Dignity

[BarryBobPosthole]

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dig·ni·ty
/ˈdiɡnədē/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: dignity
the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.
"a man of dignity and unbending principle"

Events of the past couple of years have brought home for me the real value of dignity to people. Never mind their condition, a person’s dignity is still near and dear to almost everyone’s heart. It’s a two edged sword too, remember that whole “pride goeth before a fall” deal. But pride and dignity are two different animals. By definition we have to be worthy of dignity. That says something.

But the lines have really been blurred since about the 90’s it seems like. We mistake dignity for pride all the time. There was a time it was bad manners to ask someone who they voted for and most people kept that information private. People used to dress up to go to almost any public event or public place. Look at old pictures of old sporting events and the men are almost all wearing ties and the women dresses. Now people go out in public in their pajamas. Is being comfortable bad? Good manners and dignity used to go hand in hand. Are they the same?

I’m confused. Is today’s public conversation better for its brutal honesty and ready willingness to make our opinions known about just about anything? Is it really better than the previous eras’ definition of polite conversation? Its really changed. In the house I grew up in the word ‘pregnant’ wasn’t used. ‘Expecting’ was proper, pregnant was vulgar. I laugh about it with my brothers and sister, but are we better off for our bluntness? In what way? Are we unencumbered in some way we weren’t before?

I’m not sure where this is going or even why, but the discussion about chat sites got me to thinking of our own history. I’ve certainly been a part of many undignified conversations in our history.
Maybe my noticer feelers got tweaked. But we’re here a pretty fair example of what I’m talking about if you think of it.

Food for thought anyway.

BKB

[quercus alba]

each generation brings changes that the previous generation frowns upon. What's scary is that our grand children's generation will do things that will shame this generation

[Thumper]

I remember my first flight on an airliner. ALL men (or boys) wore suits and ties and the women wore respectable dresses. AND “stewardesses” (we’re not allowed to call them that anymore, they’re now “flight attendants) were younger and good looking.

As for dress, church was pretty much the same. Suit and tie (I wore dress slacks, a white dress shirt and a bow tie to church as a kid). Just last week, Lynn and I were headed out for lunch and drove by a church that was letting out. I don’t think I saw a set of “dress clothes” in the whole lot.

Now, if you really want to see a fashion show, go by a black church when they are filing out. It’s like every Sunday is Easter!

I’ll admit, I’ve gotten lazy through the years. I went through the military and had to wear a uniform. During most of my working career, I had to wear a uniform (early days) followed by probably 20 years of wearing a suit and tie. Now, you have to drag me kicking and screaming to get me out of shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops. Dress clothes are jeans and “maybe” a casual button-down shirt with tennis shoes.

Go by any public school these days. Nice clothes for boys was the norm when I was a kid. Jeans were ok, but couldn’t have holes or worn areas. Girls had to wear dresses (unless the temp was predicted to be freezing or below … rare in Florida.)

It’s everywhere. I’ve fallen into much of it myownfineself, but I still have to shake my head at some of the sites I see these days. My biggest pet peeve? These $&(:@/- idiots walking around with boxers and their pants down to their knees! I just want to get out of the car and bitch-slap those bozos.

[LJ3]

One man's dignity is another mans silliness to be cast aside. Who's to say which is which. You ever notice that real, actual hippies are some of the happiest, kindest people you'll ever run across?

[quercus alba]

and some of the self professed religious right are colossal asshats

and many of the tolerant enlightened bunch are neither tolerant or enlightened

[LJ3]

and some of the self professed religious right are colossal asshats

and many of the tolerant enlightened bunch are neither tolerant or enlightened

Excellent points! I think dignity in the context we're discussing comes with a shit ton of judgment. judgment is still 'sposed to be a bad thing, right? To be clear, I include myself in this.

All I'm sure of this far in life at 59 is that as I learn more, I know less for certain, understand less than that, and realize I've wasted a lot of time focused on things that may not matter very much when all is said and done.