Actually, the mistake is to consider it as a matter of rights, which are, in fact, subordinate to duties. In other words, norms are primarily standards of behavior each of us are expected to fulfill, either generally or in a particular circumstance. We "internalize" standards as children, and revise them through education, experience, and reflection subsequently. These standards reflect what kind of people society is trying to create, as Aristotle observed, and may vary with types of society. There are common, "stake in society" features, and, in addition, we may compare societies in fulfilling human needs and aspirations, to prefer some to others. It is not all relative, but there are certainly historical limitations, so that it is not idle to note that the Founders were limited by their era in accepting slavery, while transcending their era in contemplating the basis of liberal democracy.
In any case, we adjure people to dress properly as a matter of hygiene, and because the public sphere ought to be desexualized, to a great extent, so that people can relate to one another in other ways, according to their roles in that sphere. In other words, it is one's duty to act in a socially responsible manner, and one manifestation of that is to behave with decorum. |
