5 ms·

This IS a genetic tax, but I propose to you that even if you are treated unfairly on airlines, that doesn't make up for all the advantages of height over the co

This IS a genetic tax, but I propose to you that even if you are treated unfairly on airlines, that doesn't make up for all the advantages of height over the course of your lifetime. As someone who is 5 foot 5 inches tall, I receive many benefits, like being able to buy my suits from children's clothing section. But if I was given the opportunity to trade my height for yours, I would pay more for my air travel every day.

wott 9y ago
What are those numerous advantages? Apart from picking apples. Probably not hitting low doors/beams. Probably not breaking one's back each time one does the dishes or anything like that (or cleaning or picking low garden stuff), and the result of that after years and decades. Probably not having one's knees already fucked at 40 (or before). Probably not falling from higher. Probably not being embarrassed with where to put one's long members. Probably not being uncomfortable in most means of transport. (Probably not offering a larger wind surface when cycling either.) And probably not being nicked by the cops each time they have no idea whom to chose amongst 20 people, but they don't want to return empty handed :-D
- everyone 9y ago
  Shorter people live longer :) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/16/short-men-live-longer-study_n_5299557.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/16/short-men-live-long...
- cratermoon 9y ago
  Height is positively correlated with career advancement and earnings. The average height of US presidents is 5'11". The shortest president, James Madison, was 5'4' and that was in the early 19th century. Since the beginning of the 20th century average height is 6' even. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heights_of_presidents_and_presidential_candidates_of_the_United_States https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heights_of_presidents_and_pr... In short, tall = rich and powerful.
- thaumasiotes 9y ago
  Being tall is attractive to women.
  - Inconel 9y ago
    I know it's not polite to ask about downvotes here, but why is this comment being downvoted? I thought it was pretty well established that height plays a role in attractiveness.
- mattmanser 9y ago
  I'm 6'2, every now and again I see a really tall person and feel a little small, and then realise, that's what everyone else feels about me. Honestly, apart from air planes, being tall absolutely and utterly rocks.
taurath 9y ago
Cuts both ways - I'd much rather be shorter. People may take me more seriously in professional environments but they are intimidated by me in social ones.
- samstave 9y ago
  On the internet, nobody can see how tall you are!
  - kevin_thibedeau 9y ago
    Except for online dating.
    - samstave 9y ago
      I was going to short the stock of big and tall, but felt it was a stretch as the idea didn't suit me.
    - Inconel 9y ago
      I had a couple of friends try a number of online dating sites/apps over the past few years and whenever they would show me profiles I was pretty surprised to see so many women with a hard cutoff of not dating anyone under six foot. I never really realized how short I am at 5'9" prior to this.
      - jorvi 9y ago
        Also largely (heh) an American thing. In Europe I've rarely if ever seen 'must be at least 180cm tall' (I know 6ft is 182, but 180 is similarly rounded). Could be we care less due to Old World tallness.. we are decently tall compared to Americans. See Scandinavia, West Europe, Balkans, etc.
        chimeracoder 9y ago
        > Also largely (heh) an American thing. In Europe I've rarely if ever seen 'must be at least 180cm tall' As someone who has actually run the numbers for an online dating service, I can assure you it's not "largely an American thing".
QAPereo 9y ago
Even if that meant you couldn't afford that travel?
cptskippy 9y ago
Advantages? Such as not being able to purchase clothes or shoes anywhere except online? Seriously try to find a pair of 34x36 pants or 16 shoes. You can't anymore. In the 90s a store might have carried a pair of shoes, today they carry none because you can order online. Size Large shirts are too short and XL are too fat. So I need large tall which no one carries in stock. Literally every purchase I make is sight unseen. Then there's the not really fitting in half the cars out there. Or amusement park rides. Or bowling shoes. Or safety equipment. Or saddles for horses. You might complain that you can't reach things on the top shelf, try having to bend over for everything. Even to use countertops or bathrooms. How about furniture always being short and forcing your knees to be elevated above your hips when you sit all of the time. And beds... always too short. Want to stretch out? Only if it's a king and you lay diagonally. Being tall is perpetual discomfort because this world is made for people of average height.
- micahbright 9y ago
  >Only if it's a king and you lay diagonally. Try a California King
  - isaaclyman 9y ago
    This. I love my California King. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
  - cptskippy 9y ago
    I can only imagine what it's like to try and move one of those. Getting a king up a flight of stairs in a standard height hallway with a landing and 90 degree pivot was a nightmare.
- zachsnow 9y ago
  I'm 5' 9" and I notice that, in a group in which I'm the shortest person, I am less likely to be addressed or listened to than in one in which I'm average or the tallest.
  - shpongled 9y ago

