I went to RS, two girls in my class - let's call them Emily and Renée - were busy talking (I am being very charitable in my use of that term) about Arianne. Renée in particular was quite afraid, as Arianne was apparently quite good-looking; according to Emily, she's also very smart. They both seemed quite afraid, Renée in particular.

Later on, we had double Games (rounders - bleh). In the summer term, this is basically an excuse to do nothing for an hour and a half, so we all sat down and gossiped. I overheard another girl, let's call her Letitia, talking about Arianne...AGAIN. (We'd already met her by this point, so I considered further gossip redundant. To clarify things, I'm not an eavesdropper: Letitia was sitting right next to me, and apparently didn't understand that I could hear her.) What she said was something like this: "Well, she's taller than me and blonder than me, so I'm out of a job."

I had no sympathy for her or Renée - they should have used their brains and personality instead of their looks.  I would have told them as much, but I've done things like that before and they normally turn out to be mistakes. Oh, wait! Relying on brains and personality would have required them to develop those things, work hard and have a little thing known as moral integrity, or even interests outside of drinking, partying and sex.

The thing is, I've seen Arianne in passing. She is blonde, but she highlights her hair. She's about the same height as Letitia. Neither is she that pretty; she's OK-looking, but not beautiful. (Interestingly, she has very similar facial features to a girl described as ugly...hmmm.) I haven't properly talked to her - all I know is that she's in my English set - but frankly I wouldn't be too intimidated by her being smart. At least then I might have somebody to talk to.

I can't stand people who are too lazy to develop a personality, then get jealous of the first person who comes along and might have features other than "orange from too much fake tan". You don't put work in and what the hell do you expect to get out? Candyfloss? Either grow up and rely on something other than your pussy, or resign yourself to being treated like the shallow, fake little thing you are, I say to them.

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