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Do You Get Enraged When Someone Does Not Take Off Their Hat Poll

(hopefully a harmless distraction from the more serious stuff – so if you are always serious don’t read any further)

I had a student who wore a baseball cap to all my classes. At first I had an emotional response – who does this guy think he is wearing a baseball cap in my class. Then I got used to it and realized – it does not matter if he wears a cap or not. As long as he does the work and acts civilly in class - who cares?

Next thing you know I was a convert. So much so that I wore a hat and got tossed out of a dinner party. My experience is that most people ignore you when you do not remove your hat at a hockey game when the national anthem is being played. But, a few get downright venomous.

Is there some evolutionary advantage of requiring a hat to be removed at certain times or in some venues?

After visiting Hair Club for Men a few years ago and realizing it was way too expensive to buy a new wig every few months and getting locked into an expensive styling plan even more frequently, I decided to go with the immensely cheaper option of wearing stylish hats for my bald spot.

Nobody expects someone to remove their wig when the national anthem is being played – so why should they have to remove their hat which is being used for the same purpose. Removal of a hat for the anthem can be done by the most morally depraved person who has no respect at all for his countries laws. What is wrong with me substituting hat removal with my hand over my heart instead?

What is wrong with me wearing my hat at dinner?

I suspect the majority of people get enraged with people not removing their hat. I am curious as to what a group of freethinkers will say.

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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on April 4, 2012 at 1:20pm

The only problem with this whole business is that I barely wear hats any more.

I wear a beaten baseball cap when I mow the lawn, and I'll break out one of multiple Indians ball caps when I watch a game at Progressive Field. On occasion the concept has struck that I might look good in a Stetson, a la Indiana Jones ... though I haven't purchased one yet. The fact is not only that I barely wear a hat at all, but very few if any other men I see around do either!

So the issue of wearing a hat to dinner may not be quite moot, but it's within shooting range of it!

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Permalink Reply by Sandi on April 4, 2012 at 1:20pm

Us humans, we just get so attached to traditions and inane social courtesies. For some, hats are better left on anyway.....

Good for you joining the rebellion!!

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on April 4, 2012 at 2:01pm

"...when the national anthem is being played..."

Well, if it's the Pledge of Allegiance, anthem or Flag Ceremony as happened at Reason Rally and Rock Beyond belief. I take off any head gear I happen to be wearing out of respect, …not duty (being that I'm Canadian). Those from the military whom I was with would have probably said something to any who didn't, even though they were atheists.

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Permalink Reply by Russell Pangborn on April 4, 2012 at 2:24pm

That is the point. Would you or your friends be offended if I showed my respect with my hand over my heart and left my hat on. At the Reason Rally, for the first request I removed my hat. For the second one I left my hat on and put my hand over my heart because I respect the United States and its military. Some people will get enraged over that. Should they?

Should people get enraged if someone refuses to swear on the bible. A hat and a bible are both just symbols.

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on April 4, 2012 at 2:38pm

"Should people get enraged if someone refuses to swear on the bible. A hat and a bible are both just symbols."

Not even remotely similar. Unless you buy into the myth that the US Constitution the military swear an oath to defend, often at the cost of their own lives, …is not a secular document?

"For the second one I left my hat on and put my hand over my heart because I respect the United States and its military."

As for, "hand over my heart"; this I would never do, nor would I recite the pledge, it isn't mine to recite. Had you left your hat on for the pledge in front of my atheist Irag war vet friend, he would have asked you politely to take it off out of respect. Would he have been enraged if you didn't, no, …but he would likely not feel that you deserved respect, respect being a reciprocal thing.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Fleming on April 4, 2012 at 6:25pm

"At the Reason Rally, for the first request I removed my hat. For the second one I left my hat on and put my hand over my heart because I respect the United States and its military."

No, it was raining after all. That's a logical use for a hat.

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Permalink Reply by Hollyn on April 4, 2012 at 2:28pm

I don't mind. It doesn't phase me what other people wear on their head.

Though, I DO notice when people wear hats inside, but only because I was raised to notice. My grandpa was very into his country, patriotism, and tradition and good manners. Therefore, we learned that wearing a hat indoors was the easiest way to spot a douche bag. But now, looking back on those occasions, I kind of feel like WE were the douche bags. I mean, how sad is it to sit at a dinner table with family with nothing better to talk about than what some stranger is wearing on his head? How are we the good-mannered ones if we're sitting there calling this guy a rude piece of shit for wearing a hat? It doesn't make any sense. People follow tradition because it's what they're good at. When they follow tradition they don't really have to think. It's auto-pilot and it's comfortable.

It's like cutting up your meat into tiny pieces: this is considered very bad table manners. Why? That's ridiculous. Same for hats. Ridiculous!

I was happy you posted this. Just last week my husband told me a little about the history of the tradition of taking off your hat indoors. He explained that during earlier times, we still very much needed to distinguish ourselves from the Jews, so we took action: the Christian Sabbath was no longer Saturday, it was moved to Sunday. -- Jewish men pray with Yamakas - essentially hats. A bigoted Christian of the times surely didn't want to look like he was praying like a Jew. So, much like switching the Sabbath to Sunday: off with the hats lest ye look like a Jew!
Culturally, it seems like removing your hat inside is nothing more than a non-verbal way to announce that you're Christian.

All that aside, it really does not bother me if someone chooses to wear a hat. It's their business. Maybe their head is cold. Who am I to judge cold heads, bald heads, insecure heads, bed heads? Thanks for the topic, I apparently needed to ramble. :)

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Permalink Reply by Pat on April 4, 2012 at 2:31pm

I certainly don't get enraged over it. Sometimes, a little miffed, but I keep it to myself. Miffed if I'm in a place like a very nice restaurant (business casual or suit and tie), but I don't say anything. Like Richard, if I'm wearing a hat in a foreign country, I make damn sure to take it off for the national anthem. It's a sign of respect as a guest in their land. Although, to be honest, I do wear hats in the summer or in a tropical country. I have the hair style of billiard ball, and getting a sunburn on the top of your head hurts like hell :)

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on April 4, 2012 at 4:33pm

"Like Richard, if I'm wearing a hat in a foreign country, I make damn sure to take it off for the national anthem. It's a sign of respect as a guest in their land."

I would at home as well if there was a issue of solemnity, November 11 for example.

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Permalink Reply by Pat on April 4, 2012 at 6:41pm

I should have added I do it here at home also. Not only out of respect for my country, but also those men and women of the US Armed Forces I served with. And, for everyone who has ever put their life on the line, and died, for human freedom - Civil Rights Workers, Union Members, people who fight for gender equality, and others whom I have humbly failed to mention.

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on April 4, 2012 at 6:55pm

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Permalink Reply by dr kellie on April 4, 2012 at 2:57pm

If you walk into the Memorial Student Center here at Texas A&M with a hat on, you will be asked to take it off and or have it taken off for you and maybe worse. I find it silly. But I am pretty hard to offend, especially when it comes to symbols and things that are customary. Well, that and when I was in college, the only reason I would be sporting a cap was because I was taking 21 hours and I didn't have time to mess with my hair. I ain't taking it off, dude.