A podcast I listened to presented a very concise example of how sexual selection works. It talked about a subspecies of seals, and how the males go deep diving to collect fish to eat and the females would mate with the male with the most fish. Logically, the more physically dominant seals would have the most fish, but it is also the more resourceful/tactical seals that can get the most fish.

All sexual selection has to do with better preventing illness and injury. In humans, taller bodies give off impressions of good, problem-less development. Same goes for facial structure, skin quality, hair texture, etc. However, one’s wealth is an indication of the ability to provide a safe and well nurturing environment for offspring.

Essentially, being physically attractive has the same value as being wealthy. Just how with seals, it doesn’t matter as much how physically dominant the seal is as long as it’s getting fish somehow. Feel like God gave you the loose end of the stick? Take it into your own hands and accomplish things in this world. Creating a better life for yourself will attract the spicy senoritas, because they’ll see it as a better life for themselves/offspring as well. There even are things that you can do to make yourself more physically attractive like take better care of your skin, hair, smell, and clothing (these things indicate that you are healthy and can provide a nourishing environment.)

Let’s analogize the example of seals to a human-scenario. Let’s say there are 2 males, male A and male B. Male A is tall, muscular, and handsome. Male B is shorter, less attractive, and scrawny. Male A will have an easier time hunting bigger prey and fighting off predators. Let’s say that Male B has spent time trapping various smaller animals in an area (for example, a cave) and over time has let them breed, causing the amount of animals to duplicate more and more. Male B is now as capable (if not more) as male A in terms of gathering food, and a cave can serve as a safe spot from predators. Male A and B accomplish the same goal while being very different and using different methods.