(This is from Swizz beats’ shoe collection. These are for giving away.)
If someone can explain the shoe craze I’ll leave it alone. Why are we so infatuated with sneakers? On average an African (in America) person owns more shoes and video games than books. You only have two feet and one lifetime, why do we need so many shoes?
Although I personally do not believe in sin, for those who do, you do understand this is gluttony, right? For you to lust after a brand and/or shoe type is sinful too. For you to not want your shoe scuffed and get mad if they get stepped on is actually idolizing your shoe.
I think it’s idiotic. If we spent half the money we spend on BS on somethings that REALLY mattered (e.g. community, education, property, businesses) we’d be ok. But instead we purchase a whole lot of nothing! I remember when the SideKick was out, someone I saw had the #3 model, but HAD to have the LX because it was the new one. The old one worked perfectly. If I remember right, there wasn’t much difference at all between the old and the new. See, this person fell victim to advertising. I may have made mention to them, as I do in most cases, that it wasn’t worth it if their other one worked just fine. I think they laughed it off as if they knew it was silly, but immediately afterward said, “I still gotta get it, though.”
We need self discipline.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
@some point men became as stylistic as women in their affection for fashion. I think it has 2 do w/ Men being MIA in the home. – My Twitter Response
I didnt have space to add that this is just my unresearched opinion. But I think there is a link between alot of dudes not having strong male role models in their lives.
But not just men, women too. There is no genetic strand in a woman’s DNA that makes her lust shoes. NONE! This is what they’ve been taught to believe and have feel for it. The same way they’ve been taught without makeup and perms (African women) they’re unattractive.
I go back to my “box raised” theory:
If you were to keep a young black girl in a box from birth to young adulthood, never letting her have contact with the outside society, what would happen if you released her. There is no way to actually know the answer without doing it, but commonsense tells us that she wouldn’t get out of the box and want a perm and a closet full of shoes. This was taught behavior. These thoughts and actions can be unlearned with self discipline.
I dig it, thats why in our first exchange I spoke of culture. Culture plays a major role in these things because they are all rooted in consumption. It just seems that because black people have had a certain disadvantage for whatever reason (too much to type or try and process) our buffer or protective barrier from the culture is lower, so we are more open to being manipulated by culture. Education…the right kind of education is one way to build up that barrier.
—
It seems like you have a bit of an issue with the problems that black people suffer from…but I think that all people who are less informed suffer from this. If you are indeed black, you just are more keen to those issues in the black community but all communities suffer from it. We need to address the consumer mentality and give an alternative to it.
take into account that some of these sneakers were Probably given to swizz for free, as many comPanies do with artist. even if he Paid for every Pair, it looks like 112, @ an average Price of $80.00, it comes to about $9,000. also take into account he didn’t buy these all @ once. i don’t know the time sPan so i won’t attemPt to figure that in though. PeoPle w/ money to blow, are going to blow it on themselves. and alot of PeoPle w/ money who do give to charity, only do it because it generates more exPosure for them which in turn generates more money. PeoPle want to look good. Period. as times change, styles change, and unfortunately, we are ALL judgmental, and feel the need to not only belong, but to be adored. i’m sure if the tribe in africa that Paints their face to attract females, or the one’s that scar their bodies to be considered more of a man, or the ones that stretch their liPs and earlobes w/ Plates, or the ones that Put ring after ring of gold necklaces to stretch their necks to abnormal ProPortions, etc. etc. etc., would wear alot of colorful sneakers and shoes if they had access to ‘em. if it’s a race thing, it’s a HUMAN RACE thing. thats my story and i’m sticking to it.hahaha it is quite foolish though no matter how you slice it.
I feel you buttav, you make valid points. I think I recall saying to someone that if in Africa we spend more time on development than on beaded necklaces and head dress we might be a little further. Of course that was a joke… partially.
I also understand that when you have individuals that come from having nothing, when they get a little, before long it’s gone! That’s the problem with our entertainers and athletes. They are coming fresh out of High School and College into a position that is paying millions of dollars. Most of them were in a poverty stricken environment prior to success, so when that money comes they splurge! Cars on top of cars, shoes on top of shoes, TVs on top of TVs on top of other TVs. I’ve seen High priced cars with 8 TVs on in them with one person present, the driver. It’s ridiculous!
Very good points@buttav. So it seems that education about things that really matter come into play. If the goal is to build a strong community or nation or whatever….we need to focus on education and reeducation. And I dont think its a fair statement to assume that these ball players come from poverty stricken environments….those who do those things that you mention undoubtedly come from poverty stricken mindsets as it relates to money management.
In my opinion, we should try to assess the problem accurately instead of painting the most dire scenario to make our point @ Ewbar.
I see the ancestrial linkage because studying ourStory I have seen some flashy folks back in Africa, with the braided hair and the excvessive gold we were some extreme dressing folks in the motherland. Now do I believe that our excess is related to celebrating our History….hecks to the nah. We are just gloriously bent on showing our worth by showcasing what we got. I’ve heard little kids brag about the cost of their shoes (knowing that their momma paid for them). Maybe if we taught our children why they seek to be so fashionable maybe it would awaken the KINGS and QUEENS inside of them.
I’ve liked to believe that I have an outfit for every occasion, which is really nice in theory… but, in reality, it’s mostly just a looooot of stuff, most of which I haven’t had much use for.
okay, don’t shoot me. I think it is because we have nothing else to brag about. The hood mentality promotes lots of shoes (jordans) stacked from the floor to the celing of a low income apartment. The hood mentality promotes 4 star cars with rims and DVD players parked at your grandma’s house.
Priorities got scrambled when it became cool to fake it because you couldn’t make it. Somehow it became cool to have a lot of cheap possessions, because you have no discipline to save up for the important, expensive things.
I was raised differently. We definitely had the means, but you couldnt tell if you seen me in public. I dressed regularly, no jordans, no name brands…none of it. But we vacationed twice a year and got nice cars on our 16th birthdays. The children of the poorer families, though? Oh they were laced! Decked out in Sean John, dripping in herringbone & standing pretty in some Air Jordans. They looked at my sister & I as some bummy failures until we rolled up @ school in our cars, while they were walking in their $200 tennis shoes.
To this day people ask why I dont show my wealth or have some lavish shoe collection (I usually wear my rainbow flipflops every day). I’d rather use my $ for school & food. If i choose to have kids, i’ll raise them the same way. They’ll thank me on their 16th birthday, and when they balance thier first bank account.