Shis issue: (Y You don’t know how | feel (¥ When | was young vs. Kids these days: Boy bands ( Stars without a purpose And more! Have your voice heard! Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor M opinions@theotherpress.ca www.theotherpress.ca War of the Words: » If you are shopping for friends, you are stereotyping Taylor Pitt Contributor De judge a book by its cover. Looks can be deceiving. All that glitters is not gold. In the English language, there are plenty of metaphorical phrases and idioms that discourage us from judging based solely on appearances. This is especially true when it comes to people. Judging based on appearances is rude to other people and bad for your own character. This argument assumes that judging based on appearances means sense of fashion alone, as opposed to personal hygiene. Nobody’s going to argue that you should hang around that guy who constantly smells of gasoline and gunpowder, hiding his crust-covered hands on the insides of his sleeves. Additionally, I’m not going to try and disprove the effectiveness or usefulness of stereotyping, in appropriate situations. Instead, I argue that in order to grow, learn, and be as successful as possible, a person needs to overlook appearances or ignore them entirely. Especially in school or the workplace. Nobody has a list of their skills and interests tattooed onto their arms. Or, at least, I hope nobody does. There’s no way to tell a person’s political alignment from the logos they wear on their clothing, or else we would all be right-wing capitalists. Neither : is someone with stretched ear lobes : automatically a member of the radical : left. Assuming this information based : ON appearances, or worse yet, ignoring : the possibility of learning something : new based on superficial evidence, is : simply ignorance. Following from this : is inexperience with working alongside : other people, which can cause problems : at school, in group assignments, or : at work with co-workers. Worse still : would be your ability to work in a group : that does not have a hierarchal power : structure, such as grassroots charities or : protests. Outside of organizations and : academics, stereotyping is often used : to tell possible friends from people you : won't get along with. While this might : seem effective, it limits the kinds of : connections people can form. Strong : personal friendships cannot be based : on shared interests or disinterests alone, : and fashion is naught but a hobby. : Who would you rather be friends with, : someone who puts their assumptions : behind them and gets to know you, or : someone who approached you like they : did the shopping, picking you off the : rack based on aesthetic? Clothing, piercings, and tattoos : aren't substitutes for a person’s : personality. You can’t get to knowa : person based only on the brands they : choose to wear. In doing so, you're : limiting your own possible connections : in the workplace, in your community, : and at home. » Judging the appearance of nonconformists Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer [pean in our society, particularly in the city, people are not afraid to stand out ina crowd. They may have interesting tastes in clothing, skin covered in ink drawings, or more holes and metal pieces in their body than usual. These people have a right to their personal tastes and should not be treated with anything less than basic human respect. With that said, it’s not unreasonable to find their appearances unpleasant or off-putting. Regardless of the increasing commonality of those partaking in alternative images, they remain a minority of the general population. Most people don’t have green hair, crazy sleeve-length tattoos, or earlobes big enough to fit a golfball through. Let’s be honest, there’s a reason for this. It looks weird, stupid, and even ugly. I don’t care how popular stretched earlobes are; you look like a doofus who creeps out anybody over 30. Such alternative appearances are unflattering and off-putting, particularly to the older generation. It would be great to live in a world where an appearance reveals nothing about a person and where everyone is treated based solely on in, and it will never be. If one chooses to have an image that makes someone look twice in public, they have to live with the consequences of appearing prominent, : almost distracting. It’s not necessarily an inherent : prejudice that makes one judge, but : simply an unfamiliarity with this type : of look. The vast majority of people : we interact with have hair of a natural : colour and bodies free of visible metal. : It won't be for many years, if ever, that : the extreme appearances are common : enough to be on that same level. It’s kind : of like seeing people dress in Halloween : costumes all year round. Sure, most—if : not all—of the people in these costumes : are respectable types underneath, but : it’s still bizarre to be wearing it where : everyone can see you. Those who make : the conscious choice to say “My body : and I are unique enough to not fit in” : need to accept that they will not fit in. In many ways, people with unique : appearances can be admired for their : choices. They know they will not always : be taken seriously or respected by : everyone; and they choose to stand out : anyway. Even if we don’t all want to get : extreme body modification tomorrow, : perhaps deep down we're worried about : standing out too easily. Individuality is : extremely important, and treating others : as basic human beings even more so. : Perhaps one day we'll come to a happy : medium where there is no normal and their actions. That’s not the world we live : everyone has a distinct yet flattering : appearance. Until then, those who stand : out must accept the occasional odd looks : now and then.