IIT I vent my recent thoughts on height

Edit Post

I think if your goal is to become "interesting" and you are already average height, there are better ways to accomplish that than cutting your legs up, being disabled for months, risking permanent pain/disability, and spending $10-100+ thousand doing it.

Is there really no other way you could see yourself becoming more "interesting"?

By contrast, for us short guys, we are trying to correct a deficiency that we have found no other way of compensating for.

Edit Post

Don't know exactly what you  mean by "interesting" but I suppose my goal is to reach a respectable height. I'd like to be about 185CM or taller but I'll settle for 184 I think.

Edit Post

Have you ever traveled outside of Scandinavia? It'd be interesting to get a height-conscious Scandinavian's perspective on other countries.

I have boots on the ground experience in Japan, Mexico, and multiple states in the USA. I can vouch for the fact that college environments in the US can be especially brutal. I was just in a rock climbing gym in a university town a few weeks ago. I can attest that at my height I could only be considered above average if you included the foreign student population into the mix. Most domestic guys were in the 183-186 range, and there were multiple guys approaching or exceeding 190. Keep in mind everyone was wearing rock climbing shoes, which have flat soles.

Edit Post

Quote from: hadrian on July 15, 2015, 08:27:21 PMHave you ever traveled outside of Scandinavia? It'd be interesting to get a height-conscious Scandinavian's perspective on other countries.

I have boots on the ground experience in Japan, Mexico, and multiple states in the USA. I can vouch for the fact that college environments in the US can be especially brutal. I was just in a rock climbing gym in a university town a few weeks ago. I can attest that at my height I could only be considered above average if you included the foreign student population into the mix. Most domestic guys were in the 183-186 range, and there were multiple guys approaching or exceeding 190. Keep in mind everyone was wearing rock climbing shoes, which have flat soles.

Another Scandinavian reporting in. I've been to several European countries. I felt above average height-wise two places, Italy & Great Britain.

Where I live however, I occasionally feel pretty short. On the other hand, when I'm in big boots (3,5cm) + insole (1,5cm) I feel staggering tall! I reckon if being 183 cm in Scandinavia, you'll always be seen as tall.

Edit Post

Quote from: hadrian on July 15, 2015, 08:27:21 PMHave you ever traveled outside of Scandinavia? It'd be interesting to get a height-conscious Scandinavian's perspective on other countries.

I have boots on the ground experience in Japan, Mexico, and multiple states in the USA. I can vouch for the fact that college environments in the US can be especially brutal. I was just in a rock climbing gym in a university town a few weeks ago. I can attest that at my height I could only be considered above average if you included the foreign student population into the mix. Most domestic guys were in the 183-186 range, and there were multiple guys approaching or exceeding 190. Keep in mind everyone was wearing rock climbing shoes, which have flat soles.

Went on a vacation to Portugal recently and I felt like I was above average. The tallest of the portuguese seemed to be about 185CM, I've been to Frankfurt where I felt like a dwarf but I think it might just have been a bad day. In all the Nordic countries I feel short but not horribly so, I reckon 185 would be a solid height around here. In Brussels, Paris and London I felt average or slightly below.

I dread to visit the lowlands though after what I've heard.

Edit Post

I don't post or stop by as much as I used to, but I felt like doing so today and then felt the need to give my two cents about your comments.

You should never have a bad day just because you're 178 CM. As many of you know,I'm 178-179, and have been to most of Northern Europe and Croatia. I'm also a citizen of one of the Northern European countries. It's been my expirience that at 178-179 CM, there are indeed many ways to more than compensate for what can sometimes be an average or barely bellow average height. Good facial aesthetics go a long way. If you lack those, just being in really good shape, goes a VERY long way, and that's totally within your control.

I used to have "bad days" because of my 178-179 height, especially since a good bit of my family is 190+, but it doesn't bother me anymore because I realized that I have so many other things going for me. I don't particularly like my height, and it's nowhere near my ideal, but people still respect me for the person I am, and I can still be good looking, genuinely confident, and "respectable" at this height, even to 190 CM people.

In the last year and a half, I have studied in multiple countries, obtained scholarships to do so, gotten into really good physical shape (which caused really good facial aesthetics I didn't even know I had to shine through), I've learned salsa dancing (I like Latin gals) and I've gotten pretty good at playing the guitar. People of all heights respect me and I've learned to judge people much more by their attitudes, character, drive, and accomplishments than by their heights. I agree that taller looks better, but it's by no means the only way to look good and I don't think people care nearly as much as you seem to think (and I too seemed to think) they do.

I don't see why 178 isn't a "respectable" height. I see people who are a lot more successful in life than I am, in their early 20's (also my age range), and not as good looking, at only 174-175ish in height.

Your character makes MUCH more difference than anything else in life including height. Go explore the world and enjoy life. The super successful 174-175 guys I mentioned are all ridiculously charismatic and charming. But many of them weren't naturally this way. They learnt to be and live great lives as the result of their efforts. Hang around these types of people and learn from them. And trust me that, at 178, your height shouldn't be an issue.

