by Jack
TELLING IT LIKE IT IS, no punches pulled (people are going to hate me for saying this…)
The typical standards of grooming and dress for a young man or woman in the 1950’s verses today has certainly changed, hasn’t it? And not for the better…IMHO.
Oh, we may say we’re more liberated now, look at all the creative diversity! Maybe…but I think beyond those cutting edge, avant guard types (a fraction of the whole), and I think we’re just going further down the rabbit hole.
We’re more at risk than ever of following in the path of Rome in it’s end days. We’re fast becoming a weak, gluttonous, self-indulgent society that is going to be run over some day by our global competition from China, India, Japan, and more.
Back in the day, males wore their hair short, dressed in pants and a collared shirt, a few men may have had an exposed tattoo or two on the forearm or upper arm, reflecting prior military service, but that was about it. Women were likely to have long hair down to their middle back, earrings and sleeveless blouse and skirt. Now reverse all that. Today a young man is almost as likely to be wearing earrings as woman with hair down to the middle of his back! Sometimes those male ear ornaments stretch the ear lobes to the size of silver dollar. And they have all kinds of body piercings that make them look like something from a horror movie.
A young woman often times has as many tattoos on her arms as prison gangbanger. And a woman in a butch cut to accent her tough look? Yuk. We’re looking seedy and almost scary! Hey, I admit I’m no fashion plate, but I have my limits and they’re miles ahead of what passes as acceptable today.
The Rastafarian look is no longer just for Rastafarians! It’s hip to look weird, but there’s so much non-conformity among us it’s come full circle to virtual conformity. The long hair, beards, piercings, tats, the hippy clothes, and the smugness that goes 
with the uniform…and let’s face it – it is a uniform…it’s total conformity, how cliché’. Nothing wonderful and creative about joining the crowd that looks like we’ve returned to being troglodytes.
I wish this were only about looks, but it’s not. Yesterday I’m waiting in the prescription pick up line at Walmart. In front of me was this white female about 35 and she’s wearing this stereotype hippy kind of uniform, you know the look, the /Rasta/bohemian/urban savage/ look. Well, I call it the post apocalypse look.
Anyway, this gal wore long Dred locks (fried or matted coils of hair), several layers of clothing and she, carried a large canvass bag/purse. She also had the standard long skirt, high water pants and heavy black boots. Sort reminded me of Ma Kettle (remember the Lil Abner cartoon?) This is a side point, (and this 100% true), she tried to get a prescription for a narcotic, but she had t
wo problems, no valid prescription and no money. I saw her later still in Walmart over by the auto section and she was shoplifting expensive items into her canvas bag, which was jammed full now…and remember, she had no money!
Yeah, I reported her, but by the time the clueless employee got around to alerting anyone she had left the store. Score another one for the druggie.
The point here is, too many Americans have no class, no self esteem, and I mean absolutely none! They dress down and they don’t care anymore and their dress reflects their values .
This dirtbag look seems to coincide with the fat American look. So, here in CA we have in abundance, ugly, fat , stupid and unemployable look…very much in fashion. They are everywhere.
Nobody is going to hire these freaks – but may be that is point? I can’t imagine that too many of these weirdo’s are serious job seekers. In part, it’s our fault too. We’ve made it way too easy for them to game the system and get by on welfare and that’s probably the main reason they can by with this stupidity.
What really bugs me, is when they train up their kids to be just like them. You’ve seen the kids I’m talking about, they’re always running wild in the stores like it was a playground and they have zero parental supervision. And with parents like theirs they are have no chance, they’re just the next generation headed for welfare.
We’ve got too many of us Americans today with no direction, no incentive to improve, and looking like freaks! They are totally unemployable, illiterate, living in fantasy land. And yet, somehow they get by, I suspect by freeloading on welfare, selling drugs, stealing or being bums looking for a handout.
Chico is loaded with these losers. It’s really disturbing to see so many non- productive people. But, it’s getting worse….the crime is also following these folks.
Liberals will call me out of touch, that I’m being mean, judgmental, cold hearted, narrow mind, etc. Well, too bad! It’s exactly how I feel and it’s what I see happening everywhere in our society. The results seen in our economy backs up everything I’m saying too. We’re headed down because 
we’re becoming a very sick, weak, stupid, and corrupt society with very low standards across the board.
America was not built by dropouts, drifters, degenerates and dopes….and if we don’t wise up, this country won’t last. The competition is out there. They’re tough, smart and hungry – which is the opposite of what I see here. We getting fat, dumb and lazy. The competition is building an empire while we build medicinal marijuana co-ops and rest on our butts, content to spend down our inheritance.
I agree 100%. I do not understand people who deface themselves to this extreme, I have a genetic condition that is, shall I say unattractive. I would give anything not to have this but since I do have to live with it.
Just don’t get people on purpose messing themselves up.
Harriet, when these young ladies with the tattoos have them for about 20 years and the ink runs it’s not going to look so clever and cute…we’re going to be having a great demand for expert tattoo removers.
That may be true about some but it’s not at all true with the companies I work with.
They all have top notch people who are young (early twenties to early thrities) and smart. They work their assess off and never complain, proably because they know there’s a hundred people for everyone of them waiting to take their place if they quit or get dismissed.
I remember some of the escapades the young workers used to pull in the 70s and 80s at these same companies and today it’s completely different. Today the young people I work with are all business and do everything by the book to the letter.
Bob, thanks for the reminder, you’re right of course and there are many fine young folks, but this is not to say that I’m not right too about the other part, the pack of losers and takers. We’ve got too many people sliding through life, learning the ways of getting by without pulling their fair share of the weight.
