I wrote earlier about the Economist's "Country of the Year" and its colorful president, Jose Mujica. Today I came across an article reporting on a Latin American summit, where he railed against the tyranny of the suit and tie, a topic near and dear to me, and often noted as I walked home from the Maadi metro stop on Road 9 to our apartment on Road 21 in Cairo, bemoaning a getup that was decidedly sub-optimal for the climate, but required nonetheless:
That's the suit that industrialization imposed on the world!
Even the Japanese had to abandon their kimonos to have prestige in the world," he continued, gesturing forcefully and rapping a pen on the table to punctuate his words. "We all had to dress up like monkeys with ties."I don't mind dressing like an English Gentleman as much here in the WC, but the stricture of the convention still bothers me, and I support anything that anyone says or does that helps to hasten its obsolescence.
Agree! Agree! Agree! I see the suit and tie as the uniform of corrupt politicians all over the world, and of the Wall Street wolves who drove our economy into the ground. People should dress (and behave) more honestly.
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