The Rothschild effect, as you could call it, is well established in sociology research: Men everywhere want to marry beautiful women, and women everywhere want socially dominant (i.e., intelligent) husbands. When competent men marry pretty women, the couple tends to have children above average in both competence and looks. http://members.forbes.com/forbes/2005/0815/096.html
First, you missed the point. "The perfect 10 and up" is an oxymoron. If you're a perfect 10, there can be no up. See? Second, plenty of filthy rich have chosen (rather than "settled for") a 9, an 8 or less... for any one of a number of good and not so good reasons. A girl's looks are certainly key for a guy, but not the be-all and end-all. Besides, a 10 is very much in the eye of the beholder; 80% of Miss America contestants, 60% of Miss Universe contestants and 20% of Victoria's Secret models do nothing for me. Also, who you marry and who you sleep with are two completely different things, driven by very different dynamics. Case in point: Larry Ellison.
Maxwell Maltz said (paraphrase) if every young man aged 21 and above spent as much time trying to better himself rather than drinking beer and trying to get laid they'd all be fabulously rich by the time they were 30 years old.
The basic needs of man are air, pussy beer water (the vote's not in on this yet) food clothing shelter (we wouldn't even buy a house if we could laid in a cardboard box)