The Professional

What is it that makes a man professional? Are the qualities of professionalism in our male dominated society, for a man, different than the standards women have to uphold in the workforce? Professionalism in the year 2004 is a socially constructed concept, better, an economy, which is shaped and molded by the hieratical systems of elitism, puritan traditions, and money. The history of the professional hitherto has been qualified by men in suits, by the higher ups in society, who look down from their long neck ties onto a middle class dominated by rich old white men. I am reminded of the scholars of the late 1700's, who would wear ridiculous wigs while working to appear educated, more scholarly, better than the next guy at their job. The aesthetics of appearance spoke louder than the words of the wearers. Let me explain. I am skeptical of persons who wear suits to work. Not because they are something to be feared, unless it's their stupidity which makes me quiver, but because I know that if someone is concerned with their appearance more than their intellect, if they truly believe that a nice blue suit bought from GQ will help them become a better person or help sell what ever it is they are selling, be it a set of encyclopedias or a political amendment, then I start to question their intentions of manipulation. Yes, glamour and glitz sells. It sells! But why must we sell our selves to institutions built by those who are only out to make money? It's the tradition of money making that proliferates these old institutionalized ideals of what professionalism is supposed to be. A nice sweater vest is only one, just one spec of the professional stain on our business aesthetics. To me a professional is someone who does one’s job well, someone who can, with confidence, speak about his or her vocation in a vernacular worth understanding. A professional is someone who can separate one's daily worries from their job, and come into work with a bright attitude, with a fresh smile, with high hopes of accomplishing a task. It does not matter the attire, weather it be a sexy low cut tank top, or a flesh covering shoulder padded suit, as long as the individual is able to: make the company money, work proficiently with the other members of their job, come to work energized, and not be a complete moron. Those are the main aspects of professionalism. Shorts and a tee shirt in the hot weather are not traits of fatuousness and laziness. If an employee of mine is uncomfortable in long pants in the summer, why not allow them to wear a fucking pair of shorts? As long as they do their job in a healthy manner, let them eat cake!