We use codes all the time: Right now your computer is reading and decoding machine code. And you probably use codes, when you're texting on the phone or the internet, that is using a code. Understanding that a toddler who says ‘Wink’ is actually asking for a drink of milk - that is decoding of a sort. We even have dress codes, and the way we dress can tell someone who can read the language a lot. Here in multi-cultural Britain we can often tell someone’s religion , place of origin or sporting affiliations by the way they dress – from a a football fan’s tee shirt, to whether a Muslim woman is covered from head to foot, or the brightly dyed cloths of African nationals. In fact, if we see someone these days dressed in a suit and tie, he is likely to be going to a wedding, going to a funeral, or going to try to convert you to his religion, unless he is on business that is. And believe it or not some church minister’s even wear jeans these days - and not just the young ones. Dress codes can mean inclusion, whether it is a school uniform or wearing a chef’s tall hat in a professional kitchen. I heard on the radio today about a gang in London who wear just one glove as a sign of membership.
