To Eric:

I'll begin by saying (semi-ironically) that I hate disclaimers. They suck. Often when I read one, I find it to somehow be insulting to me--not necessarily to my intelligence, but insulting in a way that I can't explain. Hell, it might not even be insult. But it can make me enjoy what I'm about to read less. So I try not to use them unless circumstances demand as much.

That said, the homophobia and sexism that you perceived in my quoting the Facebook dealy wasn't mine (which I tried to express with my pink shirt blurb at the end). It was the original author's. And I've taken quite a liking to the tactic of using fallacy-riddled arguments (which I frequently disagree with) alongside valid ones to lightly poke fun at something I'm not particularly fond of. (Also, that was the first time I'd ever seen that thing--I'd have been less likely to post it if I thought it were unoriginal.)

Popped-collars don't somehow make you look less male. Nor do they imply homosexuality.

But, since you don't seem to have many over in Lubbock, I'll tell you that they are, incontravertibly, symbols of ridiculous preppiness. Preppiness that shows no sign of dying anytime soon. And it may not be that way in Lubbock, but I don't particularly care, because even if you took the whole preppy issue out of it, it's aesthetically unpleasing. I don't care if James Dean or John Lennon did it; the only thing popping the collar would do to them is make them less attractive. For me this issue isn't just one of fashion moralism, but also one of unsightliness--for example, I don't disparage others' rights to parade around naked solely because of the moral overtones, but also (mostly) because some people are really gross-looking when unclothed. Of course, that's a bit of an extreme example, and if I had the power to make laws, I would certainly protect the rights of people to pop their collars while prohibiting people from going nude in public, but you get the general idea.

Also, don't think that just because the quote suggested you were conforming to the crowd that that's what I believe you're doing. Few people I've seen in Texas pop the collar. A good bit more do it here, and there's a general consensus among the non-poppers that those who pop are really just trying to look cool (in addition to being preppy). This doesn't really apply to you, but I'll admit that that fact has colored the way I look at all popped collars. And though I share the same opinion as many others, I am neither more sheep-like nor less goat-like, to use the ol' metaphor. I'm going to make people feel bad about their fashion choices because I don't like their fashion choices; not because I want to join the chorus of bahs. And as I just suggested, conformity ain't always a bad thing. I wear my jeans proudly, after all.

And... I'm not judgemental. I mean, sure, in the sense that I am judging aesthetic choices, rating them as absolutely good, absolutely bad, or somewhere else on the absolute scale of greatness I am, but I think you misinterpret my distaste for the popped collar. The people here who follow this trend only very occasionally do it from a purely aesthetic point of view. Most are following the ol' trend because they feel like it gives them that added preppy or cool element. I'm far from a perfect reader of body language, but even I can detect a difference between the popped and unpopped populations that, even if not causation, shows a disturbing and unpalatable correlation between popped collars and attitude. The particular attitude that is espoused is the sort that makes me snarl a bit; I don't like it, nor do I like the popped collars associated with it. What would otherwise be simple aesthetic distaste has turned into fashion moralism. And so I will post things like I did before.

But don't worry, Eric. Though I didn't clearly state as much, the moralism wasn't for you.

The aesthetic distaste was for you. Please continue in not popping your collar (though you'd done it once in front of me, prompting the whole schpiel towards you in the first place, in case you'd forgotten). Yes, I know the decision is absolutely yours, but I'd rather see you with the moustache again. Yeah. It's that bad.

Cheers! ^.^

And hasta la byebye.