When a chemistry teacher’s TikTok clip recently soared past 100 million views, it wasn’t her lucid explanations of reaction mechanisms or her inventive lab demonstrations that captured the internet’s attention—it was her appearance.
Viewers flooded the comments to praise her looks, virtually ignoring the substance of the lesson itself. While it’s perfectly natural to notice and appreciate someone’s attractiveness, the disproportionate focus on her appearance rather than her expertise speaks volumes about how social media can distort our values, especially when it comes to professionals whose primary role is intellectual and pedagogical.
