The beauty ratio

My friend the ex-banker recently started working in development after many years in commercial banking. She wears too much gold during donors' roundtables and hasn't yet learned to manage the politics in a conducive way (conducively towards the goal of the institution you represent) but in general she is a hands on 4x4 lady.

Her first appreciatiation of the international donor arena is this:

'People working in development are nerds and bad looking'. Full stop.

We analyzed the sample we are currently immersed in. 300 individuals, over 100 nationalities. We run some domestic descriptive statistics to find out that there are only five goodlooking men in our sample. 1.6% beauty ratio. Since the five of them are taken and so am I gossip is rare, hence, the girls in campus spend our time talking about microfinance first, and finding a boyfriend after you turn 30, second. *Notice strategic order in case my boss happens to read this.

My friend the ex-banker says it is tremendously difficult to find a normal single guy in his early 30s anymore. Interpret normal as you wish. Same free interpretation with single. Downscaling is not the solution, she has no patience for teaching kids...upscaling is dangerous, they are married and won't divorce.

Any male ex-banker out there who thinks ladies working in development are hot?

Comments

Lee said…
Economics: 90% male
Development Studies: 90% female

Development Economics: 50:50 Perfect!
11:12 PM
OMAR MUKHTAR KHAN said…
didnt know u write so well. actually yr writings are very thought provoking...
1:21 AM
Cristina said…
This seems a common problem for for inquiring woman in their 30.
3:08 AM
Mo-ha-med said…
"People working in development are nerds and bad looking".
Good luck finding someone with an attitude like that. Please go back to banking.

I happen to have noticed the same problem - in reverse. There are no single beautiful women in development.

I was lucky enough to find someone - who doesn't work in development but in the oh-so-much-sexier field of conflict journalism who somehow believes I'm part of the 1.6%. Lucky me. :)

(PS -- Meri, I'm leaving France soon - let's go for drinks or something! Llamame! :)
4:06 PM
Anonymous said…
Yes - I suppose it's harder to find an interesting guy the older you grow.
I am sure guys have the same problem.
However, they don't have a clock ticking: "Get pregnant before you're 40 or it won't happen later", so definitely added pressure for women.

SS
9:35 PM
Tobias said…
Since I attended this really amazing situation and I'm a male ex-banker and working in development I have to say two things:

1. There are hot girls in development sector... I saw lots of them the last three weeks.

2. I hope I'm with the 1.6% you mentioned.

;-))
Take care
1:44 PM
Despoei said…
Can't believe I missed that conversation!

Damn it!
6:21 AM
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