It’s human nature to nitpick our own reflections and go into the ‘If only’ zone. Those of us who want to be taller learn early on that thinking this way will only lead to heartbreak. You can dye and straighten your hair, but you can’t make yourself taller. Heels will give you a temporary fix, but they do eventually have to come off.
Both men and women want to be taller for about a million different reasons, but many fall under these top ten. If any sound familiar, at least you know you’re not alone.
10. Easy to spot
Tall people are easy to spot in a crowd so they don’t have to wear neon shirts just so friends can find them. This isn’t a matter of vanity- everyone wants to feel unique. We also don’t want our friends to have to look so hard to find us. Growing a few inches would be a thoughtful thing to do.
9. Curse of the high shelves
Shorter people naturally find the physical limitations frustrating. To need something on the top shelf and not be able to physically reach it is only comical the first time. It’s easier to switch to a brand on a lower shelf than to always ask a stranger. In a perfect world, store shelves would be lower by remote control, or the command ‘Go go gadget arms’ would actually work.
8. They don’t know what it’s like
Short people don’t think about the downside of being taller. As opposites attract, people who want to be taller befriend people who want to be shorter. Tall people are always that person nobody wants to sit behind. They stand out whether they want to or not. Plus, finding quality clothing made for tall people (especially tall women) isn’t easy.
7. The legs
Tall women have long legs and long legs are sexy and all women want to feel sexy. It’s really that simple. When a tall woman walks into a room with confidence, all eyes are on her. That’s a hard thing not to envy.
6. A winning advantage
Unless you want to be a jockey, height gives athletes a serious advantage. For basketball players, added height puts you that much closer to the net. In track, taller runners seem to propel themselves in leaps and bounds and fly over the hurdles while their shorter counterparts scamper toward the finish. Athletes want to be taller simply because they want to win.
5. Perceived success
In today’s economy, people need an edge wherever they can get it. Rumor has it that tall people make a stronger first impression and get more respect. According to a piece in Gallup Management Journal, it’s easier for tall people to find a good job.
4. To catch more fish
Height is thought of as a masculine trait. On a basic level, tall men are more intimidating so they’re more capable of protecting their loved ones. The good news is that height is relative when it comes to dating. Most women only want a guy who’s about a step taller than she is.
3. Nature’s microphone
People subconsciously assume tall people have something to say. Whether you’re at a professional event, party or family gathering, the tallest person in the room gets the attention. On top of that, tall people are good at public speaking because they can project over a crowd rather than trying to speak through a swarm of bodies.
2. To be happy
Study after study shows that height is proportional to happiness. This goes back to the data that tall people command more respect, get promoted more, and earn more money. This puts them in a position to cover their basic needs and enjoy the finer things of life. The side effects of height, confidence, and success, tip the romantic scale in a tall person’s favor as well. These fragments add up, validating the suspicion that taller people have an overall advantage in life.
1. The view from below
It’s one thing to admire someone you respect from a distance. It’s quite another to find yourself always looking up. Worse when the cousins and nephews you once carried around as babies surpass you in height. Short people don’t necessarily want to be the tallest person. We’re not greedy; we just we to be taller than we are. It hurts the neck to always look up and there’s a lot to be said for effortless eye contact.