December 5, 2007

There is still hope for adults, too

By Stan Dyer

In the November 29 issue of The Arvada Press, there was an "Opinion" column entitled: "As I see it: There's still hope for our young people". In the article, Joe McGowan expresses his concern for young people after observing their style of dress as they walked past his windows on the way to and from high school. Later in the same article, he points out how those same young people were able to modify their attire and present themselves more in a manner he approved of as they competed in a DECA competition. He concludes by saying, "...it renewed my faith in the so-called younger generation". Well, Joe, you are not the first to worry about the youth of society, and you will not be the last.

Over 2400 years ago, Socrates observed, "Children nowadays are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers". Who knows? They probably wore their togas way too low and allowed the seams to drag along the ground as they walked. It seems part of the tyranny of youth rebellion is often expressed in a chosen style of dress.

In the 1920's, flappers ignored convention as they bobbed their hair short, raised the hems on their skirts too high and smoked cigarettes in bars with men. Can you imagine the uproar? Nearly every generation since found its identity in a particular style of dress. Think about zoot suits, hats for men, poodle skirts, DA haircuts, saddle shoes, turtlenecks, miniskirts, bouffant hair, bellbottoms, platform shoes, leisure suits, Miami Vice, grunge, the Rachel haircut and thongs, just to name a few. Styles come and go, and come again, and, yet, the world remains firmly on its axis continuing its rotation around the Sun. If the next fad style had everyone dressing like Joe McGowan, would Joe approve? Better yet, would it make the people dressing that way any different than they were ten minutes before? The real focus of this or any society should not be on one's outward appearance, but, rather, on the content of one's character.

In Mr. McGowan's article, he talks about the students in the DECA competition and notes, "...all of these young students were extremely well-dressed...they seemed completely comfortable in the "dress-up" clothing." He goes on to say, "All of the students, from the various high schools, were very impressive." Now, I do not disagree that certain attire is required for life in the business world, but I find it peculiar how Mr. McGowan's attitude can be changed so easily. First, he saw low-hung, baggy trousers with pant legs dragging on the sidewalk and wondered where the parents were. Then, in a different venue and under different circumstances, he had praise for students of the same age who might well have been the very same students he saw outside his windows everyday. I guess clothes do make the man.

Now, do not get me wrong. I actually agree with Mr. McGowan, to a point. I do believe that students and everyone should pay some attention to their appearance. On the other hand, isn't that exactly what the students are doing? They are not in the business world. They are in high school. If all the other students wore their droopy pants to school and any of Mr. McGowan's students showed up one day in a business suit, do you suppose Mr. McGowan's students would be the objects of ridicule? By dressing the way they do, they are showing their willingness to conform, the pressure they are under to conform, and that they understand the ridicule in store if they do not conform. This kind of knowledge will serve them well once they enter the world of business, if that is what they choose to do. The style of dress chosen does not and cannot give an accurate indication of the level of parenting involved, nor can it necessarily tell us anything about a particular student's intelligence and motivation. It was the same in the days of Socrates, it remained the same throughout history, and the trend will probably continue into the future.

Socrates also said, "Let him who would move the world first move himself". That advice was not only for the young people, but for the adults as well. Instead of being so quick to judge others we do not know based on their chosen styles of dress, let us first look for those desirable character traits that are better indicators. Anyone can change his clothes as easily as an actor changes roles, but true character traits are more permanent and more important. Yes, there is still hope for our young people, and, thankfully, there is still hope for us adults too.