My paper will be about what we can learn about materialism through our shoe consumption.
english 298 – shoes first draft
english 298 – stage 1 mini essay
Yellow highlighted sections are for materialism, and the green highlighted sections are for self-expression and cultural significance. I think there are some similarities between the two subjects.
I examined papers, diagrams, and patents from the Homer J. Dana shoe computer file last Friday. They were interesting, in a mechanical way, and I was very impressed by how complete the files were. They were not, however, what I was looking for really. Nevertheless, here are some examples that I photographed in the hope that they might prove useful later:
The parts that I found to be the most useful was the ’60s shoe ads, for the purpose of analysis of cost, material, and design:
Notice the mention of the “electronic shoe-size computers”.
Dana, Homer J. Drawings and specifications for shoe size computer 1960-1970, Correspondence with Mike Saad (co-inventor of shoe size computer) 1959-1962, and
Shoe size computer patent correspondence and information (U.S. patent 3173208 A). 1960-1964. The Homer J. Dana Papers, Box 3, Folders 20-21. WSU MASC Library. 27 Oct, 2017
As we all know, there’s lots of variety in shoes. We have athletic shoes, formal shoes, casual shoes, and various types of weather-appropriate or occupation-appropriate shoes. And like many other things we like a lot, sometimes we are willing to pay impressive amounts of money for them. Case in point:
https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/articles/10-of-the-most-stupidly-expensive-sneakers-ever/
I would just like to point out how depressed this article made me, in terms of the amount of money people are willing to spend on shoes – I sat here and considered how I might use this money for tuition and almost cried (not really.) But it does make a point about how shoes and consumerism are pretty well linked, and about how ridiculously willing people are to spend money on things like this, either because they are ridiculously attached to footwear or because they want to make a statement.
One last thing to note: Remember Macklemore’s song WINGS? Guess who teamed with Jordan to “create a shoe now commanding $25,000,” according to the site? (This has less to do with shoes and more to do with the pervading influence of consumerism, but I still find it impressively ironic.)
“10 of the most Stupidly Expensive Sneakers Ever.” Sneaker Freaker, 26 October, 2017, https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/articles/10-of-the-most-stupidly-expensive-sneakers-ever/
As much as it pains me to say it, I probably own more shoes than I really need. I have flip-flops for the summer, a couple pairs of winter boots for the cold, flimsier “riding” boots (in quotation because they are thoroughly unsafe to ride in) just because I like them, slip-on canvas shoes because they are quite comfortable, the flip-flops I wear specifically in the shower, and numerous pairs of Converse sneakers. I know I like my shoes too much. To me, they are as integral a part of what I’m wearing as any other article of clothing. Usually I wear Converse – they are my go-to because they’re comfortable, I like the way they look, and I like the classic and pop-culture aspects. Something to consider, though – they tend to cost around $60 to $70, which in all honesty is kind of a ridiculous price for footwear made of canvas and rubber. I’m not usually into brand loyalty, but for whatever ridiculous reason, I make an exception here. I find my shoes to be an example of self-expression, as cheesy as it is to write that out. Another pair of shoes worth mentioning is a pair of black boots with large thick heels – they make me considerably taller, and I like the style, but they’re also rather uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. And then, a final comparison – flip-flops are easy to get on and off, but offer no support and are thoroughly impractical when the weather’s not warm. One thing I have found from examining my own shoes in any comparison between shoes, there are trade-offs between style, comfort, and practicality.
I think this pretty much sums up what I think of when I think of materialism specific to shoes. I feel that much of the music video may be a little overdone, but the song itself is thought-provoking, if a little obvious. However, starting at 4:15 to 4:40, I do think that the video does a good job of showing how pervading an influence consumerism can be.
“Macklemore x Ryan Lewis ‘WINGS’ Official Music Video.” Youtube, uploaded by Zia Mohajerjasbi, 20 July 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAg3uMlNyHA
It sounds like a silly question, because at first glance shoes aren’t particularly significant in areas other than self-expression or different lines of work or activities. However, there’s a lot of social significance we can look at from shoes. I am examining this topic because I would like to know more about the historical aspect of shoes, and also the present and past social aspects of shoes. Specifically, why did we invent shoes? When did we develop different shoes for different activities? When did class differences show up in shoes (did it start with some people not having shoes while others did?) Do we as a culture consider shoes to be an integral part of our identity – if so, how integral is it? Do we really know what our shoes say about us? What do we assume based on the shoes someone is wearing? What do different pairs of shoes mean to us?
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The Significance of Shoes 