Many studies have been carried out to establish whether or not a link exists between height and success. In this post, we look to answer the question, does being tall make you a success?
Many of these studies look at the relationship between several seemingly innocuous physical features (e.g., body height) and occupational success. It turns out that shorter people are considered to have an advantage in certain sports (e.g., gymnastics, race car driving, etc.), whereas in many other sports taller people have a major advantage (e.g basketball – the one sport which most tall people are asked about!)
In most occupational fields, body height is not relevant to how well people are able to perform but nonetheless has been found to correlate with their success in several studies, although there may be other factors such as gender or socioeconomic status that explain this. Do taller people carry more confidence and thus this, in turn, assists them to dominate discussions in the boardroom for example?
One area in which it can be seen that height plays a part is in politics. In the United States presidential elections, the taller candidate won 22 out of 25 times in the 20th century. Nevertheless, Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, was 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) and several prominent world leaders of the 20th century, such as Vladimir Lenin, Benito Mussolini, Nicolae Ceaușescu and Joseph Stalin were of below average height. These examples, however, were all before modern forms of multi-media, i.e., television, which may further height discrimination in modern society.
Further, growing evidence suggests that height may be a proxy for confidence, which is likewise strongly correlated with occupational success.
Want to read some other tall related articles just like this one? What about:
So why not join our excellent Facebook group called “What’s the weather like up there” (We hope you like the name as much as us!), it’s great to share tall stories like this one, or tall humour, jokes, basically anything tall-related. You can join by clicking HERE.
In this article, we look at ways to get extra legroom seats on a plane. After all for us tall people, sitting in “normal” seats is both:
After all for us tall people, sitting in “normal” seats is both:
a) painful and
b) can increase the risk of DVT
Long-haul Flights (possibly where there is most need to get extra legroom seats on a plane)
1. Book business/first class
Yes, it’s expensive but perhaps once in your life, you should go and splash out. Book a premium seat, enjoy the journey and stretch out in comfort!
2. Go for the upgrade
You could try and get an upgrade when you get to the airport. Here are our top tips to give you the best chance to get that upgrade:
2.1. Dress smart – I have been told that in first class they don’t like holey jeans, so look the part.
2.2. Arrive early – Let them know you’re happy to move to first class if the flight is full. Then keep your fingers crossed!
2.3. Ask politely – Why not ask for that upgrade? The worst they can do is say no!
2.4. Be loyal – Join the airline’s frequent flyer programme and use their airline as much as possible.
2.5. Check your emails on the run-up to the flight – you might be offered an upgrade at a reduced price.
2.6. Get mad if there is a problem – they might upgrade you to calm you down, but not so mad that the police are called.
3. Build up air miles during the year and use them to upgrade.
There are plenty of ways to build up air miles during the year, from using special credit cards, to swapping Tesco Clubcard points. Then use them to upgrade your flight.
We highly recommend a website which discusses getting air miles in so much more detail than we are here. Sign up to their newsletter we promise you will not be disappointed. The website is called Head for points.
4. Check in online EARLY.
If possible check in online the day and hour check-in opens, that way you have the best chance to get the best legroom seats. Firstly go for emergency exit seats, if they are gone then visit seat guru to find the next best!
5. Ask at the check-in desk
If you haven’t already reserved them before you go to the airport, still ask at checkout. There is a chance they may still be able to move you into a better seat.
6. Pay the extra charge when booking to reserve them.
Most airlines now, even budget ones give you the option to pay extra to reserve the emergency exit seats. It’s a guaranteed way to make sure you get the extra legroom you need.
7. Ask someone in a good legroom seat polity if they will swap.
If you see someone shorter in an extra legroom seat, you could ask them to move. I have done it a couple of times and it has worked. I was very grateful and purchased a drink for them from the bar.
8. Tell the cabin crew you can’t brace in an emergency
You could tell the cabin crew that you can’t get into the emergency brace position. I know for example there is no chance that I could get my head in between my legs on a “normal” airline seat.
