Arrogance & Ignorance

My wife and I had a (fairly friendly) argument this evening. We go to the symphony on a regular basis. This evening, while dressing, she said that I couldn't wear my cargo pants. I'm thinking, "Why not?" They're essentially Dockers but with pockets on the sides.

My attitude as we walked out the door let her know I was annoyed. The pants were pressed, clean, and (Oh, my GOD!) comfortable. But that was not the point with her. Her point was (and I quote), "You would not be conforming."

Did I mention she's a card-carrying Democrat? I thought that was the by-word of Democrats, "diversity".

Perhaps not?

She went on to explain that there are "rules" concerning what one wears in public. Granted, I'll agree with that. It's not polite to show up in a ratty t-shirt, cut-off jean shorts, and sandals to a job interview. (At least, don't schedule an interview with me then dress that way.) But we're not talking well outside of the "rules" (whatever those are). We're simply talking some nice khakis (for which I paid a decent price) with some pockets on the sides. Instead, I had to wear a simple pair of khaki pants with no pockets on the sides. Aside from the pockets, they are identical. But, yet, somehow the pockets make them outside of the "rules".

She tried her damndest to make me understand. The problem is that that is impossible. It's not that I'm incapable of understanding. It's just that, in order to understand something, there has to be some logic to it. And there is no logic to the "rules". She even admitted that. Let me say that again, "There is no logic to the 'rules' of fashion."

Big surprise, huh?

It's not that I don't care about the "rules" (whatever those are). It's just that, in this instance, I don't care what other people think. I have no interaction with these people. I do not look like a bum. I wash, wear deodorant (even under BOTH arms!), and my clothes are clean, my shoes are shined (leather lasts longer that way), and my pants, shirt and jacket (Yup, wore one of those!) were all pressed.

Yet that is not enough. During our argument, I stated that there were many gentlemen at the symphony who wore loud, plaid shirts. She said that was different. That's not an issue of conforming, that's an issue of "coolness". She doesn't care if you are not cool, so long as you conform. In other words, she'd rather I showed up in a loud, bright, Hawaiian flower shirt than a pair of jeans made by Gucci himself.

She that not conforming shows that you are either arrogant or ignorant. If you knowingly violate the rules, you are arrogant. If you unknowingly do so, you are ignorant. I've always thought that arrogance was a non-conformance of the rules that had a direct effect on society. For example, the idiots that always drive in the left lane, regardless of how slow they are going, are arrogant. That has a direct effect on those around them.

But how does what I wear have this same, direct and tangible effect on those around me? Fact is, unless I'm buck-ass naked, it doesn't.

At least, that's how I see it.