I've read Oliver Twist half a century ago. Time to give it another read – thanks for the tip.
I think you can certainly be taken seriously – even today, there’s definitely still something to be said for Dickens’ philosophy.
In my case, people are still baffled that I swapped my coat for a cheap shepherd’s waistcoat (even though that was five years ago). Even more confusing is that I still wear the mayor’s jacket underneath… 😂