Matters of importance are under discussion here, and I feel, as blog proprietor, an obligation to chime in. The question revolves around “Jen,” DS Klausler’s companion in his dystopian story about building a new life after a worldwide catastrophe. Now it can be told, as those who are going to read the story have done so. Is she hot?
Dave chose the high road and offered up little in description of her physical features other than having glanced on her bathing in a stream, noting that she was adequately equipped with female body parts. That left it to the imagination. Some thought she must be, at least considering outward female attributes, a keeper. Truth be told, she was the only one left, so no matter her attributes, if there was going to be reproduction, she was it.
Some time when you are bored, take a trip to the nearest hospital, or even small clinic. There you will find nurses, mostly female, and virtually without exception, ordinary in looks. There’s a reason for this – becoming a nurse is a long process requiring work and focus and dedication to a final goal, certification.
What if that process could be interrupted? What if physical characteristics, such as a smoking hot face and body, allowed for a woman to make her way in the world without all that work?
I know this sounds sexist, but the truth is that hot women do not have to work as hard as ordinary women to succeed. You will find them, the hot ones, in positions such as executive administrative assistants more often than in nursing, and there because men find them attractive, and fantasize, perhaps even desiring to canoodle. Hot women have an easier time making it in the easier professions, and gravitate there.
Jen was a college graduate, and well-educated in hard science, a tough road. In my mind, she was of average looks, like most accomplished women, since her looks would not get her through college. Dave’s protagonist was impressed with her, and slowly accepted her, even fell in love with her to the exclusion of all others. Well, there were no others, but even so, Jen was a good, strong and smart woman, and an excellent mate for Dave. Together they produced offspring, and raised them to be strong and smart, a fine beginning for our new human species.
In fiction we have a concept known as “willing suspension of disbelief,” the only reason we can sit through a movie or play or read a work of fiction. In visual media especially, professional woman are almost always smoking hot. If I pick up a book and see the words “brilliant young” to describe a young woman, I also know she will be portrayed as beautiful as well. It does not work for me. I put the book down.
Test it for yourself, and see if in the professions requiring a less rigorous background, such as receptionist or administrative assistant or dental hygienist, you find lookers. There once ran (probably still does in our streaming world) a TV series called “House,” about an asshole doctor who surrounded himself with young doctors, all of them of either sex beautiful. One of them, “Dr. Allison Cameron”, played by Jennifer Morrison, discussed her career decision to become a doctor with House, and in a rare candid moment House told her that it was pain and suffering in her childhood led her to that choice. She did not have to work that hard otherwise, he said, as she was beautiful and would have enjoyed success in a wide range of less challenging occupations.
So don’t go by my word alone, as I have support in this matter from Gregory House – beautiful people have easier lives than us ordinary folks in both sexes, but more so for women. Dave’s Jen was a catch, but most likely ordinary in appearance.
Piece of Mindful 
Not bad, you old codger.
There are exceptions of course, but what good are looks? In my so very limited experience, the “beautiful” exterior is frequently inversely proportional to the beautiful interior. Thus my chosen discarding of Girly-Woman (I should have made that more clear). Due to my decades of social conditioning, it is admittedly difficult, at times, to cast aside aesthetics, and go deeper. I hate this world in so many ways.
You are correct, Mark, in that within my mind Jen would have been what most would call “average”. When I am able to ditch the judgement by façade, even in my real life, I am rarely disappointed. I need not examine this culture holding benefit for “beauty”… it is self-evident. Those who deny it are probably members of the club – in denial, or oblivious (or liars).
Thanks.
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Perhaps a bit crude for the mood of this post, but here it goes. In engineering school, there was the saying: Women are like parking spots, the good ones are taken and the rest are handicapped.
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Hehe, funny one! Hubby proposed to me in Alaska, where they tell the ladies: “The odds are good, but the goods are odd.” 😂
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I work in a medical environment and have known nurses and students. They don’t doll up for work or class but they can put on the dog off hours and turn a few heads.
More than a few of these acquaintances were approaching 40 and swung a 180 and left a dissolute life behind to find redemption in nursing. Drug addiction happens in the nursing ranks as well. It’s a tougher occupation than a lot of women realize, but the one’s that make it don’t seem wanting for attention, regardless of looks. A nurturer will attract as well as an attention addict who works hard on her appearance.
