FACEBOOK CREATOR Mark Zuckerberg has been criticised this
week for wearing a hoodie when addressing business meetings. Speaking at the launch of Facebook’s Initial
Public Offering - where the company floated on the stock exchange - Zuckerberg
refused to be bound by convention in his choice of attire, instead adopting his
trademark appearance. A raft of criticism ensued, with the more conservatively
minded slamming his approach as "immature".
However, it must
be questioned whether Mr Zuckerberg really has a case to answer. He is the
creator of a highly successful multi-national organisation that has now floated
on the stock market for $100 billion.
Only the content of his speech should have come under scrutiny.
Should Mark Zuckerberg's choice of clothing really matter?
In certain
circumstances the decision to wear a particular form of attire can be dictated
by convention. At a funeral, for
example, the majority of men would be obliged to wear a suit as a sign of
respect. However, when dealing
specifically in the remit of business, we must ask ourselves why so many of us believe
it is imperative certain people should dress in a particular way in order to
reinforce a point. If a person is forced
to wear something in which they feel uncomfortable, simply because it satisfies
the desires of members of the audience, then their message may not be delivered
with the same impact if they were able to dress as they would normally
choose. This would be to the detriment
of the content which, in essence, is the primary consideration.
The erosion of social
boundaries, a process which arguably began in the 1960s, has accelerated
greatly since the dawning of the 21st century. Yet whether we like it or not the vast
majority of us still make perceptual judgements based on another's appearance. This should not be the case. For it is only when we look beyond the
superficial can we accurately assess the strengths and weaknesses of another's
character. Only then can we truly
determine their exact nature.
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