The only option to fix this is to move you to a seat where you can, one with longer legroom. However, there is a chance they could remove you from the flight saying that you cannot act appropriately in the event of an emergency and that puts the airline at risk.
I have personally never used this one, but I have heard people say it does work.
Short-haul Flights
1. Book them if you can
Some short-haul and budget airlines let you book a speedy boarding (which gets you on the plane first to be able to bag those seats) or actually book the required seat. So check the options for the airline when making the initial booking.
2. Use all of the long-haul methods.
So that’s what we recommend, have we missed any other ways? If we have please let us know them by leaving a comment below.
Why not discuss this type of issue in our tall community Facebook group called “What’s the weather like up there” (We hope you like the name as much as us!), it’s great to share tall stories like this one, or tall humour, jokes, basically anything tall-related. You can join by clicking HERE.
Why not take a look at some of our other tall related blog posts:
So this is my experience of a tall train journey home.
I was running late from work this evening and hence I arrived at the train station just as my train was about to depart. Now you have to know at this point that the trains are 30 minutes apart from one another, so missing it would mean a 30 minute wait at the station.
As you will see following this my tall train journey home got me thinking, hence the reason for the article.
Tall people should never be late for the train!
So, being so late and not wanting to miss the train, I quickly ran to the platform and hurried to the first carriage, I boarded just as the doors behind me shut!
This is unusual for me as I usually get to the train station in advance of the train. But standing on the train at that point made me think why?
Why do I get to the station 15 minutes before the train departs, well it’s so that I have a choice.
You see looking at the carriage tonight, I worked out there are 6 seats on a carriage out of 54 seats, where a tall person can sit comfortably without having someone sitting opposite them.
If those 6 seats are gone, there are another 2 which are not as good, but where you can sit with your legs in the aisle.
Tall people never get much choice!
So really in order not to have an uncomfortable journey home, there are 8 seats that I can sit on in a carriage with 54 seats on it. That’s not a great percentage.
This particular evening the carriage was almost full!
Scanning the carriage I could see that all the seats that were ideal for a tall person had been taken and there were only two seats left, both of them were the middle seats in rows of 3 with people sitting opposite.So should I take one or stand that was the dilemma and this is a dilemma that only tall people face.
So should I take one or stand that was the dilemma and this is a dilemma that only tall people face.
I have seen shorter people refuse to take a middle seat in a row of 3 as it means that you sit shoulder to shoulder which can make you feel a little squashed, but they could still sit there and not inconvenience everyone sitting in both rows and more importantly the person opposite.
It’s hard to sit opposite someone on public transport if your tall
If I sat there I would have to weave my legs around the person opposite, most probably having to interlock.
You would spend the whole journey trying to stop your knees bumping the people either side and opposite. It would be uncomfortable for them and you and you certainly wouldn’t look anyone near you in the eye, for fear of them being annoyed!
So I decided to stand
So I stood on the train journey home. I pay exactly the same price for my season ticket as everyone else on the train, but I felt uncomfortable at the thought of sitting on one of the two free seats.
I’m not trying to say that anything can be done about it (apart from of course a carriage for only tall people, which has extra legroom seats and a bar!), but it’s just another reason why tall people are different.
I’m sure you tall people out there have plenty of stories like this one! I would love to hear them so feel free to drop them in the comments.
Alternatively, we have an excellent Facebook group called “What’s the weather like up there”, it’s great to share tall stories like this one, or tall humour, jokes, basically anything tall-related. You can join by clicking HERE.
Want to read more tall life tales? Here are a couple of great related articles
So what’s it like living as a tall person in the 21st century? In this article, we look at all aspects of living a giant life.
Junior School
Well, let’s start off with growing up at school. Most tall people have a growth spurt in their early teenage years, just at the point when things are tough for a child anyway.At school, they literally stand out and are usually head and shoulders above the other kids. Not only this, they are also singled out. During the end of term photos, they always have to stand at the back, in assembly, they are heckled from kids behind who can’t see, in class they are asked to reach items off the top shelves and on the school bus or coach they can’t sit comfortably as there is no leg room. Plus of course, the school clothes are never made to fit
At school, they literally stand out and are usually head and shoulders above the other kids. Not only this, they are also singled out. During the end of term photos, they always have to stand at the back, in assembly, they are heckled from kids behind who can’t see, in class they are asked to reach items off the top shelves and on the school bus or coach they can’t sit comfortably as there is no leg room.Plus of course, the school clothes are never made to fit
Plus of course, the school clothes are never made to fit tall children, so they either end up with trousers and jumpers that are plainly too short in the arms and legs or their parents buy adult sized clothing that then stands out as it’s not the same material.
