Suit and Tie: Why Do We Associate Them with Authority and Experience?

Because they think it's not "fair"...

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How people think a tie actually makes a person more intelligent??

You should be able to be butt-naked and still be the same, intelligent or not...skilled or not.
Ok, naked would be a bit distracting...but still.

Why do people believe in illusions? Even smart people...

I'm tempted if I ever have a big business, make everyone who gives a presentation,
dress in just jeans and white shirt....no jewelry.

 

Not to harp on a thing...because there are many things that we don't understand.

It's not just that a person is thought of less credible if they don't wear a tie or suit of authority,

But that quite a bit more credibility is given to those who have one on.
The person can be a blithering idiot...in truth.
A tie, a suit, a badge, a title...a nicely written piece of paper up on the wall.

What counts...is if they are really good...and correct.

Over the years I've seen many who don't fill the bill - despite their looks or title or accreditation.
What counts is your references, a history...and observing actual results.

Too many are put on a pedestal.

And even those who often are credible...may be wrong or incorrect in a certain task or time.

BTW...I'm not even talking about a false moment, but one where those involved are being sincere.

I've gotten to the point of doing the research on professionals beforehand and during our interaction.
And watching the activities...considering the judgment calls they make.

This is truly how to evaluate an individual.
It takes time & effort...but I find it more valuable.

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And also I'll still go back to "unrealistic expectations"
This one really gets me.
Makes me wonder how anything gets done.

Basically I guess if you put both ideas together. (amongst others to be included...)
It's my frustration of people's lack of evaluation skills.
Evaluating a person, a situation, a task, a writing, a goal and so on...

They either are duped.
Or they dupe themselves.
Or expect too much.

 

As a teacher, I wear what I call my "uniform." It consists of dress slacks, a nice top, and a sweater of some kind. The kids respond to it. I always dress up consistently for the first few weeks of school in order to emphasize my authority.

We're conditioned to these things from a very young age.

 

I still say that many take advantage of it...like a politician.
Or a quack doctor.

An outfit doesn't make you right.

 

Well, I'm am not saying that uniforms are not important.
I agree that they assist in giving authority and respect.

However, my point is that many give too much credibility to those who are in suits.
I've been in IT for a long time...lots of very smart people.
But I've also run into quite a few idiots...or those who simply cannot do the trick.

A tie, a suit, a degree, a certification...hell, I even met & worked with a guy named, "Guru"
OMG...people actually thought he knew more than he did and gave him credibility because his name was Guru.
I'm not stupid...I saw it, it was surreal.
He was a bit competent in one software & code...but he was territorial, manipulative, even abusive...and didn't know other softwares.
BUT people let him just do what he wanted because, well he was "Guru"

It doesn't matter...salesmen, execs, etc and so on.
There are hustlers, nincompoops and otherwise...all getting by and selling their absurdities...just because they have a suit & tie. (and a nice piece of paper)
Hell, they even excel and rise in the ranks.
Damn, I've even worked with a nonsensical "technical director" due to the fact he sounded like Captain Picard and spoke like a Shakespearian actor.

How can people NOT see this???
Even if it's right in front of their face...even if they work with them over time...
Oi Vey, it's just frustrating (if not fascinating like watching a car crash in slow motion )

Directors, Scientists, Executives...etc...people who you'd think would be intelligent and canny...CANNOT see what stupidity is going on.
It's almost like that joke in Hitchhikers...where a whole spaceship is effectively invisible
because it has on a "It's not my problem" field (it is ignored, even avoided)

So tasks are done, advice is given (and taken), calls are made, people are managed and so on...by incompetents. (or even scam artists)
People who are supposed to evaluate and judge...overlook the apparent.
Is this because they are incompetent themselves??
Or just lazy and avoiding difficulties?
Or they just cannot see it...

You'd think they'd fire these people in 2 seconds...but no...they actually take advice from them. (not petty incorrect items, but REAL actions)
People are more likely to fire & lay off those who are an inconvenience, annoyance or biased of them...than any real stupidity.

I makes me wonder how anything is truly judged.
Let the buyer beware.
But buyers buy shit all the time.
Not because the stuff is shit...but because the packaging is pretty. (or the name is cool)

Think about it.
Do YOU let others in a nice suit tell you what's what...even if it's wrong??
Do you know of anyone that does this??
I'm sure if you've worked long enough...you've seen management make some ridiculous calls.
Or a person goes to a doctor...where you're saying they're doing "What??" to the person.

If you haven't...you may be one of those being played.

My next question...how the hell do you get around or rid of the idiots??
how do you avoid them??

 

Yeah, I don't put too much stock in the generalization that a suit and tie automatically leads credence to a person.

For instance, about two months ago I was called in to a meeting at a very large customer (billions in revenue annually). They were choosing a handful of major suppliers to form a 'Supplier Council' group for a project they were working on. The host of the meeting was VP level, and it was considered a big deal. However, this company is HQ in the rural Midwest, is centered around manufacturing, and has a very relaxed dress code. I will often encounter senior manager level types in jeans and a polo shirt. Almost anyone from Plant Manager level down is always in that attire. So I wore a polo shirt and dress pants. So did everyone from eight other suppliers. One supplier (from NYC, where dress is often more formal than Iowa, lol) sent their people in full suits. The VP walked in wearing khakis and a polo. The initial impression the guys in suits gave off (at least to me) was that they didn't understand their customer, the situation, or the culture there very well. Their comments through the day long meeting seemed to back that up. In the end, I think their being over dressed gave a poor impression, and it was solidified as the day went on. It was more a cultural difference than the men themselves being unintelligent or anything, but it was still a disconnect.

I think the better judge of a person's dress is if it is appropriate for the situation. Maybe err a smidge towards being over dressed. But at least here in the Midwest, even in most professional settings (maybe outside of finance and a few other industries) a suit may work just as much against you as for you.

 

At the school I was at this fall, a shirt and tie is "fancy." I don't think I ever saw anyone on staff show up to work in a suit. I was one of the better dressed teachers. I was also the only person under 40, and still am the only person under 40 who works there regularly. It did help me learn the power of "casual Friday." I love graphic tees. I own a couple fun ones. The kids enjoy it when I show up wearing a funny shirt, but the best $10 I have ever spent was on a school t-shirt on Back to School night. I wore that thing every home football game Friday during the fall, and every sporadic Friday I was there after that. I knew my audience--they loved that I had school spirit too.

 

Clothes make an image.

It's funny because I rarely meet anyone wearing a suit and tie in my line of work. Most IT folks want to project an air of casual youth. Ageism is a problem. A guy in a suit is going to be perceived as out of touch.

 

If you wear a suit in my industry, you had better be headed to a national awards gala. Otherwise, you're going to get people wondering why you're wearing a goddamn suit. Even a tie is overdressed (unless you're a woman, then it's "hip").

Anyway, it's all about context, blah, blah. Hardcore business environments demand suits, though I know of a very successful financial advisor who wears jeans and Harley-Davisdon T-shirts to his office on Bay Street (Canada's Wall Street).

As for me, by default I don't trust anyone in a suit if I don't know them. Why are you wearing a suit? What are you trying to hide? Are you distracting me with your hypnotic pinstripes?

Fucking suits.