Are the Vikings the reason why Scandinavians are so good-looking (on average)

[Watersater79]

Ok, I know I am hammering this point home as of late, but the term 'Nordic beauty' is not just based off a stereotype. All I see is cope from those who say that Scandinavians are 'ugly'. The aesthetic average in these countries is superior to the wider northern European average (which is NOT great). Now it has often been a joke that Scandinavian women are 'beautiful' because the Vikings took all the 'beautiful' women from the places they raided and brought them back home but there is no evidence of that. I guess it's just a case of a population evolving rather 'striking' features (blue eyes/blonde hair) as an adaption to the colder climate. This is combined with the fact that in these colder climates only the 'fittest' would have survived. I know that sounds simplistic and in many ways natural selection has been a focal part of human history, but I guess Scandinavia had that on steroids? Also throughout most of any given year in the Viking age, whole villages in Denmark/Norway/Sweden would have seen their male populations drastically (temporarily) reduced in size (for obvious reasons) and due to this insanely imbalanced (temporary) sex ratio, all the single ladies could have been particularly 'picky' about their partner. I wonder if something like that sounds plausible.

[Sunil]

[masoebu]

I don't think "the Vikings" are the reason.

The reason doesn't exist in historical times but, as you mentioned, prehistoric times. Rather than general natural selection it would also involve I think sexual selection...a cultural preference for light and fine features that this group of people were lucky enough to develop.

[gixajo]

I don't think Swedes are particularly handsome.

[nittionia]

I don't think Swedes are particularly handsome.

[tropicalslavic]

I don't really find Scandinavians particularly beautiful. It is indeed subjective. They stand out more because they are more likely to have features that are overall rare among humans. If I had to think of the top 10 hottest guys I've ever seen they'd all be somewhere on the Mediterranean to Atlantid spectrum, almost all of the hot women as well now that I think of it (but I am not into women so take it with a grain of salt). Not everyone is impressed with blonde hair and blue eyes - especially as the beauty standard across the Western world shifts to darker features, and fewer people are raised to be impressed with lighter features. I am neither Mediterranean nor Nordic, and I have blonde hair and blue eyes - so this is not jealousy or whatever you will tell me it is.

You like how they look. That is fine. Others don't. No need to pretend your preferences are objective. Go get you a Scandinavian shawty and touch grass. There is no need to debate what kind of people make you feel tingly.

[Mopi Licinius Crassus]

[Universe]

Spoiler!

What % of Swedish women have such looks?

[Ketchup]

Very good post

Swedes really are quite good looking

[Morticia]

Only like a quarter of those women are natural blondes hahahaha

Anyway Nords are mid.