Bullying
Then sadly there is the fact that they are bullied as they stand out from the crowd, which can be either face to face or in the modern world cyberbullying.Sometimes this is shouting abuse, such as “F—ing lanky bitch” or “ugly lanky giant”, but it can
Sometimes this is shouting abuse, such as “F—ing lanky bitch” or “ugly lanky giant”, but it can be nicknames such as “lanky”, “lofty”, “stretch” or “lurch”. All set to make the blood boil of a young teenager.At secondary schools, battles for status become more serious and kids can become obsessed with comparing themselves with others. Bullying often starts when other children try to boost their own fragile confidence by looking askance at anyone who is out of the ordinary. Being slow or good at academic work, being short or tall, fat or skinny, posh or chav, spotty or red-headed – or even just shy – is enough to make another child an object of scorn. Unfortunately, tall kids stand out from the crowd in a way that they can do nothing about.
At secondary schools, battles for status become more serious and kids can become obsessed with comparing themselves with others.Bullying often starts when other children try to boost their own fragile confidence by looking askance at anyone who is out of the ordinary. Being slow or good at academic work, being short or tall, fat or skinny, posh or chav, spotty or red-headed – or even just shy – is enough to make another child an object of scorn. Unfortunately, tall kids stand out from the crowd in a way that they can do nothing about.
Bullying often starts when other children try to boost their own fragile confidence by looking askance at anyone who is out of the ordinary. Being slow or good at academic work, being short or tall, fat or skinny, posh or chav, spotty or red-headed – or even just shy – is enough to make another child an object of scorn.Unfortunately, tall kids stand out from the crowd in a way that they can do nothing about.
Unfortunately, tall kids stand out from the crowd in a way that they can do nothing about.
Adulthood
Once you get through secondary school and on into adulthood, people are more accepting but the nicknames can remain throughout your life. New problems also arise.Firstly you find that furniture isn’t right, desks aren’t tall enough, kitchen worktops are too low, you can’t see yourself in the mirror, showers only make your chest wet, beds aren’t long enough, baths are too small, you hit your head on a variety of door frames and stairwells and you can’t relax on sofas.
Firstly you find that furniture isn’t right, desks aren’t tall enough, kitchen worktops are too low, you can’t see yourself in the mirror, showers only make your chest wet, beds aren’t long enough, baths are too small, you hit your head on a variety of door frames and stairwells and you can’t relax on sofas.
Commuting
Then there is the joy of the daily commute to work. You can’t sit behind the forward facing seats on a bus or train so you desperately search for the ones that either face one another or are in the aisle or face the aisle.Then there are the London tubes where someone tall can only stand in the middle at the highest point and even then they can feel their groomed hair being pushed flat to their head. That’s bad enough on its own, but when it’s in rush hour it’s horrendous. You wait nervously for the train or bus hoping that there is a seat with some leg room free when it comes. As for the tube, most these days are so packed you have to squeeze on, bent over double just so the doors don’t catch your face or back.
Then there are the London tubes where someone tall can only stand in the middle at the highest point and even then they can feel their groomed hair being pushed flat to their head.That’s bad enough on its own, but when it’s in rush hour it’s horrendous. You wait nervously for the train or bus hoping that there is a seat with some leg room free when it comes. As for the tube, most these days are so packed you have to squeeze on, bent over double just so the doors don’t catch your face or back.
That’s bad enough on its own, but when it’s in rush hour it’s horrendous. You wait nervously for the train or bus hoping that there is a seat with some leg room free when it comes.As for the tube, most these days are so packed you have to squeeze on, bent over double just so the doors don’t catch your face or back.
