Perceptions

We all have perceptions about the people and places around us.  When I see a person wear a white lab coat, I assume they are some sort of doctor/pharmacist/scientist.  Likewise, if a man is wearing a suit and tie, I assume he is a businessman of some sort.  It would be strange, and likely frowned upon, to see an attorney walk into a courtroom wearing a white lab coat.

Most of the time a person's wardrobe is dictated by their chosen profession.  In my case, the Court dictates that attorneys wear a suit and tie in the courtroom.  These rules get fuzzy with women's attire, but who am I to judge someone's dress flip-flops.

I think my favorite profession-dictated attire is that of a major league baseball manager.  Why on Earth does a manager wear a full baseball uniform?  Even if the team was down to eight players, could you imagine a guy like Don Zimmer waddling out onto the field to take his place at shortstop?  I realize this probably would not even be legal, but I digress. 

In addition to perceptions based on the way people dress, there are certainly perceptions based on the age of an individual.  An older person is usually perceived to be extremely qualified through his years of experience, while a younger person is perceived to be less experienced, thereby less qualified.

PGA professional Rory McIlroy blows this flawed perception out of the water.  In 2011, at the ripe age of 22, McIlroy won the U.S. Open by 8 strokes.  This would have been a crowning achievement for anyone in the world.  However, McIlroy was able to win in spite of his epic meltdown at the Masters only weeks before.

Somewhere along the way, McIlroy's father, Gerry McIlroy, was asked whether he believed Rory was old enough to attain enduring success in the PGA.  His father was quoted as saying, "If you are good enough, you are old enough."  Point, Gerry McIlroy.

While I likely will not be headed to Court in khaki shorts and a golf shirt anytime soon, I think it is fair to say that some perceptions are just plain silly.