One thing the nursing life does is build confidence in women when dealing with men. While obedient to male doctors (and female doctors) part of their training is to put their foot down when patients aren’t cooperating. And men have a harder time acquiescing to physical restrictions that come with being sick. That brittle male ego can be a handful. I once had to call in EMT’s (basically nurses on wheels) to rescue a man having an epileptic seizure. The two males couldn’t get him onto the gurney but once the female member of the team barked his name, he dropped his resistance instantly.
There seems to me that an echo of maternal authority is in play with nurses and that’s what this guy was responding to.
I also suspect if nursing was something spinsters took to, like working in a library, they wouldn’t be of much use.
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One of my in-laws is a former nurse.. and yes, she tough.. incidentally, she “believed” the general covid narrative, though perhaps thought it was overblown, and very odd how it was being handled. She conformed to workplace rules – masking, even a mandated first shot (mandate later rescinded, too late for her.) But in local businesses she did not mask, all through it as far as I know. Probably told them she was a nurse and it’s okay, or something, but again, she tough, probably didn’t get much guff.
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Our grandson was a car salesman for a while, and often was near the top in monthly sales. (He is now a manager, a whole new ballgame.) He said during his sales lot days that the best salesperson was usually a woman of very good looks, a “completely different dynamic” if I got his meaning.
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I can believe it. Beauty sells anything.
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This reminds me of a conceit I saw recently to the effect that average blondes got a bump up for being blonde, BUT that top level blondes couldn’t compete with top level brunettes.. if that makes sense. The original was cleverly constructed.
Anyway, I think something similar may be the case with women and their life paths. Yes I’m with you that some 7s and 8s might be coasting on looks, and some lower levels might decide they need to apply themselves. But the true alphas who are both beautiful and intelligent may be indifferent to “the easy route” and indeed go to medical school or some other profession out of a natural drive and life force.
Then again if old prejudices are true, there’s something a bit off about a woman with a natural drive to masculine worldly pursuits, and all bets are off. Also, whatever their sex, any field they go into is going to try to mislead and misdirect them, and if they have integrity as well as drive and intelligence, they’re bound to either be weeded out, or weed themselves out, eventually.
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Competition from the notties will push out the hotties. Wonder if the story would have changed if Jen was a 300 pound chain smoking single mommy hot head with a ged living off SNAP benefits…
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Are you missing my angle on it.. yes the “bimbos” may get pushed out, but not necessarily the alphas who have it all.. looks, brains, character..
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I got your point but it depends on the workplace or scenarios. The alphas may not get pushed out but they would decide to leave rather that put up with the drama, like you said weed themselves out. And then we are stuck with a bunch of brain washed liberal notties and their supervision.
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Could well be the case, haha
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To be fair, my definition of hot is not a Barbie Doll. An in shape women with skills and a nice face would fit the bill. And that is what I picture here.
And full disclosure, my 1st wife was a blonde dental hygienist! LOL
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Forgot to mention the “space scientist” who worked at Goddard I met on a train decades ago. We ended up having a nice time in NYC and DC, and later went for a trip to Mexico. Aside from being whip-smart, she was hot and wild as well, with excellent taste in music.
Will never forget when she told me, slightly embarrassed, that she “usually do(es) not date blond guys because they aren’t very smart.” Took it as a compliment; I guess that knife cuts both ways.
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Many good thoughts here, and I offer a hat-tip to Tyrone; in my experience in SF, nurses can be a lot of fun when off work, and doll up nicely, yes. The nurturing and lack of concern for normal bodily functions also made the ones I knew quite relaxed, and yes, some were addicts/drinkers. Down here in the borderlands, most look borderline heavy.
As for Jen, 140 lbs and fit is no worries, plus she can swing a bat and has a lanyard full of credentials. I suspect she played some sports as a kid, has medium-length light brunette hair, cute, but not hot; natural. What made her hot, aside from having no competition, was her stamina, quick-thinking smarts and resourcefulness. What could be a greater incentive to get down to business than the end of the world with someone who has your back and looks hot bathing in a stream?
Bring on the polar reversal, sez I!
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Consider: 5’2″ and 140#. Jen: 5’9″ and 40#
You simply must dream more explicitly my good man.
Did you miss the expansion on Hephthalite</>?
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Oops 140# of course.
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5’9″! I was off by 5 inches. Thank you for the Hephthalite info; now I can dream of her in sepia tones!
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bs, there’s loads of hot nurses
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