I recently came across a post on LinkedIn about a guy who wore running sneakers to a job interview and “never had a chance” because of his choice in footwear. I’ve also heard pastors say that, “I can’t take anyone seriously in the pulpit if he’s not wearing a suit.” And the next time my wife wears jeans with a hole in the knee and DOESN’T receive a condescending and pejorative comment from a random septuagenarian will be the first.
And this raises some interesting points, and before we don our Fire Suits for what is certain to be an incendiary discussion, let me preface the Conflagration Conversation with a few comments:
- I have worn dress shoes to all of my professional interviews (before immediately swapping those impractical plantar fasciitis provocateurs for my typical Asics at the interview’s conclusion). When I’m in my natural habitat, I’m usually wearing a BroTank and running shoes, but I have never once gone shirtless for any of my Lipid Dinner Talks…I recognize some people might think that’s weird.
- If anything you are wearing (or not wearing) is DISTRACTING to the audience or DETRACTING from your message, then it’s worth reconsidering your wardrobe for the occasion.
- However, if you are basing your evaluation of people on external characteristics rather than the content of their message and the quality of their character, then retaining epistemic consistency becomes quite the challenge.
During one of my Clinical Rotations, my preceptor called me into his office and slammed the door. He then proceeded to unleash a fusillade of F-bombs, expletives, and several original combinations of obscenities with my name intermittently sprinkled into the Contumely Cauldron.
Taken aback by this deluge of derision (and, at that point, unsure exactly why he was so apoplectic), I apologized for my role in eliciting his anger and asked how I could improve my “bleeping unprofessionalism.”
And after several more F-bombs, I was sent home for the day and told to go get some “real shoes.” Wearing the shiny new running shoes that I had just purchased and had reserved solely for clinic days was apparently the reason why I was “the worst student he had ever precepted.” I’m sure that “getting the boot” had nothing to do with the fact that most of his patients had previously seen me when I was a Physical Therapist and already loved me…
So I told the story to my school’s Program Director, and he laughed pretty hard. And all my other previous preceptors laughed and said that “they’d take me back in a heartbeat, even if I was wearing NO SHOES AT ALL.” It’s almost as if they cared about other things…like my genuine care for people and my clinical acumen.
And ultimately, if you’re basing your evaluation of people on superficial accoutrements or external characteristics, where does it end?
That dermatologist has some acne, so I’m not listening to him!
That guy lecturing on metabolism clearly has some visceral adiposity, so I can’t take him seriously!
That pastor not only has a tattoo, it’s VISIBLE while he’s preaching! Stone him! With the biggest rocks you can find! (Maybe the Pharisees didn’t listen to John the Baptist because he needed to upgrade his camel-hair coat for a business suit and more professional sandals…it’s all making sense now)!
But hey, if you’re struggling to evaluate people based on the consistency of their character and the quality of their work, I’m more than happy to help you navigate your biases. I’ll even wear dress shoes if that’s what it takes😊
1 Samuel 16:7
