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Jul. 23rd, 2006
nonsense devolving into an actual thought
Jul. 23rd, 2006 10:55 pmSo, today, I had these teenagers from some student leadership organization on my tour. And some of them wore popped collars. And I told them not to, because I think it's silly. And then we were talking about how one of my coworkers, who was being a little hardcore about loading as many people as possible onto my bus, even though they weren't supposed to be on it, was a bouncer at night (she's not, as far as I know, it was a joke a chaperone made). And so I said that she probably doesn't let people with popped collars in, because there are actually clubs in DC that do that. Well, they told me that it's because golfers pop their collars to protect their necks from the sun, because the oil in the sunscreen screws up their grip. Of course, these kids weren't pro golfers, and probably weren't worried about protecting their necks, but whatever. So then I relate this story in the breakroom, because I found it amusing, but it didn't go over well because half the people didn't even know what a popped collar was. But one of the guides (who decks out her uniform in really tacky patriotic bling) said that I should let them if they want to. And obviously, I can't stop them. And I said that it's partly because I associate the popped collar with a certain kind of guy- the entitled frat boy- and so I have a hard time respecting people who pop their collars. And she said that I should respect people regardless. And well, yes, but there's more than one kind of respect, which was my answer. I can respect a person's right to wear what they want without respecting them for the statement that they make with that choice of clothing. And when I mentioned that there are clubs that won't let people in with popped collars, she replied that there are clubs that won't let in black people (she's black, as you may have guessed), which is of course, stupid, and she said that there are bigger problems in the world. And the whole point of the story is that I found it amusing that I got into this debate on my bus, when I was just teasing these guys (it was a good-natured debate).
But I take issue with her reference to race. To judge someone based on their race is a fundamentally different action than to judge someone based on their clothing. Race is something a person cannot control, and no indication of anything. It's the same as judging a person on eye color or whether or not their hair curls. But people can and do choose what they wear, and generally make certain deliberate, if subconcious choices, in order to send messages about themselves. Anyone who's spent time in Alfred has noticed that art students dress differently than LAS students and business students, and business students and engineers don't look alike. And so for me to make a judgement about a person- not whether they are good or bad or intelligent or funny or whatever, but about what they like, possibly their politics, their attitude towards the world- is merely a response to the message that they are sending the world. If someone sees me in jeans and a t-shirt and sees "laid-back, low-maintance, not into clothes and fashion", well, they're right. The fact that clothing sends a message is why we wear different clothes for church than we do for clubbing (well, some of us), it's why we wear different clothes for the ballgame than we do for work, why my company and so many others require uniforms. In a uniform, I'm not Evelyn, Empress of the World, I am Random Peon Number 5, dressed to represent the company, to answer questions on behalf of the organization. It's why I don't get to say things about how Bush is a moron and the Washington Monument is a phallic symbol. And yes, I do tell Red Sox fans they can't ride my bus and I tell geeks in sci-fi related shirts that I like their shirts. But I don't say to people in anti-Bush wear "great shirt" (though I'd love to) and I don't even jokingly tell people with pro-Bush shirts that they can't ride my bus. Because I am not me, I am a tour guide, interchangable with all the others.
And that's a tangent. But my point is- people choose their clothes to make a statement, and it is not judgemental to interpret those statements and respond accordingly, nor is it in any way like racism.
Also, popped collars are dumb.
But I take issue with her reference to race. To judge someone based on their race is a fundamentally different action than to judge someone based on their clothing. Race is something a person cannot control, and no indication of anything. It's the same as judging a person on eye color or whether or not their hair curls. But people can and do choose what they wear, and generally make certain deliberate, if subconcious choices, in order to send messages about themselves. Anyone who's spent time in Alfred has noticed that art students dress differently than LAS students and business students, and business students and engineers don't look alike. And so for me to make a judgement about a person- not whether they are good or bad or intelligent or funny or whatever, but about what they like, possibly their politics, their attitude towards the world- is merely a response to the message that they are sending the world. If someone sees me in jeans and a t-shirt and sees "laid-back, low-maintance, not into clothes and fashion", well, they're right. The fact that clothing sends a message is why we wear different clothes for church than we do for clubbing (well, some of us), it's why we wear different clothes for the ballgame than we do for work, why my company and so many others require uniforms. In a uniform, I'm not Evelyn, Empress of the World, I am Random Peon Number 5, dressed to represent the company, to answer questions on behalf of the organization. It's why I don't get to say things about how Bush is a moron and the Washington Monument is a phallic symbol. And yes, I do tell Red Sox fans they can't ride my bus and I tell geeks in sci-fi related shirts that I like their shirts. But I don't say to people in anti-Bush wear "great shirt" (though I'd love to) and I don't even jokingly tell people with pro-Bush shirts that they can't ride my bus. Because I am not me, I am a tour guide, interchangable with all the others.
And that's a tangent. But my point is- people choose their clothes to make a statement, and it is not judgemental to interpret those statements and respond accordingly, nor is it in any way like racism.
Also, popped collars are dumb.