In our world today, there are so many things around us that tend to raise our expectations about how we live our lives, why we do the things we do and the way to do them. They are the unseen principles and standards the society and the people around us sets for us. For some reasons, we see the need to conform to this standards because it feels right to do so or we lack the willpower to do otherwise. The world sets the pace for us and we just follow because we believe that’s how it should be but is it?
For the last edition of the hivelearners topic, UNREALISTIC STANDARDS, we are asked to share our thoughts as regards the unrealistic standards the society sets for us and whether or not we should stick to them. There are actually so many societal standards that we feel obliged to upholding and they come from different sources like the media, our culture and the people around us. These standards are sometimes good but due to the way some people take it, it starts becoming unrealistic.
For me, when it comes to setting standards, it is almost impossible to set a standard that everyone can abide to but then, there is the need to still set these standards because it is what makes things work well. Take for example, in an office setting, a staff is expected to be well dressed and out spoken. This is a standard that is upheld in almost all the business organizations I have seen and heard of. It is one standard that I know a lot of people working official jobs all over the world uphold. It is one of the many things that gives these companies the touch of seriousness and integrity.
It is hard to find anyone going for an official job dressed as they like. They know that there is a particular standard and even if that isn’t initially their style, they are still obliged to abide by it if truly they want to stay in that job. For a standard like this, it is almost nonnegotiable. But it starts becoming unrealistic when everyone is asked to dress corporately for every occasion even when they are at home. This makes it really unrealistic. As we know, dressing corporately requires money and going by that, not everyone can afford buying wears like that.
So based on this kind of standard, it is best that we don’t try to take things too far. Dressing well is good but we should also understand that some can’t afford these good clothings and it might limit them from participating in things that they should have participated in if those standards weren’t there. But for someone who aspires for a particular profession or career, it is expected that they keep to the standards of that profession or career. Yes, there are people that can be well dressed no matter where they are but it is more realistic to make people dress well for occasions than telling them how to dress even when they are at home.
Our standards are what sets us apart truly. The moment we compromise it, that means we give room for anything to happen and that’s not wise at all. Especially in a world where there are so many perspectives. It is always best to set standards and attract the right people to you. But for a societal standard, most times these standards contradicts our personal standards and this is when we have to be careful of what we base our standards on. Be sure you are on the right track or else, it will be hard to tell when you are becoming too rigid or truly making the right choice by sticking to the standards we have set for ourselves.
Thank you for reading through. 💜
