Re: short skirts

Ryan, I can speak only for myself, but as a cultural conservative I’m not all that inclined to argue that gee, everyone was just really uptight in the old days, and shouldn’t we all just lighten up about X, Y, or Z? Rather, I’m inclined to inquire about the reasons that they may have thought or acted a certain way back when this was still a civilized country in which to live.

Back when parents still cared about such things, young men and women were taught to dress modestly, as a simple adjunct of living in a civilized society. It was especially incumbent upon women, because of the nature of men, who need little invitation to indulge their imaginations. Since to do so turns a human being into a mere object, and since human beings are much more than mere objects, such behavior on the part of men is wrong. Since to dress provocatively is to invite the beginning of this cycle, it absolutely beats me as to why anyone would care to jump to its defense.

There’s a connection somewhere, as well, between provocative dress and the Revenge of the Casual in which we’re living. Look at how people show up for school, church, etc. No respect for themselves or for anyone else. (“They should be glad I’m here at all!” is the juvenile response they give, the one time in a million when they’re actually called on it.) At worst it is mildly quixotic to want to return to the decency and respect that many living Americans can remember having grown up with, but it’s hardly deserving of criticism.

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7:29 pm on October 24, 2003