It's always a joy interacting with the brave generation of World War 2. I recently met an old English gentleman who was a teenager during the war, and the conversation was riveting.  We talked at length about movie stalwarts such as Bogart and Muni and also the masterful pictures of the golden era.

I then asked him about his thoughts on the times we live in. 

"If I refrain from talking about it because I despise sounding like a bitter old man whining about the 'good old days," he said, smiling.

I encouraged him to be brutal in his assessment.

"If you insist," he replied as if to warn me.

I raised my glass to that.

"We are a civilization in decline. That’s the unvarnished obvious truth," he said in dismay.

I urged him to expound on when the specific instances occurred that led him to develop that impression.

"As superficial as this may sound, the decline occurred when personal appearance standards devolved," he said, noticing that I was surprised by the answer.

"When I was a child or a teen or when I attended university or began to work, a great deal of importance was placed on appearance," he said.

"It wasn't about being handsome but instead about presentation. As an adult, I shaved every morning, even on Sunday. The only time I didn’t shave was when I was unwell. This was the societal norm. Shaving was as essential as brushing your teeth. It was a way to respect yourself and ensure others respected you," he said.

"My hair was always combed, and neatly trimmed. I visited the barber once in three weeks to ensure that," he said.

"We always wore suits to the office. The men wore black, brown, and grey suits and white colored shirts. The bright colors were left for the ladies," he added.

"We wore suits to restaurants or the cinemas or parties or during our travels. We only took off our jackets in emergency situations," said he, smiling.

The emergency, he joked, was a fistfight or fixing an automobile when it broke down abruptly.

"I looked like a gentleman, felt like one, which caused me to speak like one. Hence I was treated like one by everyone. Even the alcoholics and the gamblers wore suits back then. It was the bare minimum," he added, laughing.

"This is similar to the uniform worn by armed forces and law enforcement.  It ensures a certain level of discipline and uniformity. There was no slouching or swearing or being causal in a suit."

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There were other norms, too, that he spoke about.

“During my generation, people married in their twenties, which meant we learned to live responsibly and take care of our families. As parents, we conducted ourselves in a manner that made us role models for our children. We loved our children but there was never any doubt about who the decision-makers were. Our children were allowed to dissent without being insolent,” he added.

“Divorces were rare; couples tried to resolve their differences,” he further noted.

"Our bosses at work had fought the war. We had lost friends and relatives. We realized how close we came to losing our freedoms,” he said.

I asked him about his personal memories of the war.

“My school was reduced to rubble when the Nazis bombed London. I recall we were forced to hide in the basement following those shudder-inducing sirens. But it caused us all to unite.  We had no time to be angry or envious when our very existence was in peril,” he said, sounding solemn.

“After the war, despite hardships, there was a spirit of nationalism and camaraderie. The words ‘made in Great Britain' meant a lot to us and we strove to deliver a quality product.“ 

I asked him when he noticed the decline.

“Following the emergence of the hippie culture that spread like wildfire and caused anarchy. Men sported long hair, long beards, and wore flowery shirts. Once that norm was shattered, the rest followed. It may sound ridiculous, but I really believe that once you abandon norms about appearance, the rest collapses very soon."

“It was about seeking pleasures and not accepting responsibility. There was sexual experimentation, babies out of wedlock, unfettered abortion, the ‘pill’, and the widespread use of recreational drugs. It was about self-love above society. They didn't realize that discipline is real self-love, denying yourself short term joys for your greater good."

 “They used anti-war protests to behave in the most unspeakable manner.

“We thought of them as animals because of their lack of adherence to civilizational standards. We used to warn our children if they didn’t apply themselves, they would end up like hippies. People ridiculed them. We rarely saw them; they were usually getting high in their ‘communes’. 

"During the late 70s, their culture began seeping into the mainstream. I noticed people letting themselves go appearance-wise. They still dressed up for office. But in other public places, they wore creased and untucked shirts, stubbles, and long unkempt hair.

“By the 80s, this slovenliness became mainstream, and by the 90s, all was lost. I noticed grownups with fat hanging all over their bodies dressed in shorts and vests. It was ghastly. They slouched at airports, cinemas, and restaurants.

"Our social graces are devolving. I remember shop assistants who once addressed customers as sir and madame, began to appear insolent and perpetually with their phones on.

“The vocabulary is shrinking; I barely understand the language of younger people. The word ‘like’ is splattered all over. They no longer speak clearly but mumble.

“We had ‘casual Fridays’ in offices during the 90s. As we entered the new millennium, the office space was hijacked by these loons. My grandson wore flip-flops, t-shirts with slogans, and Bermuda shorts to the office. His hair is messy, and he is usually unshaven. They have funny bubble or beanbag chairs. They slouch as they work and during meetings. We had a strict reporting time now they have flexible hours.

"The traditional family is looked at with disdain. I see norms even in traditional families break down; the children have become brats and rude to their parents. Parents try to placate their kids. When these kids become teens, they devolve into sanctimonious tyrants.

“We have had a great swap in our attitude. The hippy-like culture that we once ridiculed is now the mainstream, while those who are well-groomed are perceived as anachronistic.

“Trust me, when norms of appearance,  i.e. dressing up and being well groomed, began to dissipate, the dam of anarchy was irrevocably unleashed. We have a Prime Minister like Boris Johnson who looked like he just woke up with his hair ruffled and creased suit. He spoke in a casual fashion. In the end, the carelessness resulted in his downfall. There will come a time when all world leaders will begin to dress 'casually' to be relatable, he warned.

“You may think I’m focusing on superficial. But I have developed this theory after living on this planet for nine decades."

We then proceeded to discuss how Shakespeare's Richard III provided the template for all gangster pictures.