Rant: Why is Heightism a joke?

College Confidential Community
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<p>Yes, why is it? Tons of studies have shown that short (people under 5 foot 8, but not midgets) people, controlling for all factors, get paid less than tall people. Studies have shown that like 99% of Fortune 500 CEO's are above the average American height (5 foot 8). The VAST majority of our presidential candidates have been above the average height for their time (even James Madison was not INCREDIBLY short for his time). Yes, and already in response to those who say that tall people ARE naturally more intelligent (as a study coming out of the Princeton economics department recently showed), could it be because of the way they have insiduously been treated? Does it really seem valid to say, off-hand, that short people are not as smart as tall people, just by looking at their current achievement? Would anyone say that so easily about Blacks or women, etc, without encountering some controversy (think Larry Summers, think James D. Watson--and they said their statements in a much tamer way than economists openly say the tall are smarter than the short).</p>

<p>With women, short guys also get screwed--and its a joke. Women openly say we want guys that are tall. Would they openly say they want white guys or black guys ONLY? And where does all this come from...some genetic feeling that 6000 years ago short cavemen could have done less than tall cavemen? Don't other factors (like intelligence, wealth and kindness) matter more in a current civil society.</p>

<p>And I hate it when girls say that guys reject fat girls. At least fat people can control that in SOME way. Even if you are large boned, there are very few people who cannot work out enough to come to a height that is close to average. And these people are few and far in between. At least personally, I recognize whether a girl is out of shape or whether that is the best she can do. Same goes with ugliness. You don't know how much ugliness people can hide behind makeup, behind a haircut, etc. It is controllable. How do I control height? Get dangerous surgery done to expand my legs and make them all disproportional? Or take human growth hormone that is not regulated by the FDA?</p>

<p>And yeah, we make such a big deal about how guys reject girls for being fat (or for something else that they can USUALLY control). Why is heightism a joke? Discrimination in the workplace occurs with short people as much as it occurs among some minority groups. I understand that certain races and the female sex were officially subjugated for many years (and short people were not), but in today's world, short people are still discriminated against. And they are made to be a joke.</p>

<p>What would you think about short people banding together to fight against heightism? It would be a joke! On television, producers have the gall to ONLY show short people who are jokes (except on Entourage, in which E still gets made fun of for his height occasionally). Think: George from Seinfeld, Carlton from Fresh Prince, Spence from King of Queens.</p>

<p>I'm short and angry...and please don't tell me it's a joke.</p>

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<p>Hmm...just to tell you the average height for Americans is 5 foot 10 inches...</p>

<p>And um...aren't Asian Americans generally shorter then the mean? (Of course with exceptions.)</p>

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<p>Would you like a tissue?</p>

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<p>
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Hmm...just to tell you the average height for Americans is 5 foot 10 inches...</p>

<p>And um...aren't Asian Americans generally shorter then the mean? (Of course with exceptions.)

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</p>

<p>Yeah, it's 5 foot 9.2 inches. And yes Asians are usually shorter than the mean. So? I think heightism applies partly because of discrimination, but even when factors like race are taken into account, heightism occurs.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Would you like a tissue?

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</p>

<p>Sure to wipe the smile off your face. It's not a joke.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
short (people under 5 foot 8, but not midgets) people

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</p>

<p>If you are referring to males and females, then you are deceived. 5'8" is hardly short for a female, and not really even for a male.</p>

<p>If you are using the word "people" to refer only to men, then you are sexist.</p>

<p>Racist jokes a 129387129387x funnier, anyway.</p>

<p>Edit: To be more specific -- according to US Census -- the average height for a male 20 years+ is 5'9", and 5'3" for a female.</p>

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<p>^ That surprises me, big time.</p>

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<p>shorter people live longer. There's the trade off.</p>

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<p>"Studies have shown that like 99% of Fortune 500 CEO's are above the average American height (5 foot 8)."</p>

<p>LMAO. sdfhjasdkjfhasdlkfhsad</p>

<p>Umm.</p>

<p>1) The pool of people in the USA who are taller than 5"8' is SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than the pool of people under 5'8". The law of _______ (IK can probably tell you the name of it) shows that, controlled for all other variables, the smaller pool will virtually always be of a higher quality.</p>

<p>2) A higher percentage of females and Mexican-Americans are under 5'8" -- these two groups make less money on average for reasons that have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH HEIGHT, but instead, flawed cultural constructs. Correlation does not imply causation, OP.</p>

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<p>This is funny.</p>

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<p>You're lucky they don't ask for height on college apps, ArcadeFire. Just imagine how screwed you'd be then! </p>

<p>Tall people aren't tall by choice either. We didn't ask to have great physical stature.</p>

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<p>
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Sure to wipe the smile off your face. It's not a joke.

