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Oh sure you can hack these things. That's why the woman in the article dyed her hair brown and got glasses.

It's depressing that it's necessary. If two people present something to me I should be evaluating the something, not the shoulder girth of the people presenting it. But inside my head there is a monkey that doesn't know what geological epoch this is.

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Well, these are signals. Our minds are programmed to send signals and expect others to do the same. These signals helps us understand where we stand with people and where people stand in relation to us and each other.

You might think we don't need these signals anymore, but I think you would be gravely mistaken to assume that. Instead, it's better to (re-)learn these things and adopt them. Think of it as a form of power. By understanding the instincts that drive human behaviour, you can hack it, by controlling how you present yourself in different situations.

I don't think it's something to complain about.

What if the signal is something you can't control?

Sucks to be you then, eh?

What can you really control though? Your genetics and your environment determine who you are. Nature and nurture. We all have to make do.

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