The Sneaker Cult (an economist's view)

Slate.com via National Post ^ | Thursday, January 31, 2008 | Ray Fisman

[According2RecentPollsAirIsGood]

I see what Cosby talks about every day. Thug types, mostly black, wearing expensive, ridiculously baggy clothes, driving luxury SUVs back to run down shells of house, and walking around with a look on their faces that says "you owe me." However, society has been so brainwashed into believing in this false spectre of continued racism, that if you express disapproval with the way said person conducts themselves, then you're branded as hating blacks, not fools. The sad thing about the black community in general (as it's been sold to the world by its leaders and celebrities) is that it most of its members now actually define themselves be their skin color. This fatalistic culture Cosby talks about is actually willingly linked to skin color by many blacks themselves. Thus, to criticize the "Black community" about some flawed aspect of it actually isn't inherently racist at all. Sad. It's obvious people don't listen to anything in Martin Luther King's speech after the words "I have a dream..."

As a side note, George Washington Carver is one of my favorite historical figures ever. He was a great and impactful scientist, yet a more humble and wise person you would be hard pressed to find. Reading quotes from him is an uplifting, inspiring experience. My favorite which is not listed in the links is:

"No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it."

[trisham]

Interesting article.

[50sDad]

And of course, my ham-like fingers meant to type, “Rosa Parks.”

[Dianna]

--wearing logo clothing they think to be prestigious, like Polo or Ralph Lauren, because they think this is the stuff upper-class people wear
--working hard to maintain a flawless lawn and conform to neighborhood ideas about what's attractive
--living in a community with a community association
--having a job with a demanding corporation
--(at present, not in '82) filling your vinyl-sided suburban house with granite countertops, shiny pre-finished hardwood flooring, reproduction antique furniture, reproduction art, large color photos of the family hanging on the walls, store-bought silver flatware and dishes, and new "oriental" rugs
--giving your kids names you think are upper-class but aren't, like Madison and Preston
--running, biking, or going to the gym to lose weight (the lower class don't care if they're fat and the upper class are already skinny)
--believing passionately that if you just try hard enough and go to the right schools you can achieve the American dream complete with a three-car garage

That is hysterical! Apparently, I'm falling way behind on my signaling. I figured the various Playstation/X-Box/DVR stuff would do me in. But who doesn't have store bought dishes and flatware? Where else would one get them?

[cinives]

You buy one-of-a-kind, commissioned stuff. Think custom furniture, genuinely old antiques, custom-designed silverware etc etc.

[STONEWALLS]

....a while back our local news showed surveilance footage of a black perp robbing a bank....he was wearing a baseball hat covered with Gucci logos!...another video showed a robber wearing a Malcom X hat....another in a Tommy Hilfinger hoodie...

.....and speaking of bling....after Vanderbilt upset Tennessee in a recent basketball game some of the black Vandy players talked to the press....they stated they were highly motivated by Tennessee’s “disrespect of them” prior to the tip off....it seems that Tennessee players had worn their gold earrings during-warm ups....apparently that constitutes an insult in some “cultures”

[9YearLurker]

I agree, ottbmare, Fussell’s book is a classic and a hoot.

Another point he makes may pertain here as well, and that is how the upper class differentiate themselves from those just below by not signaling with expensive consumption that arrivistes can now afford.

Because the truly wealthy can afford to dress down and otherwise eschew conspicuous consumption without losing status—whereas those just below can’t. A byproduct of this game is that less wealthy whites (in keeping with the theme of this article) exposed to such subtleties are psychically freed from only having conspicuous spenders to imitate—or to validate—their lifestyles.

Another amusing point Fussell, made as I recall, was the similarity in how the very top ‘out of sight’ and the very lowest (homeless and near homeless) had much in common, including being the only strata to be freed from otherwise needing to impress the vast, Middle American, appearance-focused culture. (E.g., with Ivy League degrees, consuming expensive food and liquor, clothing, etc.)

[SoftballMominVA]

Where else would one get them?

One would inherit them, especially the silver. My first set was given to me by my grandmother and I was VERY lucky that my SIL's did not want my MIL's silver, so I own two sets - one for each of my daughter's

[EdReform]

BTTT

[tom paine 2]

I make a habit of never going to places where I could see something like that. I only get as close to seeing those tats when I watch NCAA basketball.

[Dianna]

You buy one-of-a-kind, commissioned stuff. Think custom furniture, genuinely old antiques, custom-designed silverware etc etc.

I think my husband is very glad I don't care much about any of this!

[mkjessup]

Wouldn’t dream of it - you’re “keepin’ it real”.

True dat.

[Dianna]

One would inherit them, especially the silver. My first set was given to me by my grandmother and I was VERY lucky that my SIL's did not want my MIL's silver, so I own two sets - one for each of my daughter's

Yeah, my relatives don't tend to leave much behind. I do hear tales of some montrous collection of bells though. That probably won't help me out much. I'm such a rube! LOL!

[stevio]

Hmmmm. Stock tip?

[cinives]

Yep. A spoon is a spoon is a spoon....

[JZelle]

“Hmmmm. Stock tip?”

It probably shot up the moment they started talking about it.

[Eepsy]

http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/010/livingroomscale.html
I’m at 141. Books played a laege part in keeping me from prole-dom :-)

[rmh47]

--running, biking, or going to the gym to lose weight (the lower class don't care if they're fat and the upper class are already skinny)

It is interesting, I think, to compare the past ideals for beauty to modern standards. In centuries past beautiful women were "chunky," to put it nicely, and very pale, if we are to judge by the art of those times. There is even a term for that look: Rubenesque. Today, to be beautiful by contemporary standards, a woman must be lean, fit, and tan.

Why the change? I believe that class standards can explain that. In past times, lower class women had to work, usually outside doing hard manual labor, to help feed and provide for the family. Even then, food was scarce. Thus they were tanned and thin. Upper class women could afford to be indulged with a life of leisure, with no need to work or go outside, and being "well nourished" was a mark of wealth.

Today, even the poor in this country have an abundance of food, and if they work, it is most likely inside doing work that is not physically demanding. What they may lack, however, is spare time. Thus they are fat and pale. Wealthy women, however, have both the money and leisure time to go to the gym and work out, afford personal trainers, go to the tanning salon or take Carribean vacations in the winter. Thus, being lean fit and tan is a sign of wealth in modern society.

P.S. - I have not read Fussell's book, but it sounds interesting. I will put it on my "to read" list. Thanks for the heads up.

[calex59]

Cosby's critics may be right -- only when black incomes catch up to white incomes will the apparent black-white gap in spending on visible goods disappear.

BS, if they would invest in their children's futures their incomes would start to catch up. You can make money, in most cases, if you are uneducated and refuse to listen to reason and blame all your troubles on whitey. Playing the blame game is a losing proposition. Bill Cosby has it right and it is too bad there are not more black leaders of his caliber instead of the likes of Jessie and Al.

[calex59]

You can make money, in most cases, if you are uneducated and refuse to listen to reason and blame all your troubles on whitey.

The above sentence in post #59 should read "You CAN'T make money if you are uneducated and refuse to listen to reason and blame all your troubles on whitey.