There is an old saying that goes like this: “a book cannot be judged by its cover.” Some people however browse books in the bookstore and if they enjoy the title and the graphics on the front and back covers, they may buy the book and add it to their library. That is what those books are probably good for anyway, an addition to a personal library. The expression indeed is a metaphor for those who only see the outside and not the inside. In his most famous speech, Martin Luther King dreamed of a society where his children “will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Alternatively, as the famous poet Saadi once said: human’s body is honored by its spirit, hence the symbol of humanity is not one’s nice attire. If someone selects another person merely based on looks, the selected is good to be put on display only for presentation as a model, as in the case of the book with a nice cover. When someone is judging others by their appearance, we call that person racist, sexist, or homophobic. It is in fact against the law, as the US constitution declares that no one can be discriminated based on gender, race, religion, or national origin. One who is in the position to decide who should be selected to run for an office or handle certain tasks involving public, or who should be admitted to cross the border (such as a custom officer) must be mindful of the constitution.
