Why the tie?
I like ties in part. They add color to men's usually boring stock of tan, blue, and grey.
But couldn't we adorn ourselves in a more comfortable manner? It even looks like a metaphor for being under "the man's" control. I mean, what better way is there to signal that you've given your weekdays over to a master institution for the promise of a (hopefully) consistent paycheck than to tie a snugly fitting knot around your neck and letting the remaining fabric hang down like a leash for easy manipulation.
Silky and Delicate Fabrics
They resist wrinkles, but are they much protection in the cold? If they get a stain, are they inexpensive to replace? If you bump into something rough, are they durable to resist scuffing or tearing? Do insects enjoy eating them (as in the case of wool, a common suit fabric)? Do they look good if they aren't ironed? Do they make sense for humans to wear?
The answer to all of the above is "no."
Shiny Leather Shoes
Our office lives are very cushy. They don't challenge us with physical activity. Why not embrace the sedentarianism by donning footwear that has no other function than to shine and to thereby reflect the wearer's affluence?
A good shoe needs:
(1) a sole for gripping walking surfaces
(2) arch support
(3) a durable exterior
(4) cushioning adequate for walking moderate distances
Rare is the business attire shoe which meets these criteria. (I wear Rockports with SuperFeet aftermarket insoles.)
Anyone take umbrage to these remarks? Lemme hear a shout out.
2 comments:
You might want to consider the possibility that the inconvenience of doing things like ironing or wearing ties is precisely the reason society expects us to do these them. Well, that and the fact that ironed clothes and suits with ties look so good.
*The* central tension in the human condition is between our nature as individual organisms and as social beings -- between selfishness and altruism. Humans have developed all sorts of ways resolve this tension: Hierarchy, law, consensus, religion, exclusivity, teamwork, and conformity. Conforming to the expected uniform for bourgeois American business culture is a sign that you are willing to subordinate your selfish impulses to the good of the group.
That's a good thing. Selfishness and insubordination are destructive to group cohesion and teamwork. Every human society has had its symbols of obeisance and group membership, whether it be bowing to the king or tribal initiation rites involving scarification or other ritual body modification.
All in all, I think wearing ties and pressed pants is a pretty benign way to signal one's willingness to work for the greater good.
So no, wearing pressed pants doesn't make one a better worker, but the willingness to do so *does*.
Mike,
I agree that business attire is a signal of willingness to conform and that a solid level of conformity is a good thing in the context of a group seeking to accomplish a goal.
For me, work performance speaks as a more effective signal of one's level of commitment to the common purposes of the organization. I simply don't feel that the additional signal of the willingness to conform that comes with the WEARING of business attire does not justify the essential elements of preparing, owning, and maintaining said attire. The fact that it looks good, a point with which I agree, does little to sweeten the pot for me.
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