The other day, on my way to school, I passed a well-dressed man. What was remarkable about his attire was that he had obviously spent some time getting dressed. He was clean-shaven, his hair neatly combed, and his clothing tailored — fitting him correctly. He was walking in a tousle of poorly cloaked individuals. This had the effect of making him look even more remarkable.
I was left with the distinct impression that he was going nowhere special and had simply decided to celebrate the day. This is something that we no longer see — presenting oneself well to acknowledge life and all its beauty. Currently, in my estimation, the average human being — across all cultures — no longer physically reveres the day. He is, at best, perfunctory, going about his business, his journey, just to get through it. He doesn’t care how he looks to others — or, obviously, to himself for that matter.
How many times have we heard that life is short? It is over in a heartbeat, the time is passing too quickly, etc., etc. If this were true, you would think that I would be excited about my small piece of consciousness. I would look good! but no, seemingly, not true. But wait, the lack of caring for my outward appearance shrouds the deep machinations of my thoughtfulness and self-reflection. But alas, also not true.
In the West, our level of religious attendance is at an all-time low — though we claim to be spiritual, whatever that means. (1) The three main questions of life: “Why am I here? What is my mission? What happens when I die?” are not being addressed.
We are not pensive, and becoming bland and boring as a species. Our deep desire for material well-being, for money and things, is not mirrored by an ascendance in taste and quality — or of thought! (2) We cannot, for example, even figure out that aggression, and war, accomplices nothing but pain for the average human being. I cite history as an example.
I propose a new path — wake up, dress up, show up, and think! Learn to be thoughtful about this magnificent world we occupy. This is not a new idea. Sage souls have railed against the moral, spiritual, and philosophical corruption of society for many eons. What is unique about our age, however, is that there are no clear social classes. We are all rolled into one. This has the advantage of allowing the average individual to have social mobility. (3)
Thus we can choose to have some elan in our life — Always excellence: why not? Designer, Jatin Singh, leaves us with a thought: Never wear anything that panics the cat. Looking good isn’t self-importance; it’s self-respect. Dressing well is a form of good manners. The boor covers himself, the rich man or the fool adorns himself, and the elegant man gets dressed.
A closing thought: It is important that we realize we are social beings. No one can see my beauty inside. They are simply presented with my corporeal form. This is especially telling on a date or at a job interview. It is one thing to reject conventionality and simply wear what you want or, conversely, not know how to dress properly at all.
To sum up: This week we spoke about caring for your physical well-being.
To be noted: From Coco Chanel (4) — Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.
Just for fun:
For reflection:
This week, on your meaningful walk, please reflect on what being alive means to you.
Every day look for something magical and beautiful.
Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great!
Quote: Present yourself in an elegant manner, why not?
Footnotes:
1) What It Means To Be Spiritual But Not Religious
2) More fancy dress than elegance: has social media killed good taste at the Met Gala?