Moreover, given the unpleasant option of having to associate with either the self-satisfied beautiful or the self-pitying plain, he'd choose the former every time because beauty could sometimes transcend smugness whereas self-pity just made ugliness all the more unattractive.

Summary

This quote suggests that the speaker, when faced with a choice between interacting with someone who is self-satisfied but beautiful or someone who is self-pitying but plain, would always prefer the former. The speaker believes that beauty can sometimes overshadow the negative trait of smugness, while self-pity only enhances the unattractiveness of plainness. In other words, the speaker values physical beauty over a self-pitying attitude, considering it more desirable and appealing.

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