Understanding the meaning of Shallow

Right now, a word is consistently placed on us (the gays). No, not Fabulous or Hot...I mean Shallow.
Shallow, such an ugly word and yet, some people actually like it. I was recently told (from a Gay guy)that it's good to be shallow because it means I care about my appearance. And I said, "really ?" He said yes and I said you're stupid. Well, I didn't say it, but I told him to think a little bit before speaking.

Are we shallow? Yes, everyone can be shallow at times, but if you love being shallow then you need help. To be shallow, is to be lazy as hell. If you only look at the surface of things then you're truly missing out. And if you think a person's worth lies in their looks and accessories, you're not seeing the deeper meaning of life.

I think a lot of people are shallow due to their insecurities. Gay men (or some) spent most of their lives hating themselves, lying consistently about their sexuality, feeling lost, alone, and confused. Once some sense of clarity comes into play, like mutual attraction, money, weight loss, or acceptance, we try to hold on to them in desperate ways. I like to believe that the gay shallow factor is product of our environment. It's a side effect from the mental or verbal abuse people get over the years. Now, I'm maybe in a minority team with this thought, but I think that most people are not that silly.