2008 Woodie Awards
Trendsetters Anonymous
By: Carrie Parker
Issue date: 1/31/07 Section: Opinion
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Carrie Parker
Staff writer
I do a lot of random blog skipping all over MySpace. I visit a great deal of profiles of people I do not know and will probably never meet, but I enjoy seeing different profiles and reading random blogs just to see what our generation has to say.
What bothers me the most is when I read blogs in which kids are bashing certain "trends." One of the most common teenage rants that occur over and over is aimed towards kids that call themselves straightedge. I've seen blog after blog saying how stupid straightedge kids are for "labeling themselves" and giving into what "the popular, 'scene' thing is to do."
Why would someone be so offended by what someone else calls them? What they choose to label themselves is not attacking anyone else's personal beliefs, opinions or lifestyle. They are just doing what they want to do. And sure, of course some people label themselves simply because they want to fit in with certain crowds, but many just use this as a way to describe them and advertise their beliefs. It's not necessarily their complete identity, but it does give them a way to let other people know one thing out of many that makes up who they are.
More importantly is the issue of people bashing. I really can't bear to hear people bashing trends. It makes it even worse when they go on and on about how they are so unique and original. They obviously must not realize that everything they are following just as many trends. Wearing eyeliner, dyeing hair or wearing tights under skirts does not give anyone originality or uniqueness at all. It's all been done before. Every single thing they are wearing is mass-produced and worn by hundreds of other kids who look exactly like them.
And the kids who make fun of studded belts, tight band t-shirts and emo haircuts? Their closets are typically full of Abercrombie, Express or some other far-too-expensive brand. Maybe kids like this do not realize that these over-commercialized brands make about 20 shirts a season and make hundreds and hundreds exactly like them. The shirt they're wearing is more than likely on about half of the teenage population as well. Who knew that duplicating could be so original?
Staff writer
I do a lot of random blog skipping all over MySpace. I visit a great deal of profiles of people I do not know and will probably never meet, but I enjoy seeing different profiles and reading random blogs just to see what our generation has to say.
What bothers me the most is when I read blogs in which kids are bashing certain "trends." One of the most common teenage rants that occur over and over is aimed towards kids that call themselves straightedge. I've seen blog after blog saying how stupid straightedge kids are for "labeling themselves" and giving into what "the popular, 'scene' thing is to do."
Why would someone be so offended by what someone else calls them? What they choose to label themselves is not attacking anyone else's personal beliefs, opinions or lifestyle. They are just doing what they want to do. And sure, of course some people label themselves simply because they want to fit in with certain crowds, but many just use this as a way to describe them and advertise their beliefs. It's not necessarily their complete identity, but it does give them a way to let other people know one thing out of many that makes up who they are.
More importantly is the issue of people bashing. I really can't bear to hear people bashing trends. It makes it even worse when they go on and on about how they are so unique and original. They obviously must not realize that everything they are following just as many trends. Wearing eyeliner, dyeing hair or wearing tights under skirts does not give anyone originality or uniqueness at all. It's all been done before. Every single thing they are wearing is mass-produced and worn by hundreds of other kids who look exactly like them.
And the kids who make fun of studded belts, tight band t-shirts and emo haircuts? Their closets are typically full of Abercrombie, Express or some other far-too-expensive brand. Maybe kids like this do not realize that these over-commercialized brands make about 20 shirts a season and make hundreds and hundreds exactly like them. The shirt they're wearing is more than likely on about half of the teenage population as well. Who knew that duplicating could be so original?
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