The Ties That Bind
Today was one of those days that I felt the 95% or so of the American voting public was never going to realize that liberal/progressive policies were the only politics that represented them, and that all the corporate money would always be able to lie the best and most often, convincing people to vote for conservatives and against their own interests. So, I'm leaving politics behind to talk about a strictly male concern: the suit and tie. Why have we, the past and present male populations, persisted in this idea of proper attire? Unlike women, who are able to blame men for many of the injustices that they endure, we have no excuse; men have created and controlled the social institutions of our societies since day one, and one of those institutions we've developed along the way is, unfortunately, the suit and tie.
Now I know there are some men who do not feel complete unless they are wearing a jacket and tie, but these guys are the vast minority, and I can only suggest that, maybe, some form of psychoanalysis might solve the problem. But herein lies the enigma: if it is merely the lunatic fringe that enjoys dressing for discomfort, why hasn't the suit and tie gone the way of powdered wigs? Could it be that there are more men out there than are letting on who actually enjoy looking like some sort of android?
I suppose it is the irony that bothers me the most, in that women, who are subject to many of the limitations of a male dominated society, actually have more freedom over their appearance than men have. Take a typical job interview situation as an example.
Decorous attire for a woman could include everything from slacks and a blouse to a dress. She would also have a wide assortment of shoes to pick from, and even her hair could be almost any style from very short to very long. On the other hand, men have to look like a bunch clones from a bad science-fiction movie.
It's bad enough having to wear those horrendous dress slacks and funny shiny-leather shoes, but it is the dress shirt and tie that lends a masochistic slant to men's attire. Think about it: it's not sufficient to button a shirt tightly about our throats; no, we have to complete the process of slow suffocation with a knotted piece of cloth around our necks.
Could it be that the shirt and tie routine is a subconscious collective attempt at seeking atonement for the wrong that men have done in this world -- a sort of mass hanging? Well, I don't want any part of it. I think it's time to remove our ties to a tradition of ludicrous attire and hold a ceremony to celebrate our individuality...that's right: a tie-burning party. Just the thought of all that burning polyester lifts my spirits.
= new reply since forum marked as read
It sucks that men must wear ties just like it used to suck that women needed to wear stockings with their skirts. Women are held to a higher standard than you realize. The wrong choice of colors, styles and shoes will most definitely keep a woman from getting the job.
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