In the conventional world, we all live by socially constructed beliefs and unquestionably abide by traditions. The subtle beliefs, held for ages, that physical appearance supersedes other qualities have been disputed by the prolonged global pandemic. Usually, the world judges people by what is seen before exploring one’s intellectual offers. If the physical appearance does not appeal, then they’re regarded to be intellectually unappealing too.
Our societies have labelled people. Those with dreadlocks and tattoos have been classified as drug addicts; those that wear casual clothes to high-level meetings are deemed disrespectful. Shockingly, even careers have been clothed. Can you imagine a lawyer in court without a suit? A doctor without a gown? Or a judge without a wig? Notwithstanding, a distinction has been drawn that permits people in the arts and tech industry to behave and look the way they want to express themselves, unlike civil service jobs. Could it be because our society considers these industries to be ‘unyielding’ and ‘unserious’?
For years, we were raised to think that kempt hair and wearing suits to big meetings meant everything. We focused so much on the looks that we missed the idea of honing our inner intellectual capacities.
At school, we wore baggy uniforms, and those who trimmed them to look a little more fashionable risked being suspended. Beyond the uniformity, we were told to tuck in at times and choke ourselves with long ties.
It was clear that whatever good knowledge you had meant nothing if your appearance was unbecoming. It was as though saying that for one to be a clear thinker, they had to be physically smart first.
In some schools, students weren’t even allowed to have perfume spread on their bodies or even wear any jewellery. The argument was that the teachers were protecting the students from the beguilement of the world. They didn’t want us to be distracted by the fastness of the world. They also wanted us to be like them; live by mythical books, worship old traditions, and walk in their footsteps without questioning.
Consequently, young people always saw school as a prison. It meant bearing a bald head, wearing ill-fitting uniform and surrendering our rights to uncompromising codes of conduct.
Notably, these were dictates for one to live in this kind of world. But can this apply to the dynamic world of today? Indicatively, the radical shift, triggered by the global pandemic, disputes the essence of this received wisdom.
When school shifted to an online experience, none of the dictated methods of life would reign anymore. Physical appearances meant little. We were all enlightened that our looks mean nothing if our internal setup, more so our intellectual capacities, is not as appealing.
The virtual world meant that we did not have to create certain impressions by appearances during class sessions or work interviews. We didn’t have to wear suits to deliver key messages in high-level meetings. We lost every single thing we praised in our ‘look good’ contests. The world had initially focused on the visible sorts of communication and utterly ignored the most fundamentals of verbal expressions.
Surprisingly, our looks were replaced by our speaking and thinking abilities. The ones with peering voices, able to speak persuasively, thrived.
Yet, we have not learned; I sometimes see on the streets crowds of young people running to school in huge uniforms. We are still being asked to wear suits for meetings, pitching to CEOs clad in casual clothes. It’s never the looks; it’s the power to communicate well and showcase that they’ve intellectually invested in themselves.
But is the world ready to embrace this radical change?
In zoom meetings, no one cares whether one is dressed casually, smart or not. What matters most is the ability to express oneself in a convincing and evident way that one is intellectually apt.
While the world opens up, we should not focus on looks anymore. Instead, we should keep in mind that it’s the words; we should be aware that words make worlds. And as such, the next time you see someone walk to work, don’t judge them by appearances. Looks lie, and looks are never a measure of intelligence.
The writer is a Global Challenges student at the African Leadership University.