I had this very conversation with a friend of mine about 20 years ago. When he was young he lived in a small city (About 15-20,000) here in Illinois. He spoke like everyone else in the community. (Granted a 1st or 2nd Gen Hispanic, Polish, French or whatever person is probably going to have an accent.) When he was in HS his mother moved back to Milwaukee. Unfortunately it was a poorer part of the city. He told me had to speak the way everyone else did or take a beating every single day. When he moved back to the Illinois community he changed his speech once again in order to fit in. this time it was a matter of being able to get a job, home, marriage and so on.

Peer pressure is real in every facet of our lives. For example- people don't laugh about a woman in her 50's who is trying to dress and act like a woman in her 30's because it is considered rude. Telling the woman to dress her age will only find people rallying to her side and telling the person to keep their opinion to his/her self. That person may well be right. It may be the truth but society tells us to not say it out loud. At least to to the woman in question. There's always talking (snickering) behind her back but that is another issue.
I guess you can say Cheesey people who don't conform with pay the price one way or another. This is even true in the corporate culture.

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I personally prefer people to speak so that I can understand them. Slang or Neighborhood dialecks do not hold great respect with me. That said, I celebrate regional differences in pronunciation. EX: Someone from Boston vs someone from Atlanta.

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I understand that , WPR. The thing that bothered me was, the one guy that did it was a person I considered a friend in junior high school. When we got to high school, he suddenly wouldn’t even talk to me. I guess that was my first experience with racism.
Suddenly I wasn’t good enough anymore.

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Self preservation. Most people would do the exact same thing. My friend and I drifted apart too. If I ran in to him I would sit and have a cup of coffee and catch up on what's happening in his life.

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First, the thread should be "How people speak."

Second, as a business owner, I choose to hire people who:
- demonstrate high integrity
- reflect the my values and those of my fellow owners and partners
- demonstrate reasonably high intelligence
- can effectively communicate with my clients and potential clients
- are not likely to embarrass me or my company

I really don't care how someone privately communicates with friends and relatives, except to this extent. At work or on social media, if they communicate in a manner that is less than professional, especially when a client or prospect is within earshot, that doesn't work...they are gone. Anyone of any gender, race, creed, of sexual orientation need to understand this aspect of the way the world works.

Further, I expect people to dress in fashion that is at least as conservative as the values of our potential clients and clients. If there is someone who is bra-less, has their ass only covered by their underware, or in any other manner exposing to much, I say something. If you don't like and abide by my rules, leave. All my employees are "at will". I am not running a business for the benefit of anyone's personal expression or self-actualization, I am trying to make money.

THE NET HERE, IS THAT NOT ADHERING TO THE CULTURAL AND SOCIETAL NORMS AND VALUES OF BUSINESS OWNERS WILL RETARD THE ECONOMIC PROGRESS OF THOSE NOT WILLING TO OPERATE WITHIN THOSE NORMS. THAT IS THE WAY THE WORLD ACTUALLY WORKS.

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KRK, I agree 100% with what you are saying.
The problem today is, if you try to enforce such rules , sooner or later you will get someone that will try to sue you because of it.
I see people working at stores, with piercings and such that would never have been hired back when I was a teenager.
I also know people that will quit a job, then cry and blame the boss for trying to squash their individuality.

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1. that’s why I would never hire anybody with a piercing, or a tattoo that could not be covered by a long sleeve white collared shirt.
2. That is also why I have a small business, by the government definition of small business, which does not encumber me with too many regulations.
3. It is also why I have a very carefully worded employment/services contract which basically says I can fire you for whatever damn reason I want, whenever I want.

Like with most things in our society, when the government gets involved....people lose

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Wait, no piercings at all? Not even a conservative stud earring? That's just a little excessive, don't you think?

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Ok....you got me....for women, pierced ears (lobe only) are fine. No nose, eyebow, tongue or anything else, piercing orotherwise, that can be seen.

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Interesting post KRK. I know other businesses that try to toe a more conservative line in the way they want employees to dress. It has been a losing battle.

For the record, gbguy didn't start this thread thus didn't create the title.

"Underware" not "underwear"? I guess we are all guilty. 😁

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