9 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

The opening to that headline is itself unnecessary and somewhat cruel. 

 It actually is appropriate.  The term means someone who may not look amazing on the outside but is beautiful on the inside and can blossom into someone talented, beautiful, sweet, or whatever superlatives you can conceive..

7 minutes ago, bonobo said:

 It actually is appropriate.  The term means someone who may not look amazing on the outside but is beautiful on the inside and can blossom into someone talented, beautiful, sweet, or whatever superlatives you can conceive..

No it doesn't.

 

The ugly duckling only becomes popular when it is realised they are in fact a swan.

 

A bird that is considered graceful and beautiful by the other creatures.

 

It is all about external appearance and nothing at all to do with inner beauty.

Lets see what her detractor looks like. she looks OK to me. Maybe she can get him under defamation laws or sect 44. This is a case that deserves to win

She doesn't look ugly but for a young girl she could certainly do with losing a few kilo's.

Be better if a gym was to offer her a free personal trainer rather than going to a beauty salon and looking like a buffalo with lipstick on.

 

 

Yes but guys can be fat unattractive and so on...according to these guys woman don't go for physical attraction but only money so no need to get in shape.

 

 

They know not what they miss out on

Gifts of food are rolling in for her...

11 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

No it doesn't.

 

The ugly duckling only becomes popular when it is realised they are in fact a swan.

 

A bird that is considered graceful and beautiful by the other creatures.

 

It is all about external appearance and nothing at all to do with inner beauty.

Not really.  You might want to read Andersen's story again.  The story encompass far more than simple exterior beauty, which is not even a minor point of his fable.  The moral of the story is not that the swan becomes popular, but that she follows her own passion despite what the other ducks say.  She didn't do what other ducks did even when they criticized her for being different, but as it turns out, she was not a duck at all.

 

We don't know if the gas attendant is following her passion or not, but what does ring true is that it doesn't matter what other people say.  And the fact that she seems to be staying true to herself and not jumping at an acting offer would seem to draw more parallels to the story.

 

 

50 minutes ago, luckizuchinni said:

Not really.  You might want to read Andersen's story again.  The story encompass far more than simple exterior beauty, which is not even a minor point of his fable.  The moral of the story is not that the swan becomes popular, but that she follows her own passion despite what the other ducks say.  She didn't do what other ducks did even when they criticized her for being different, but as it turns out, she was not a duck at all.

 

We don't know if the gas attendant is following her passion or not, but what does ring true is that it doesn't matter what other people say.  And the fact that she seems to be staying true to herself and not jumping at an acting offer would seem to draw more parallels to the story.

 

 

I am aware of the story. Yes the 'duckling overcomes hardship and yes the readers sympathise with him throughout.

 

However, the 'duckling' only becomes popular and admired by others when she is revealed to be a swan.

 

The term of ugly duckling used by other characters in the story is one of contempt.

 

And to use it to describe an individual in a headline is cruel.