Thursday 18 March 2010

The Uniform

Saturday night. I’m in a pub with friends. The figure opposite me is adorned with The Uniform. Checked shirt, beard (optional), Buddy Holly/’Art house’ glasses. My companion writes plays for a living and I know that he is intelligent and rational, yet he appears obliviously comfortable in his ironic uniform.

Before I go any further I should acknowledge that I am of course a hypocrit. There are few acts worse than judging people by their appearance and usually I pride myself on doing this less than most. The thing that bothers me is this; why are so many ‘creative’ people so keen to follow trends and demonstrate a complete lack of independent thought? I just don’t understand it. I understand what I call ‘football shirt syndrome’, the comfort and perhaps identity to be found in the unity that shared attire affords but generally I don’t think that is the case here. I suppose it’s all about image, image presented and image perceived. Only, I don’t even see an image, merely a cloned example.

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