And Jack, based on what you’ve written I’m going to take a wild guess and say that you didn’t go to that Afrolicious concert the other night. 🙂
Poor Jack. You been spending too much time at Peet’s. Peet’s has a rock solid rep now as a congenial employer of the pierced and painted crowd.
I look at them, and I think: “I hope you don’t think that I’M gonna pay for the lobe-job you have to have when you turn 30.”
They make perfectly good coffee, and who knows what the world will be when you and me is dust. Best not to think too much about it.
Libby, I think you missed the part where I was talking specifically about the un-employable, see the title. I have no issue with the working class who have defaced themselves and dress like slobs. It’s those who have made themselves un-hirable because of their quirky bad habits and choose to live off those that do work.
“The competition is out there. They’re tough, smart and hungry.”
Well, now, this is going to pain you … but such persons, at this point in the planet’s history, tend NOT to be of Anglo-Saxon descent … Anglo-Indian, more like.
And let’s be real … you all … up there … are just not too terribly … congenial … to anything but Anglo-Saxon pierced and painted slackers.
That will have to change.
Actually Libs I was thinking of the Chinese, but India is a runner up and then there is the European Common Market. If you look at the pictures I chose to use you won’t see anybody but your Anglo’s. Sorry too disappoint… you’re tilting at windmills again…trying to find boogey men where none exist. But, if it makes you feel better to infer this is a racist article then who am I to deny you your glee?
Libby when were you last in Chico?
Unemployable by who? Are you hiring?
Look One can not fight for freedom and liberty then dictate to others.
What is interesting is it is implied that every person on American Soil must live to the standard of what another person says is employable.
While I think dreads are ugly they are part of a religion. So that person has religious freedom right?
Look 10 years ago there were not enough employees for the low pay jobs. They crashed the system, sent out jobs overseas, and now expect people to work for poverty wages. Why do some Walmarts hand out food Stamp applications at hiring?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smyXCepVb
Cindy, you said “One can not fight for freedom and liberty then dictate to others.” Actually we can and we do! This is how society works. We call these dictates, laws and morals. Violate them and there will be consequences. We need them because they form the buffer between absolute freedom without boundaries and a well regulated and safe society. Absolute freedom is anarchy and chaos…you wouldn’t want that would you?
To be employable one must be in general terms, of good character, capable, trustworthy, reliable, diligent, presentable with good work habits. Take a look at Maslow’s Scale of Hierarchy with it’s 8 divisions, you can’t get to the top without satisfying some basics first. Maslow’s defined needs are often portrayed in the shape of a pyramid with the largest, most fundamental levels of needs at the bottom and the need for self-actualization at the top. Too many want the self-actualization part without making any investment in the fundamentals to secure it!
Our society is built on fundamental principles steeped in reality. When we get too far out in front of those principles we get into trouble. “…it is implied that every person on American Soil must live to the standard of what another person says is employable.” Not another person, but our society. Society has expectations and standards, I’m sorry but this is just reality!
“While I think dreads are ugly they are part of a religion. So that person has religious freedom right?” Yes, the have the absolute right to dress anyway they want, groom anyway they want, worship anyway they want, so long as their freedom to do so does not interfere with another’s freedom. But, they must also deal with the reality that employers have the right hire whomever they feel would be the best to fill their needs. In a competitive work force the best go to the top, the worst are unemployed. This is reality Cindy.
well, since I was told about this blog as a newcommer to Chico and my very first comment was deleted, It makes me wonder if Libby is correct on the intent of this article.
I simply said that Freedom does not mean judgement by 1 man.
If that is a problem, then what is the intent? Did I just move to a racist area?
Cindy, let me look into that. Your comment was not deleted by us, so maybe there was a glitch somewhere. I’ve lost comments too and I’m the editor!
Okay I did a search and the comment you claim was removed did not show up in the trash or the spam filter. In other words it didn’t make it to post scripts. Sorry it was lost, but we didn’t do it.
Next, where does racism enter into this because your post didn’t arrive? You’re not one of those people who plays the race card at the drop of a hat are you?
Cindy welcome to Chico. I apologize for the error in posting the above comment. We have been dealing with a lot of spam lately and your comment was inadvertently mixed in with those un-posted comments.
Cindy people, all people, make judgements all day long. That’s what our brains do. Anyone who pretends he’s not judging others is fooling himself. That doesn’t mean that we have control over others or would want to…influence perhaps.
If you thought you knew something that would improve someones life and the lives of people around them would you share it or remain silent?
What does race have to do with any of this? Descriptive words like dropouts, drifters, degenerates and dopes apply to everyone.
We are a contentious lot but we believe everyone has a right to his opinion and to express it. We don’t block or delete comments unless they step over the bounds of respect and decency that the ER demands. I hope you will continue to exercise your free speech rights with us here at Post Scripts…we enjoy reading everyone’s opinions and yes, judgements.
Jack: ” I did a search and the comment you claim was removed did not show up in the trash or the spam filter.”
That’s because I got there first and posted it, Jack. It was inadvertently sent to the spam filter.
Oh, okay thanks Tina…that solves that problem.
Cindy along with freedom comes responsibility, wouldn’t you agree?
I believe we owe it to each other to maintain a society that upholds a certain level of morality and decorum so that our freedoms are supported and preserved. When we don’t take on that responsibility as individuals, training our kids and setting a good example, we invite the kind o tyranny and/or chaos in which no one’s rights and freedoms can be guaranteed and in which despots take control.
I don’t understand the defense of some of the folks pictured by Jack. Would you hire the guy with the rings in his lip and metal on his face? I would not!
I would hire the girl with the tatoo if qualified.