[lbo-talk] school uniforms (was: Ehrenreich responds to BDL)

[mike larkin]

--- Miles Jackson <cqmv at pdx.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
> On Fri, 22 Aug 2003, mike larkin wrote:
> 
> > Dress codes that accomomodate individuality are
> one
> > thing, and a fine way to curb all that sexy
> 11-year
> > old Lolita stuff.  But uniforms? If you're a
> Maoist!
> 
> Go to a mall and look at the clusters of 13 year
> olds and
> what they're wearing.  Can you say with a straight
> face
> they're expressing their unique individuality? 
> Bullshit.
> As Wojtek emphasizes, it's a
> corporate-garment-industry
> mandated uniform enforced by incessant ads and peer
> pressure.
> 
> School uniforms stifle "individuality" no more (or
> less)
> than current corporate standards for teen clothing
> do.  (Buying
> corporate brands to "fit in" is not the unique
> expression
> of a person's individuality!)
> 
> Miles

Yes, I do think they're expressing their
individuality--to the best of their ability under
consumer capitalist contraints. Would you prefer that
they all be standing around wearing white shirts and
blazers? If you can choose a red shirt or a blue shirt
instead of simply being forced to wear a white shirt,
you are expressing some degree of individuality.

If you think there is no difference between Catholic
school uniformity and corporate standards of fashion,
drive by a Catholic school when all the kids are
standing around in their uniforms waiting for the bus.
It's the most soul-crushing sight you'll see.

  

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