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</p>

<p>It may not be a joke, but it definitely is silly. You know, now that I think about it, your life is ruined because you're "short". Happy?</p>

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<p>It's a joke because the concept is ridiculous.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
If you are referring to males and females, then you are deceived. 5'8" is hardly short for a female, and not really even for a male.</p>

<p>If you are using the word "people" to refer only to men, then you are sexist.
[quote]
</p>

<p>I was referring to male. That was incorrect on my part...I think it's more because of self-centered thinking on my part than because of my "sexism."</p>

<p>
[quote]
shorter people live longer. There's the trade off.

[/quote]

Women live longer than men. Should we tolerate sexism?</p>

<p>
[quote]

1) The pool of people in the USA who are taller than 5"8' is SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than the pool of people under 5'8". The law of _______ (IK can probably tell you the name of it) shows that, controlled for all other variables, the smaller pool will virtually always be of a higher quality.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I don't know about the median statistic. Do you have evidence that there are many males shorter than 5 foot 8 than males over 5 foot 8? And please write the law. If you don't have either of these, I don't think you can call my message ridiculous.</p>

<p>
[quote]
2) A higher percentage of females and Mexican-Americans are under 5'8" -- these two groups make less money on average for reasons that have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH HEIGHT, but instead, flawed cultural constructs. Correlation does not imply causation, OP.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I will look for the paper, but as I recall, it took race into account. And also, among whites, the average height is 5 foot 10, which is not much greater than 5 foot 9 that is the nation's average. I don't think Mexican Americans or Hispanics alter the average height that much. Plus I was referring to men earlier (that was my mistake, I should have made it clearer).</p>

<p>
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This is funny.

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Why?</p>

<p>
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Tall people aren't tall by choice either. We didn't ask to have great physical stature.

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</p>

<p>I'm not saying they owe anything to short people. I don't blame them and am not hostile toward tall people. I am hostile toward the tendency to judge people based on height and to insiduously award them positions based on height.</p>

<p>
[quote]
It may not be a joke, but it definitely is silly. You know, now that I think about it, your life is ruined because you're "short". Happy?

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<p>Hell I'm not blaming all my life's problems on being short. I was born in America, that itself makes me a really lucky person compared to much of the world. I don't think my life has many problems, and most of them can't be blamed on my height. But is it a problem? Sure...I just think people should give it some thought.</p>

<p>
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It's a joke because the concept is ridiculous.

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</p>

<p>Back it up. Why?</p>

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<p>
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Women live longer than men. Should we tolerate sexism?

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</p>

<p>Definately not! But if you really think about it, this society is sexist against males, not females. There are countless female groups everywhere, yet how often do you see a male organization? There are so many benefits for women, are there any for men? Women can complain about sexism can men? Even if the woman was sexist, people would assume it's the man.</p>

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<p>There is no need for a male organization -- they have been in power for centuries all over the western world. Just as there is no need for a White organization.</p>

<p>But we digress.</p>

<p>OP, heightism is ridiculous. Ask yourself: do you really feel THAT oppressed because of your height? Keep it in perspective. People in Africa are starving to death.</p>

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<p>Haha at this thread.</p>

<p>There is a certain mystique that comes with height. Right now I'm 17/5'10.5" and I REALLY hope I can crack 6'0" before I'm 20.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
There is no need for a male organization -- they have been in power for centuries all over the western world. Just as there is no need for a White organization.

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</p>

<p>Agreed. Plus, even if you don't assume that there is sexism today (which there is), your saying that there should not be sexism proves the subpoint that women living longer than men should not be a reason for tolerating other discrimination.</p>

<p>
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OP, heightism is ridiculous. Ask yourself: do you really feel THAT oppressed because of your height? Keep it in perspective. People in Africa are starving to death.

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</p>

<p>OK, you say its ridiculous because there are bigger problems. But there are bigger problems in every situation. People are getting killed in Darfur. Does that mean we not try to help the poor in our country? As a short male, I can say from my OWN experience that I feel "discriminated against" enough that I would take the time to write a thread about it (I never said I was "oppressed," which holds different connotations). </p>

<p>Please, don't use the argument that it is not THAT bad. </p>

<p>First of all, you could say that about anything...who determines HOW bad it has to be (does it have to be equivalent to starving in Africa before it becomes an issue? because then things like the Jasper jailing of blacks and ANY discrimination against women should NOT be an issue).</p>

<p>Second of all, you could not possibly know how much of an issue it is in terms of feelings. But forget about feelings...as an abstract concept, even when you don't see the concrete results of it in YOUR daily life, heightism is still unfair.</p>

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<p>I think you're overreacting to nothing.</p>

<p>The end.</p>

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<p>Yeah exactly, like combating sexism or anything else in the workplace today is overreacting. Just because something wasn't institutionalized in the past (as sexism and racism were) doesn't mean it can't be discriminatory. </p>

<p>Not the end yet.</p>

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<p>I welcome looking like a fool on this issue to, it means something to me and it makes sense.</p>