> having to some degree lied about it via a professional portrait photographer's tips and tricks?
Those tips and tricks are no different in kind that what people do themselves, the only difference is knowledge.
> And if all that works, you found someone who liked the look of a fake/augmented version of yourself, but whom you persuaded to like the real self anyway... Congratulations?
Let's not act like first impressions have no meaning, and that getting around them doesn't have benefit and allow other traits or a more accurate impression to come through that wouldn't have gotten a chance otherwise.
Haven't you ever become friends with someone that you disliked or avoided to some degree initially because of some bad first impression?
Those tips and tricks are no different in kind that what people do themselves, the only difference is knowledge.
> And if all that works, you found someone who liked the look of a fake/augmented version of yourself, but whom you persuaded to like the real self anyway... Congratulations?
Let's not act like first impressions have no meaning, and that getting around them doesn't have benefit and allow other traits or a more accurate impression to come through that wouldn't have gotten a chance otherwise.
Haven't you ever become friends with someone that you disliked or avoided to some degree initially because of some bad first impression?