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Last night, prompted by an income tax refund and a buy one get one free sale from S & K, I went shopping for new suits. What I discovered is that, after years of outward, upward, and sideways growth, I no longer fit in a size 44. Neither do I fit in a 46. So, I put on a 48. That actually did not fit either. It was a little too big. Now, could I wear the 48? Yes I could. Did I have spare space in it? I did. So I went back to the 46. Nope, too small. Do they make suits in a 47? They do not. So, what did I do?
I am having them altered! That's right, you can get them to make clothes bigger or smaller! You don't have to buy the pre-fabricated version and just cope with it!
It made me think about our society. There was a time that all of the clothes you had were either made at home, and so were made to fit (or with plenty of 'grow room'), or were custom made. In the name of convenience, we went to sizes, first based on measurements, then on to generics, and now, who hasn't dealt with 'one size fits all'?
But, we've lost something in the process. Now, we try and make everyone fit into pre-determined groups, rather than looking at individuals. We've stopped seeing people, and started seeing sizes, groups, similarities.
True, we do share similarities between us, but we need to see our individuality the value each person has. Think about it. In the current campaign season, is anyone asking for Your vote? Are they? Or are they asking for the votes of all: White males? African-Americans? Women? Soccer moms, NASCAR dads, blue-collar workers, immigrants, professionals, liberals, conservatives, farmers, urbans, union members, NAFTA haters, Canadians, dead people (sorry, that's only local Memphis elections) well, you get the idea...and now, you have to decide which group you are, and determine how you should vote. Maybe I'd like any of the Senators to explain why they should get my vote. I'm a conservative, but not in all things. Some free trade is good, but I think we shouldn't ship all of our jobs overseas. In fact, I think that all goods sold in the US should be made in facilities that meet or exceed the same environmental, safety, and worker provision protections that exist in US plants. In other words, if Ford wants to make cars in Mexico, that's fine. They should pay what their UAW contract calls for, follow all EPA regulations, maintain the same OSHA requirements, and pay the same taxes. Also, at least 1/3 of the corporate board should live in the same neighborhoods as the majority of the workers.
I digress....the fact is, one size doesn't fit all, and even L, XL, M, or S, or XXL, or XS, or XXXXL, or 48, or 36, or 2, don't really fit. We are all a little different, and there's nothing wrong with that. Why do we keep thinking there is?
It made me think about our society. There was a time that all of the clothes you had were either made at home, and so were made to fit (or with plenty of 'grow room'), or were custom made. In the name of convenience, we went to sizes, first based on measurements, then on to generics, and now, who hasn't dealt with 'one size fits all'?
But, we've lost something in the process. Now, we try and make everyone fit into pre-determined groups, rather than looking at individuals. We've stopped seeing people, and started seeing sizes, groups, similarities.
True, we do share similarities between us, but we need to see our individuality the value each person has. Think about it. In the current campaign season, is anyone asking for Your vote? Are they? Or are they asking for the votes of all: White males? African-Americans? Women? Soccer moms, NASCAR dads, blue-collar workers, immigrants, professionals, liberals, conservatives, farmers, urbans, union members, NAFTA haters, Canadians, dead people (sorry, that's only local Memphis elections) well, you get the idea...and now, you have to decide which group you are, and determine how you should vote. Maybe I'd like any of the Senators to explain why they should get my vote. I'm a conservative, but not in all things. Some free trade is good, but I think we shouldn't ship all of our jobs overseas. In fact, I think that all goods sold in the US should be made in facilities that meet or exceed the same environmental, safety, and worker provision protections that exist in US plants. In other words, if Ford wants to make cars in Mexico, that's fine. They should pay what their UAW contract calls for, follow all EPA regulations, maintain the same OSHA requirements, and pay the same taxes. Also, at least 1/3 of the corporate board should live in the same neighborhoods as the majority of the workers.
I digress....the fact is, one size doesn't fit all, and even L, XL, M, or S, or XXL, or XS, or XXXXL, or 48, or 36, or 2, don't really fit. We are all a little different, and there's nothing wrong with that. Why do we keep thinking there is?
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