Did you not ever read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson where it was the town custom to atone someone to death once a year?
Customs change and thank God for that. This country has had some deplorable customs. I won't get into politics lest I infuriate someone, but let's just say that now I can get married and previously it was customarily understood that I could not. Thank God that things change.
As for this silly hat issue, unless the hat has a speaker in it that is blaring music at 400,000 decimals, or flashing, rotating lights, or it shoots bullets, then honestly, who the heck cares? Let people do what they want. It is not altering your life in any possible way. If the aesthetic is so offensive to you that it makes you lose your appetite, don't look at it. Very simple solution. Aren't you there to enjoy your wife, husband, partner, family anyway? So then do so and don't let a baseball cap bother you. Life is too short and there are more important things to worry about.
Exactly. It's an (over) century old practice when hats weren't really worn as fashion for men.
Here's a perfect example. In Japan, it's proper etiquette to remove your shoes in a residence or restaurant. Same origins as why the removal of hats had began.
However, we had more European figures come to the states than we did Japanese, so THEIR custom came over here and found it's way as 'etiquette'.
There's plenty of things we do that are poor etiquette in other countries. This hat issue is a century old custom established in another society that made it's way here. Shoes and sneakers are even worse than hats. You're absolutely bringing in more filth than a hat and you may even be bringing in smashed insect or animal feces. But, that's okay here in America. Hats...European society says nooooo, so lets take them off and leave our shoes on.
It's simply an illogical reasoned form of etiquette today, that's upheld just because it's become the 'normal' thing to do. But, people will still push the issue because society tells them what proper etiquette is and they abide, like sheep in a herd.
Sadly, I was forced to take etiquette classes because of the amount of snobby banquets and event dinners I've had to attend because of my parents.
It amazes me at how hats are judged, however in the world of dining etiquette, 90% of you all do things deemed worse than attire, actual poor actions.
- How many of you anti-hat fans have blown (even lightly) on hot food or coffee? I see men and women do it all the time. To their own portions and on their child's hot food. Proper etiquette suggests requesting ice or simply waiting. To blow on food looks like you're a glutton and simply cannot wait for it to cool down, you must expedite the process and blow your wind around the table (nobody's stays confined to their plate).
- Half bites? You're never supposed to butter a role and continuously take bites from it. Nor are you ever supposed to leave food on a fork or spoon after taking a bite, for any reason according to any etiquette school or class.
- Here's an extremely common one. When you're finished with your meal, how many of you think you're helping your server or signaling that you're finished by moving the plate by either pushing it aside or away from you? One of the absolute worst actions you can do, based off of 'proper' dining etiquette. Announcing (by pushing your finished plate) that you're finished is down right rude.
However, most of those things are overlooked by those who THINK they practice proper dining etiquette by judging the socially known aspects such as slurping (understandable), wearing hats (blows my mind since they're now mostly used by men as 'fashion' or sportsmanship.) and picking your teeth.
Wear your hats!
*Disclaimer: Don't be an idiot. I'm applying this to general buildings and casual dining. Not upscale dining, church, schools, someone's direct place of business where you're interacting with the host.
but...
Since then, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt.
