Eric I’m not sure you understand the pettiness involved in some of the comments I’ve made, regarding the ideas and rules people make, for those around them. For instance I was kicked out of school in junior high school for having hair over my ears. The principal made up an arbitrary rule that no one could have hair growing longer than on top of their ears. I asked the simple question why? His answer; Because I said so. This is the type of dress code I was faced with at the time. You have asked; Does it affect you now? Yes it affects me but I believe in a way that is protecting the rights and choices of others to make their own decisions without the impositions of others. Which means I care about the rights of others. I this case not my own.
Also one of my best friends Karen was kicked out of school for wearing jeans as a girl. ‘Anybody should know girls wear dresses’ Right?
Good insight Steve- I particularly like that you take some responsibility by acknowledging your involvement and questioning if the result of your environment could be from your own actions. I would add that not only do we defend others as you have suggested above but we easily blame others while seeming unaware that it is our own attitudes and energy responsible for of our misery. A lot of it, I think, comes from taking up arms over propaganda. Like fretting about politicians and their dress codes when instead there is much nectar to be drawn from the immediate reality before us.
Namaste~
