In all seriousness, people probably do more favors for attractive strangers. And HN is probably populated with average-looking people, at best. In some ways, this means that the stories posted here will be of true altruism.
On the other hand, if you asked a bunch of great-looking people what strangers had done for them, you'd get a bunch of stories about people who were very kind (but perhaps not entirely altruistic in their intent).
>at best
Ouch.
I'm open to the possibility this is wrong. But I'm pretty sure that HN is mostly male (85%?), and that men are more likely to do good deeds for attractive women strangers than women are likely to do good deeds for attractive men strangers.
For one thing, women (especially smaller women) would be wary of offering a ride to a man or letting him into her home.
If you read a few of the posts in this thread, you qickly notice a pattern: people in need are being helped.
Maybe you are not very adventurous? If your life consists of only hotel trips, best you can expect is a free breakfast upgrade or something like that.
If you're hungry and out of energy on a hike, someone might give you a sandwich. If you're drowning, someone might save your live. The situations you're in determine your experiences, not your looks.
I'm ugly so strangers aren't nice to me.