I've dated girls that aren't, this is gonna sound so horrible

Hear the candid and unguarded words of Parker Young, who spoke with the honesty of one reflecting upon the mysteries of attraction: “I’ve dated girls that aren’t, this is gonna sound so horrible, that aren’t super smart, but they still are super confident, and that’s more what I’ve been attracted to — the confidence and the sense of humor.” In this confession, beneath its simplicity and awkward humility, lies a truth as old as love itself: that the human heart is not drawn only to intellect, nor to beauty, but to confidence, to joy, to the living flame of spirit. Young’s words reveal the eternal law that it is not perfection that captivates, but presence — the radiance of one who knows their worth and walks in laughter rather than fear.

The origin of this quote lies in an interview, where Parker Young, known for his work as an actor, spoke not as a performer but as a man trying to understand himself. In a world obsessed with image and intellect, his admission startled some — yet it carried with it a deeper sincerity. He did not speak to demean intelligence, but to elevate confidence as a different kind of wisdom — the wisdom of self-acceptance, of lightheartedness, of balance. For though the mind may dazzle, it is the soul that endures; and the soul shines most clearly through the grace of humor and the courage to be unashamed of one’s imperfections.

The ancients, too, knew that confidence and humor are divine gifts. In the temples of Greece, beauty and intellect were revered, but the poets also sang of Thalia, the muse of comedy — for even the gods, they believed, cherished laughter. Socrates, that wise philosopher, once said that true wisdom begins with knowing one’s own ignorance; and in that humility, humor is born. The confident person, then, is not the one who knows everything, but the one who does not fear what they do not know. Such a spirit is unshakable — radiant not because they are flawless, but because they are real.

Consider the story of Diogenes, the philosopher who lived in a barrel and mocked the pomp of kings. When Alexander the Great stood before him and offered to grant any wish, Diogenes merely said, “Stand out of my sunlight.” This was confidence — not arrogance, but independence of spirit, rooted in self-sufficiency. In that same way, Parker Young reminds us that what draws us to others is not always brilliance of mind, but brightness of being — the one who carries sunlight wherever they go. Confidence, like the sun, needs no argument; it simply shines, and all things are drawn toward its warmth.

The sense of humor he speaks of is no trivial thing. It is the weapon of the wise, the salve of the weary, and the bridge between souls. Humor is the soul’s way of saying, “I will not be broken by the weight of this world.” A person who can laugh — at themselves, at their troubles, at the absurdity of existence — possesses a strength beyond intellect. Parker Young saw in such laughter something irresistible: a kind of freedom. For laughter, like love, makes us fearless. It allows us to be vulnerable and alive, to see beauty in imperfection and grace in chaos.

Yet there is also humility in his statement — a recognition that what truly attracts us is often beyond reason. Love does not follow formulas; it is a meeting of spirits, not statistics. Intellect may impress, but confidence and humor connect. In a relationship, the ability to find joy amid difficulty, to meet life’s storms with laughter, is far more sustaining than cleverness alone. The wise lover, therefore, seeks not the one who dazzles the world, but the one who brings peace to the heart — the one who stands strong in their own skin and faces the world with a smile.

O listener, take this lesson as both comfort and challenge. Cultivate your confidence, not as vanity, but as faith in who you are. Build your humor, not as defense, but as light to guide others through the darkness. Do not strive only to be admired for your intellect or beauty, for these fade or fail; strive instead to be joyful, kind, and sure of your own worth. The heart that loves with laughter will never lack companionship, and the soul that knows itself will never walk in shadow.

Thus, let Parker Young’s words, simple yet profound, echo as a reminder to all: it is not brilliance that makes us beloved, but authenticity. Seek not to impress, but to express. For in the end, those who will be remembered are not those who were perfect, but those who were alive — confident, joyful, and unafraid to laugh in the face of the world’s solemnity.