The Perfect Woman

Elle MacPherson? NOPE.This is just a taste of what is to come. I will not address all my feelings on the subject however recently I have thought much on the incentives that form us as people. This correlates with my interest in economics; economics is the science of the distribution of scarce resources but it is also the science of incentives that drive behavior.We are all motivated to maximize utility or benefit whether that be economically socially or morally. Many people look upon economics as a dismal science solely concerned with money and how to maximize it. In fact economics is not so concerned with money (though it does play a large part) as REAL goods. Money as we are familiar with it today has no intrinsic value, and although it can assist in the augmentation of the production of real goods in the short run, in the long run it has no real effect. So these "real goods" are the real issue. And I think of them as being of economic, social or moral nature, though there is a lot of overlap.
Economic goods are those that increase our well being physically, like food, clothes, computers, etc. We as humans are driven to maximize our possession of these goods dependent upon our preferences. Social goods are our relationships with our friends, family, etc. We are driven to increase and better these relationships according to our preferences. Moral goods are beliefs and principles and we are also driven to maximize these - our adherence to them or our acceptance personally or publicly of them - according to our preferences. That phrase "according to our preferences" is the key. Economics makes no pretence of explaining or understanding personal preference; there is no model nor solution to these. Each person's preference is different. I prefer old used clothes while others prefer new, stylish clothes and although the costs of these goods are different I maximize my benefit buying a pair of shoes for a dollar just the same as someone else who prefers new shoes maximizes his by purchasing a pair of shoes for $150.The way that this relates to the title "The Perfect Man/Woman" is that, as I have stated, we are all driven to maximize our "utility" socially. Now, before I go on, let me state that this is all theory and conjecture without any solid data. That does not mean that in the future there will not be data on the subject but as of right now it is a mere wondering of Evan's mind. I propose that an individual's social status during the many formative years through which we pass has a profound impact on personality development. Let us take some anecdotal evidence first.
I have a friend who during the elementary school and junior high would have been characterized as a "skinny, toe-headed, metal-mouthed" less attractive girl. Don't you know someone who was like this? Her physical appearance must have place a lot of social pressure on her, those junior high years are best characterized as "hundreds of awkward looking kids trying to fit in and be 'cool' with the kids who went through puberty earliest."Now my friend, though awkward, was like all other human beings in that she was driven to maximize her social utility. Obviously, for her it would have required more effort than for others who were already physically matured. And seeing as physical maturity lies outside of an individual's control, the work had to be done in other ways. The answer: personality. Humor, kindness, and all around "fun-ness" can be developed through work. And this is what my friend did. Although she was not initially accepted socially due to outward appearance, she developed herself personally. She developed a sense of humor that is almost unmatched by anyone that I know. She became one of the funnest people to hang around and soon had many friends. She developed love and compassion for others, and had the ability to befriend anyone - including a midget-sized bucktoothed nerd like myself.Now these awkward years have passed. She is no longer a bean pole, nor toe-headed or metal-mouthed. She is one of the most physically attractive girls that I know. AND she has retained those personality features that she was forced to develop during her formative years. Her innate human drive to maximize her social utility coupled with the natural course of time has transformed her into "The Perfect Woman," a combination of looks and personality that accompany only those who have passed through similar experiences.
This is the progression that I believe forms the most multifaceted human beings. Have you ever talked to a drop dead gorgeous man/woman only to realize that beneath that supermodel like exterior is a hollow waste land? I have and I am sick of it. The years of staring gawk-eyed at supermodels is over. I am looking for a girl who was fat or had acne or some other socially debilitating condition during her formative years to be my wife.