If you dislike your height (I still dislike my height as I've stated before), and you can safely change  it, and the pain and expense is worth it to you, then by all means go for it. I don't see why not. You only have one life so why not live it in the body of your dreams. But I disagree that 178 isn't a respectable height and I find it sad that one can have bad days just because of being 178. I say this fully regretting that I too once had many depressed/bad days because of my height, and I wish I could get that time back. But, for me, I have decided not to look back too much, and instead focus on the things that are easier to work on, and life has felt so, so much better. I only say this because I don't want you to lose so much of your youth being depressed about your height like I did. I'm still young though and I'm glad I'm in a better place. Hopefully you'll get there too. I thought the only solution was LL and now I see that it's not. I might still do LL because I'd like to live my one life at my ideal height (also 185-188) and my proportions can definitely handle it, but it's not a necessity anymore and is far from first on my priority list.

There's so much to enjoy in life. Don't let dissatisfaction with your 178cm height keep you from it. You'll really regret it one day if you do. Wishing you well mate.

Edit Post

Quote from: Taller on July 18, 2015, 01:09:24 PMI don't post or stop by as much as I used to, but I felt like doing so today and then felt the need to give my two cents about your comments.

You should never have a bad day just because you're 178 CM. As many of you know,I'm 178-179, and have been to most of Northern Europe and Croatia. I'm also a citizen of one of the Northern European countries. It's been my expirience that at 178-179 CM, there are indeed many ways to more than compensate for what can sometimes be an average or barely bellow average height. Good facial aesthetics go a long way. If you lack those, just being in really good shape, goes a VERY long way, and that's totally within your control.

I used to have "bad days" because of my 178-179 height, especially since a good bit of my family is 190+, but it doesn't bother me anymore because I realized that I have so many other things going for me. I don't particularly like my height, and it's nowhere near my ideal, but people still respect me for the person I am, and I can still be good looking, genuinely confident, and "respectable" at this height, even to 190 CM people.

In the last year and a half, I have studied in multiple countries, obtained scholarships to do so, gotten into really good physical shape (which caused really good facial aesthetics I didn't even know I had to shine through), I've learned salsa dancing (I like Latin gals) and I've gotten pretty good at playing the guitar. People of all heights respect me and I've learned to judge people much more by their attitudes, character, drive, and accomplishments than by their heights. I agree that taller looks better, but it's by no means the only way to look good and I don't think people care nearly as much as you seem to think (and I too seemed to think) they do.

I don't see why 178 isn't a "respectable" height. I see people who are a lot more successful in life than I am, in their early 20's (also my age range), and not as good looking, at only 174-175ish in height.

Your character makes MUCH more difference than anything else in life including height. Go explore the world and enjoy life. The super successful 174-175 guys I mentioned are all ridiculously charismatic and charming. But many of them weren't naturally this way. They learnt to be and live great lives as the result of their efforts. Hang around these types of people and learn from them. And trust me that, at 178, your height shouldn't be an issue.

If you dislike your height (I still dislike my height as I've stated before), and you can safely change  it, and the pain and expense is worth it to you, then by all means go for it. I don't see why not. You only have one life so why not live it in the body of your dreams. But I disagree that 178 isn't a respectable height and I find it sad that one can have bad days just because of being 178. I say this fully regretting that I too once had many depressed/bad days because of my height, and I wish I could get that time back. But, for me, I have decided not to look back too much, and instead focus on the things that are easier to work on, and life has felt so, so much better. I only say this because I don't want you to lose so much of your youth being depressed about your height like I did. I'm still young though and I'm glad I'm in a better place. Hopefully you'll get there too. I thought the only solution was LL and now I see that it's not. I might still do LL because I'd like to live my one life at my ideal height (also 185-188) and my proportions can definitely handle it, but it's not a necessity anymore and is far from first on my priority list.

There's so much to enjoy in life. Don't let dissatisfaction with your 178cm height keep you from it. You'll really regret it one day if you do. Wishing you well mate.

Amen. Extremely well put. Your post should be stickied!

People are always looking for excuses. Our brain is truly trying to f'ck us all. Whether it's height or looks ++. There's always room for improvement.

Edit Post

Quote from: Uppland on July 15, 2015, 10:37:35 PMWent on a vacation to Portugal recently and I felt like I was above average. The tallest of the portuguese seemed to be about 185CM, I've been to Frankfurt where I felt like a dwarf but I think it might just have been a bad day. In all the Nordic countries I feel short but not horribly so, I reckon 185 would be a solid height around here. In Brussels, Paris and London I felt average or slightly below.

I dread to visit the lowlands though after what I've heard.
Yeah and I do think that they still put a lot of emphasis on height as well, I was looking up celebrities in the Netherlands and the man voted sexiest in the country is 198cm tall(Arie Boomsma). Which goes to show that an impressive height is relative to the average of the region and it doesn't seem like there is some sort of glass ceiling for this, like some would have you believe.


I don't blame you for wanting to be able to stomp around the Schengen zone and feel solid while doing it. Does it bother you enough to consider moving? Despite what I say about the US I'm sure we're not as tall as you guys. You would be fine here, probably similar to how you felt in the UK.



I hear Baltic people are tall, is this true?

Edit Post

Everyone is getting taller almost everywhere in Europe.

I was recently visiting Dr Betz patients and when walking around in the city I felt somehow insufficient. All the teens are taller - almost.

I'm strongly considering femurs for 5 safe cm, making me 184cm tall. I'm now confirmed 179cm tall and like Uppland says, it's just not enough here in Sweden.

With shoes I'm 182/183, but everyone else are wearing shoes too....

Edit Post

bets is a bad choice Sweden.

guitch is a much better option.