Uniforms

The first thing that schools do to a child is to destroy their individuality.
--John Holt

One of the primary functions of school or work uniform, aside from income generation (logos, cloths, sewing services, etc.) is identification.


Even in religion there are uniforms.

You can identify a priest by his vestments. They wear this not because it is comfortable but because of tradition. They conduct beautiful mass that requires all these rituals; so, there must be an equally majestic costume to go with it. Even in small primitive churches or open air masses if you see a priest conducting masses in their full raiment you can’t help but feel the majesty of God or at least the power in the church service that they are doing.

Second function of uniforms is unity.

This means that the person wearing his/her uniform establishes a unity with his/her job/school. Take for instance security guards. Observe their uniforms, the more polished their gold epaulets and medallions and the shinier their shoes are, the more efficient and inflexible they are. That’s because the importance and the power of their jobs is attached to their clothes. Their humanity is fused with all those glittering fool’s gold that pleading your case with them is no use. Observe their mien after they change to regular clothes and see the difference—they are weak. Traffic enforcers are no different. If you see one wearing a hunting knife, cowboy hats and all the regalia that will put the British Royal Guards to shame be very weary of them. (They think they are gods that have the power to stop time with the wave of their hands.)

Uniform, uninformed, out of norm.