Political scandals make big news, and when a married man’s affair comes to light, everyone wants to know two things. First, what does the “other woman” look like? We assume she is good looking and sexy, otherwise he would not get involved. Second question: What does his wife look like? We expect her to be the opposite, driving him to a more appealing part-time partner.
As I write this, Governor Sanford’s wife has been seen in the news. What do you think? Be honest! His Argentine lover has not yet surfaced, so we will keep following the news until we can see her and pass judgment. If she is a babe, we will understand what atttracted him to her, but will consider him shallow. If she isn’t, we will say,”He left his wife for that?”
When I say we, I mean most of us, men and women. It’s human nature. If we read as well as look, we will learn that the governor and his wife were having marital troubles and had separated. Maybe the woman was the cause, but their problems are probably more complicated. And it seems his relationship with the other woman was based on friendship and then love, not foolish lust. In other words, personality, compatibility, common interests, and other considerations are factored in, not just physical attraction. It takes more than sex for an important public figure to buy a ticket to Argentina and disappear for five days.
And I’m sure you are wondering who the cute girl is in the photo with Governor Sanford. If she were a large, older woman you would be less curious. She is Nicole Modeen, a citizen visiting the governor who also happens to be a budding photographer. Interestingly, her bio on flickr is brief: “I’m female and taken.” I guess she is concerned that, because she is cute, her picture will attract unwanted suitors.
The point is, we are all influenced by physical appearance, and often make false judgments because of it.