wott 9y ago

What are those numerous advantages? Apart from picking apples. Probably not hitting low doors/beams. Probably not breaking one's back each time one does the dishes or anything like that (or cleaning or picking low garden stuff), and the result of that after years and decades. Probably not having one's knees already fucked at 40 (or before). Probably not falling from higher. Probably not being embarrassed with where to put one's long members. Probably not being uncomfortable in most means of transport. (Probably not offering a larger wind surface when cycling either.) And probably not being nicked by the cops each time they have no idea whom to chose amongst 20 people, but they don't want to return empty handed :-D

everyone 9y ago
Shorter people live longer :) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/16/short-men-live-longer-study_n_5299557.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/16/short-men-live-long...
cratermoon 9y ago
Height is positively correlated with career advancement and earnings. The average height of US presidents is 5'11". The shortest president, James Madison, was 5'4' and that was in the early 19th century. Since the beginning of the 20th century average height is 6' even. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heights_of_presidents_and_presidential_candidates_of_the_United_States https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heights_of_presidents_and_pr... In short, tall = rich and powerful.
thaumasiotes 9y ago
Being tall is attractive to women.
- Inconel 9y ago
  I know it's not polite to ask about downvotes here, but why is this comment being downvoted? I thought it was pretty well established that height plays a role in attractiveness.
mattmanser 9y ago
I'm 6'2, every now and again I see a really tall person and feel a little small, and then realise, that's what everyone else feels about me. Honestly, apart from air planes, being tall absolutely and utterly rocks.

taurath 9y ago

Cuts both ways - I'd much rather be shorter. People may take me more seriously in professional environments but they are intimidated by me in social ones.

samstave 9y ago
On the internet, nobody can see how tall you are!
- kevin_thibedeau 9y ago
  Except for online dating.
  - samstave 9y ago
    I was going to short the stock of big and tall, but felt it was a stretch as the idea didn't suit me.
  - Inconel 9y ago
    I had a couple of friends try a number of online dating sites/apps over the past few years and whenever they would show me profiles I was pretty surprised to see so many women with a hard cutoff of not dating anyone under six foot. I never really realized how short I am at 5'9" prior to this.
    - jorvi 9y ago
      Also largely (heh) an American thing. In Europe I've rarely if ever seen 'must be at least 180cm tall' (I know 6ft is 182, but 180 is similarly rounded). Could be we care less due to Old World tallness.. we are decently tall compared to Americans. See Scandinavia, West Europe, Balkans, etc.
      - chimeracoder 9y ago
        > Also largely (heh) an American thing. In Europe I've rarely if ever seen 'must be at least 180cm tall' As someone who has actually run the numbers for an online dating service, I can assure you it's not "largely an American thing".

QAPereo 9y ago

Even if that meant you couldn't afford that travel?

cptskippy 9y ago

Advantages? Such as not being able to purchase clothes or shoes anywhere except online? Seriously try to find a pair of 34x36 pants or 16 shoes. You can't anymore. In the 90s a store might have carried a pair of shoes, today they carry none because you can order online. Size Large shirts are too short and XL are too fat. So I need large tall which no one carries in stock. Literally every purchase I make is sight unseen. Then there's the not really fitting in half the cars out there. Or amusement park rides. Or bowling shoes. Or safety equipment. Or saddles for horses. You might complain that you can't reach things on the top shelf, try having to bend over for everything. Even to use countertops or bathrooms. How about furniture always being short and forcing your knees to be elevated above your hips when you sit all of the time. And beds... always too short. Want to stretch out? Only if it's a king and you lay diagonally. Being tall is perpetual discomfort because this world is made for people of average height.

micahbright 9y ago
>Only if it's a king and you lay diagonally. Try a California King
- isaaclyman 9y ago
  This. I love my California King. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
- cptskippy 9y ago
  I can only imagine what it's like to try and move one of those. Getting a king up a flight of stairs in a standard height hallway with a landing and 90 degree pivot was a nightmare.
zachsnow 9y ago
I'm 5' 9" and I notice that, in a group in which I'm the shortest person, I am less likely to be addressed or listened to than in one in which I'm average or the tallest.
- shpongled 9y ago