The Infantilizing of the Academy

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Tuesday, September 20. 2016

The Infantilizing of the Academy

Photo is Harvard students, 1953

If you dressed that way in college today, people would assume that you were as gay as Milo. However, kids in fine private schools still dress in ties for class, and those youths in the photo were probably just wearing something similar to what they had always worn to school. People used to dress for church too. I still do. It shows respect for the occasion. Please do not wear cut-off jeans to church. I am sure God doesn't care, but I do. (And you gals, please do not dress too sexy. It is a terrible distraction for us guys.)

It seems to me that part of the post-war cultural change in the US, and in the West generally, contained a degree of psychological regression, a clinging to childhood or adolescence. I do not know why that happened (decadence from prosperity and comfort?), but there was a time when people aged 18 were adults, viewed themselves as adults, comported themselves as adults, dressed like adults and, in short, aspired to be dignified grown-ups. I know this from my parents, but I grew up after that. Adulthood was difficult for them (military service, war, money, etc) but adulthood is always a deadly serious matter for which children are not equipped.

Dress expectations are superficial for sure, but they still mean something. So do all other cultural expectations. I am most comfortable associating with those who share my cultural expectations. Generally, know what to expect. Birds of a feather...

Solway discusses The Infantilizing of the Academy. I will not blame anybody or anything for the cultural regressions, but it is an interesting question.

Posted by The Barrister in Education, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 16:45 | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)

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Interesting how the cultural shift into not aspiring to be an adult aligns with the 60s anti-establishment mindset and the hippies -vs- straights conflict. Why become an adult? Adults have to make decisions and stuff. Decisions require responsibility and accountability. Better to be part of the free love generation where peace will come if only we "Make Love, not War."

Sadly, many of those same people are now part of Academia and the Government, and still reluctant to make decisions and stuff.

#1 ScottJ on 2016-09-20 17:31 (Reply)

Roger on the dressing for church. What I question most is the tattoos...especially on the females in the rec center in the am.

#2 rocdoctom on 2016-09-20 17:56 (Reply)

The 60's, and 70's pretty much screwed the pooch for all of us for the late 20th and 21th century.
Can not wait for SMOD. to be voted into office.

#3 Heltau on 2016-09-21 02:29 (Reply)

The link didn't work for me, so my comments are based only on your post.

It is a very interesting question of cultural regressions. I was born in the 70s and do not feel comfortable wearing suits. I've often wondered if the changes in dress affected our cultural decline or if it's a symptom of the decline.

I converted to the Catholic church this year, and was surprised by how casually people dress at Mass. It's not uncommon at all for men to wear shorts and flip-flops on Sunday morning. Granted, you have to go every week, regardless of your circumstances. You never know what a person is doing immediately before or after mass. So, if you're camping it's reasonable to not have a suit, but I agree that one can always do better than shorts and flip-flops.

I made the decision early on to wear a suit every Sunday. I stick out like a sore thumb. Out of a mass of more than 100 I'm one of a handful of people wearing a tie. Funny enough, it's almost exclusively people under forty that are wearing suits, and it seems like a growing trend.

Based on my knowledge of history and pop culture I'd say the change in appearances happened in the 70s, rather than the 60s. In the 60s even commie agitators were clean cut with their shirts tucked in. Most people still appeared conservatively uniform in appearance.

#4 Jack Walter on 2016-09-21 07:16 (Reply)

"I converted to the Catholic church this year, and was surprised by how casually people dress at Mass. It's not uncommon at all for men to wear shorts and flip-flops on Sunday morning."

First, my congratulations and welcome to the Church!

Secondly, yes, the casual dress thing seems to have become the norm. I suppose the important point is that it's good that these people are attending Mass.

But I'm with you: I would never, ever wear shorts to Mass.

#4.1 JJM on 2016-09-21 08:32 (Reply)

Yes, indeed, congratulations and welcome!

I confess (yep, it comes naturally!) that my dress has gotten quite a bit more casual for Mass in the last 10 years or so, (meaning I will more often wear slacks and a sweater rather than a dress or skirt set) particularly if I roll out of bed for 8:00 AM rather than having gone the evening before. And with SF weather being so erratic, shorts are out of the question even on the warmest of days. That seems to be mainly limited to kids under 16. I do, however make sure my chapel veil is in the handbag no matter what. I'm hoping it makes up for the well-loved khakis.

#4.2 kellym on 2016-09-21 11:52 (Reply)

Our son, who recently returned to Canada after living in the UK for 14 years, just went for a job interview in Ottawa the other day and wore one of his Italian suits.

The fellow who interviewed him told him he'd never had anyone appear for an interview in a "proper suit and tie" before!

Oh, and yes, he called him back to start the paperwork.

#5 JJM on 2016-09-21 08:26 (Reply)

That photo might have been typical for Ivy League prisses, but I took my baccalaureate in '53 at a smallish, private, mid-western streetcar college, and I don't recall ever seeing a male student going to class in a tie and/or jacket, or for that matter, a professor at work without a tie and jacket.

#6 BillH on 2016-09-21 09:45 (Reply)

Expecting women to cover up so you won't be distracted is disturbingly close to young college students who are always demanding a "safe space."

#7 Texan99 on 2016-09-21 23:31 (Reply)

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Tuesday, September 20. 2016

The Infantilizing of the Academy