As for the tube, most these days are so packed you have to squeeze on, bent over double just so the doors don’t catch your face or back.
Silly questions from shorter people
Then, of course, there are stupid things random people say to you like “how tall are you?”, “how’s the weather up there?”, “do you play basketball?” and “are your parents tall?”All tall people build up a repertoire of answers for these but even so you feel you shouldn’t be asked in the first place.
All tall people build up a repertoire of answers for these but even so you feel you shouldn’t be asked in the first place.
Hard to fit in with fashion trends
It becomes harder to dress fashionably. Top brands rarely make “tall” clothing and the tall ranges out there is usually very plain and very boring.When you wear jumpers the sleeves come halfway down the arm and the front does not even cover the stomach. Extra-long trousers are hard to find, long length in most shops are like
When you wear jumpers the sleeves come halfway down the arm and the front does not even cover the stomach. Extra-long trousers are hard to find, long length in most shops are like
Dresses come up too short, tights don’t come up far enough. Finally, you have to search endless shoe shops for size 14’s! Suits you may as well forget to buy off the rail, you have to pay the extra and go for made to measure!
Falling in love
Finding love can be quite difficult as your possible matches are limited in numbers.If you’re
If you’re tall women, you will want a taller man so you can wear heels and not tower above them which is socially awkward. But where do you find tall men?If you’re a tall man you want a tall woman, who is not taller than you, but not so short you have to bend over to kiss them. But where do you find tall women?
If you’re a tall man you want a tall woman, who is not taller than you, but not so short you have to bend over to kiss them. But where do you find tall women?
Are there any benefits to being tall?
So what are the good things about living in the tall world? Being tall means you’ll stand out from the crowd and get noticed, which is important in a lot of situations.
If you have good posture, you can really present an imposing stature which will help you in future audition/job competition situations, as well as parties and other social events.
Increased earnings must be a good thing?
For decades, social scientists have studied what is referred to as the “height premium” — the increased earnings that, on average, taller people receive.A 2001 study by Nicola Persico, Andrew Postlewaite and Dan Silverman of the University of Pennsylvania, found that it’s the height a person had as a teenager that matters when it comes to bringing home the bacon as an adult. “Two adults of the same age and height who were different heights at age 16 are treated differently on the labour market,” Persico, Postlewaite and Silverman concluded. “The person who was taller as a teen earns more.”
A 2001 study by Nicola Persico, Andrew Postlewaite and Dan Silverman of the University of Pennsylvania, found that it’s the height a person had as a teenager that matters when it comes to bringing home the bacon as an adult. “Two adults of the same age and height who were different heights at age 16 are treated differently on the labour market,” Persico, Postlewaite and Silverman concluded. “The person who was taller as a teen earns more.”
Intelligence
The height of a person also determines their intelligence. Exposing this fact, scientists found that IQ levels of a person declined with a reduction in height. The discovery of genes that influence height and IQ mainly led to this
The discovery of genes that influence height and IQ mainly led to this groundbreaking revelation. During a five-year study, researchers from three universities in UK- Edinburgh University, Aberdeen University and University College London- looked at DNA markers of 6,800 people, part of the Scottish Family Health Study. Participants, who were unrelated, underwent tests that measured their ability to recall, language skills and reaction time.
Results proved that shorter people had lower IQ compared to the taller participants.
Weight gain
You can also gain 20lbs in weight and nobody notices. You can reach things without needing a step ladder. There is a remote possibility you might become a famous model or basketball player and earn millions. No hug in this world is quite like a tall hug!
Have you had similar experiences? Would it be great to share those with other tall people?
If so, why not join our excellent Facebook group called “What’s the weather like up there” (We hope you like the name as much as us!), it’s great to share tall stories like this one, or tall humour, jokes, basically anything tall-related. You can join by clicking HERE.
So why not join our excellent Facebook group called “What’s the weather like up there” (We hope you like the name as much as us!), it’s great to share tall stories like this one, or tall humour, jokes, basically anything tall-related. You can join by clicking HERE
