The Life-Changing Magic of Asking Kind Strangers to Rate Your Looks Online

On Reddit, a community dedicated to advice on one's appearance has given some men some unexpected confidence-and its moderators are trying to maintain one of the internet's few troll-free places.

- MAX BERLINGER

A VERY SAPP has a long, thick mane of dark chestnut-brown hair framing his slightly cherubic face. It's the kind of hair that most men would die for. Despite this, the 21-year-old had questions, concerns even. Did his Samson-like locks best suit his youthful face? Did the flowing tendrils, in the end, amount to a net positive or negative? He wanted answers-honest ones. Answers that colleagues, friends, and family may be unwilling or unable to provide. So he did what one usually does these days: He went online.

He posted, "21 and never had a girlfriend", on Reddit, the popular website that acts as a community board for anyone with an internet connection, alongside a picture of himself waving in the snow, wearing a brown beanie, work gloves, and a bashful smirk. "Anybody have advice for me?"

"I thought the best way to get honest opinions about my looks would be to ask a bunch of strangers on the internet, as they're the most likely to give me a straight answer," Sapp says in an email. "Being able to hide behind a screen really lets someone say what they otherwise wouldn't in person."

His post garnered hundreds of replies.

"Just go talk to women bro. Be nice, be clear and be confident," one read.

"Nothing to improve. You're already handsome," wrote another.

"Cut your hair and ask a girl out," advised one.

Or, Sapp's personal favourite: "My brother in Christ, you ARE the girlfriend. Kidding, you look fine. Go talk to women bro."

And on it went. Replies that gave quite earnest, heartfelt advice and words of encouragement. Some were slightly flirty, some were jokey, but most were, above all, kindhearted and genuine.

"I was extremely overwhelmed by the amount of positivity that people were giving me in the comments," Sapp said. "I had never seen that many compliments in my life."