I have been working hard to eliminate the stereotypes I have. This is a very difficult practice when it comes to robes. I think we all have issues with robes.
When we see a person wearing a robe we instantly presume we are acquainted with the intent or profession of that person. And we often have a stereotypical lifestyle of the wearer comes to mind as well. Why? What is it about the robe that has appealed to the learned, the wise, the scholarly, and more pointedly those persons dedicated to religious pursuits for so many years that every continent in the world has its well known robed figures?
Over the years the robe has come to mean very different things to various people. Many social, religious and educational systems around the world use robes to denote achievement and status such as the Catholic Church, The Ku Klux Klan, and the legal and collegiate systems. But what is it about the robe that becomes ingrained in the psyche more than any other uniforms? A Catholic or Jesuit priest stands out in his robes as does a Klansman, a professor and a Judge and of course the Buddhist or Christian Orthodox monks. The idea of a portly “Friar” presents an image of peaceful reserve and kindness. The Image of a Klan’s man presents quite the opposite image. Lately eastern clerics have begun to mold a stereotypical image with a robe and turban. But I couldn’t even begin to describe the Iraqi or Iranian military uniforms. Historically this raiment has represented the poor and humble, but that’s been changed over the centuries. The lack of tailoring and accoutrements is what ancient peoples associated with the poor and lower class; wanderers, beggars, unclean and untouchable. As time progressed these garments began to represent the scholarly, wise and religious and pious persons in many countries and cultures. So why in this modern world are these garments so dramatically ingrained in our minds in association with the stereotypical wearer? I believe that has to do with history, the vast and almost unchanged history. A robe is a robe is a robe. This simple garment in its many forms is the oldest article of clothing still in use today. After centuries of seeing certain groups and sects, factions and fraternities wearing the same colored robes, stereotypes have become well rooted in all cultures of the world. Whether woven, tied, tanned, or sewn together robes signify the wearer’s position and station and what they stand for. Whether they do or not is another issue entirely.
When we see a person wearing a robe we instantly presume we are acquainted with the intent or profession of that person. And we often have a stereotypical lifestyle of the wearer comes to mind as well. Why? What is it about the robe that has appealed to the learned, the wise, the scholarly, and more pointedly those persons dedicated to religious pursuits for so many years that every continent in the world has its well known robed figures?
Over the years the robe has come to mean very different things to various people. Many social, religious and educational systems around the world use robes to denote achievement and status such as the Catholic Church, The Ku Klux Klan, and the legal and collegiate systems. But what is it about the robe that becomes ingrained in the psyche more than any other uniforms? A Catholic or Jesuit priest stands out in his robes as does a Klansman, a professor and a Judge and of course the Buddhist or Christian Orthodox monks. The idea of a portly “Friar” presents an image of peaceful reserve and kindness. The Image of a Klan’s man presents quite the opposite image. Lately eastern clerics have begun to mold a stereotypical image with a robe and turban. But I couldn’t even begin to describe the Iraqi or Iranian military uniforms. Historically this raiment has represented the poor and humble, but that’s been changed over the centuries. The lack of tailoring and accoutrements is what ancient peoples associated with the poor and lower class; wanderers, beggars, unclean and untouchable. As time progressed these garments began to represent the scholarly, wise and religious and pious persons in many countries and cultures. So why in this modern world are these garments so dramatically ingrained in our minds in association with the stereotypical wearer? I believe that has to do with history, the vast and almost unchanged history. A robe is a robe is a robe. This simple garment in its many forms is the oldest article of clothing still in use today. After centuries of seeing certain groups and sects, factions and fraternities wearing the same colored robes, stereotypes have become well rooted in all cultures of the world. Whether woven, tied, tanned, or sewn together robes signify the wearer’s position and station and what they stand for. Whether they do or not is another issue entirely.
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