By Jim Dickson
Have you ever noticed that there seems to be a direct correlation between how people conduct themselves and how they are dressed? I can think of lots of good examples, but one that comes quickly to mind is this; do you ever remember seeing a mob of people running through the streets looting, burning and causing general mayhem dressed in coats and ties, stylish dresses and modest pants suits?
It seems that the standard attire for this kind of activity is black pants, black ski masks, and black hoodies. It would be interesting to see if you dressed these same people in coats and ties, and dress shoes, with no ski masks, would they act the same? I am not sure whether dress is a cause or effect, but it sure seems to make a difference in how people act.
I come from a generation where proper attire for business, attending church, flying on a commercial airplane, riding on a train, attending a funeral or wedding or almost anything outside of casual entertainment was coat and tie, shined leather shoes for men, and modest dresses and or pant suits with dress shoes for women.
As far as I can tell the movement away from proper attire began with the deregulation of the airlines. Almost overnight smartly dressed, well-behaved air travelers gave way to hoards of people dressed as if they were going to the beach or to bed. Conduct on airplanes and airports took on the same demeanor.
It’s not unusual to see a news report where a passenger has been removed from the plane by the police for being disruptive. Airports have become campsites for slovenly dressed travelers waiting for flights, pushing and shoving, spreading cups, food wrappers, and other general debris around the terminal everywhere but in the trash cans. It’s not quite as bad as downtown San Francisco or LA., but it’s close.
The next brick to fall came in the 1990’s when someone came up with the concept of “Casual Friday.” For some reason it became fashionable for companies to do away with business attire on Friday and dress in a casual manner.
All of a sudden sneakers, blue jeans and sweatshirts, replaced coats and ties and dresses. Mr., Ms., and formal forms of address became hi Jack, hi Jane and the nose ring and the tackle box face came to be an OK look for work, and with it a standard of proper conduct began to deteriorate to what we have today.
OK, I admit that I am an old guy who is looking back at the past and thinking that it was better then. It’s probably a common affliction of old people, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that we are wrong.
Dictators always dress their military and/or police in tight fitting uniforms, often black with jack boots, and tall caps, that are designed to empower the wearer and intimidate everyone else. How you dress has an effect on how you act, it matters, and tyrants have always known it.
Which brings us to the strange case of the junior Senator from Pennsylvania, the Honorable John Fetterman. The simple man of the people. Who is a Harvard grad, grew up in a very affluent family, and is quite wealthy himself. I guess that in order to maintain a common man persona he dresses like he is all set to knock over a liquor store.
The most amazing thing is that Senator Schumer is going to allow Fetterman to dress that way in the United States Senate. I know that Senator Fetterman has been the victim of a serious stroke, which has diminished his mental capacities, but to the best of my knowledge Senator Schumer has not been as unfortunate.
What is he thinking? We act the way we dress. It would be nice for the country to return to a higher standard, especially with the U.S. Congress setting the example.
Born, raised and educated in the Southwest, Jim Dickson served in the U.S. Navy Reserve in Vietnam before a 35-year business career. Retired imto St. Helena Island, Dickson and his wife are fiscally conservative, socially moderate and active in Republican politics, though they may not always agree with Republicans. Having lived around the country and traveled around the world, Dickson believes that the United States truly is the land of opportunity.
