We had a discussion in class a few weeks ago about consumerism, or buying things. Why do people wear what they wear and what does that mean to them and their ability to belong to certain groups of friends?
The song Wings really spoke to this issue when my son Nick showed me the video yesterday. I can't believe it came out three years ago and I'd never heard it before.
Wings by Macklemore
[Verse 1]
I was seven years old
When I got my first pair
And I stepped outside
And I was like, Momma
This air bubble right here
It’s gonna make me fly
I hit that court
And when I jumped, I jumped
I swear I got so high
I touched the net, Mom I touched the net
This is the best day of my life
Air Maxes were next
That air bubble, that mesh
The box, the smell, the stuffing, the tread
In school
I was so cool
I knew that I couldn’t crease em
My friends couldn’t afford em
Four stripes on their Adidas
On the court I wasn’t the best
But my kicks were like the pros
Yo, I stick out my tongue so everyone could see that logo
Nike Air Flight, book bag was so dope
And then my friend Carlos’ brother got murdered for his fours, whoa
See he just wanted a jump shot
But they wanted his Starter coat, though
Didn’t wanna get caught
From Genesee Park to Othello
You'd get clowned for those Pro Wings, with the velcro
Those were not tight
I was trying to fly without leaving the ground
Cause I wanted to be like Mike, right
Wanted to be him
I wanted to be that guy
I wanted to touch the rim
I wanted to be cool
And I wanted to fit in
I wanted what he had, America, it begins
[Hook]
I want to fly
Can you take me far away
Give me a star to reach for
Tell me what it takes
And I’ll go so high
I’ll go so high
My feet won’t touch the ground
Just stitch my wings
And pull the strings
I bought these dreams
That all fall down
[Verse 2]
We want what we can’t have
Commodity makes us want it
So expensive, dang
I just got to flaunt it
Got to show em
So exclusive, this that new stuff
A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes
I would never hoop in
Look at me, look at me
I’m a cool kid
I’m an individual, yeah
But I’m part of a movement
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it
They told me to just do it
I listened to what that swoosh said
Look at what that swoosh did
See it consumed my thoughts
"Are you stupid?
Don’t crease 'em! Just leave 'em in that box!"
Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk
That’s my air bubble and I’m lost, if it pops
We are what we wear
We wear what we are
But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all
Will I stand for change
Or stay in my box
These Nikes help me define me
But I’m trying to take mine
Off
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
They started out
With what I wear to school
That first day
Like these are what make you cool
And this pair, this would be my parachute
So much more than just a pair of shoes
Nah, this is what I am
What I wore, this is the source of my youth
This dream that they sold to you
For a hundred dollars and some change
Consumption is in the veins
And now I see it’s just another pair of shoes
I was seven years old
When I got my first pair
And I stepped outside
And I was like, Momma
This air bubble right here
It’s gonna make me fly
I hit that court
And when I jumped, I jumped
I swear I got so high
I touched the net, Mom I touched the net
This is the best day of my life
Air Maxes were next
That air bubble, that mesh
The box, the smell, the stuffing, the tread
In school
I was so cool
I knew that I couldn’t crease em
My friends couldn’t afford em
Four stripes on their Adidas
On the court I wasn’t the best
But my kicks were like the pros
Yo, I stick out my tongue so everyone could see that logo
Nike Air Flight, book bag was so dope
And then my friend Carlos’ brother got murdered for his fours, whoa
See he just wanted a jump shot
But they wanted his Starter coat, though
Didn’t wanna get caught
From Genesee Park to Othello
You'd get clowned for those Pro Wings, with the velcro
Those were not tight
I was trying to fly without leaving the ground
Cause I wanted to be like Mike, right
Wanted to be him
I wanted to be that guy
I wanted to touch the rim
I wanted to be cool
And I wanted to fit in
I wanted what he had, America, it begins
[Hook]
I want to fly
Can you take me far away
Give me a star to reach for
Tell me what it takes
And I’ll go so high
I’ll go so high
My feet won’t touch the ground
Just stitch my wings
And pull the strings
I bought these dreams
That all fall down
[Verse 2]
We want what we can’t have
Commodity makes us want it
So expensive, dang
I just got to flaunt it
Got to show em
So exclusive, this that new stuff
A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes
I would never hoop in
Look at me, look at me
I’m a cool kid
I’m an individual, yeah
But I’m part of a movement
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it
They told me to just do it
I listened to what that swoosh said
Look at what that swoosh did
See it consumed my thoughts
"Are you stupid?
Don’t crease 'em! Just leave 'em in that box!"
Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk
That’s my air bubble and I’m lost, if it pops
We are what we wear
We wear what we are
But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all
Will I stand for change
Or stay in my box
These Nikes help me define me
But I’m trying to take mine
Off
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
They started out
With what I wear to school
That first day
Like these are what make you cool
And this pair, this would be my parachute
So much more than just a pair of shoes
Nah, this is what I am
What I wore, this is the source of my youth
This dream that they sold to you
For a hundred dollars and some change
Consumption is in the veins
And now I see it’s just another pair of shoes
Here's the Wikipedia page that explains more about the song.
What really makes you cool? Do you care about being cool? Why? Explain in at least three complete sentences in the comment section.
What makes you cool is sometimes what you wear and stuff but mostly about how you treat people and how they treat you. It depends on the person you ask if you want to know if it is important to be cool. If you ask me? Yes, because it shows that you are a responsible person
ReplyDeleteCory Gluckman
p
DeleteWhat really makes you cool is what you wear and stuff like that. Don't get me on the wrong page here. Cool to society is the popular guy and the guy who's has the most stuff. It also could be the best ball player. I don't care about that. It's just stupid.
ReplyDeleteAnia U made this comment.
ReplyDeleteI think personality defines 'cool', everybody is their own cool. I don't care about being cool because I know that I am perfect. To me other people's opinion doesn't matter, they shouldn't even being choosing friends on how 'cool' they are.
-Ania U
Anna one thing is wrong about that. Nobody is perfect. It is physically not possible to be perfect
DeleteWhat makes you cool is how you are and what you're friends are. I kinda care but not really. Because cool is not everything in life, you could be regular in middle school but cool in college.
ReplyDelete~daniel
DeleteThe thing that makes you cool is personality and who you are.
ReplyDeleteI do not care of being cool. It is not important
Being cool is having lots of friends and being "popular". I do not care about being "cool" because you will be putting down some one.
ReplyDeleteSomething that makes you cool is your ability to be kind to others. No, I don't care about being cool I just care that my friends like me for who I am. No, I don't but I don't want to be seen as a outcast.
ReplyDelete-Megan C.
I think my smarts of video games and smarts period. I really don't care about being "cool". Because dressing cool never will get you a job.
ReplyDeleteI honetely dont care what a wear but that video still inspired me because at the end he didnt care what kind of shoes he wears cause they all meant the samething to him from his idea thats cool i think
ReplyDeleteBrenden
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me cool is that im good at football.
Yes I care cause I will have no friends if im not.
It will be sad.
Brendan B
I think I am cool because I am good at hockey.
I do care because if I wasn't cool. I would not have a lot of friends and no one to play with.
Ethan Weiss,
ReplyDeleteWhat really makes you cool is being nice to people, even ones that arent your friends. I do and I dont care about being cool for different reasons. the reasoni would want to be cool is by having really nice friends and the reason i dont is the other reason of cool by having all the different kinds of expensive shoes, shirts and pants and all of those things.
Warren!
ReplyDeleteBeing a good person makes you cool. I does not matter to me if I'm cool. I doesn't matter to me because all that matters is to get a good education.
ReplyDeleteThe things I do the people I hangout with and if I rely on them to help. No, because I don't want to because I don't want people to care about what I wear or how I try to act. I just want people to like me as I am how I act and how i care for people.
ReplyDeleteRyan H.
ReplyDeleteI think what really makes you cool is being yourself and doing what YOU want to do. I think that is the real key but I don't think that it will change because many people still go with the idea with the right clothes get you cool. I do not really care about being cool because I just want to do what I want to do and I don't want the new hot brand because sometimes I even think that they are ugly. Sometimes I get sucked in and kind of want them for a while but I remind myself that it does not matter and that I should be myself.
To be honest what makes you cool is what you wear and how you look. Really it should be who you are, but it isn't. I don't really care about being 'cool', but everyone at at least one point in school feels bad about it. I don't feel a need to fit in but sometimes your friends might and it makes you feel different or worse.
ReplyDeleteThe thing thats makes you cool is what friends think or if you think your cool then your cool. I guess
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me cool is how I act. I don't care about being cool because it doesn't matter if your cool or not. And people can be your friend even if your not cool. And people should appreciate who you are not if you are cool.
ReplyDeleteBeing cool is being interesting which leads to popularity which is mistaken for being cool. I don't care about being cool because I only care about what I think about my self and not what others think.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think makes you cool is you act. I don't care if I'm cool becuase when you want to go to collage will it show up that you were cool. Also becuase I already have friends and I'm happy with the amount of friends I have.
ReplyDeleteShin Be
What really makes you cool is to be nice, friendly, etc. I care about cool in a different way that most people don't. I don't care if people wear cool looking shoes, clothes, etc. I care if people are being nice, friendly, etc. That is the only "cool" I care about.
ReplyDeleteWhat really makes you cool is to be nice and kind. I don't care about being cool because It is to much for me so i don't even care about cool things. Also because the people that are cool get in trouble the most because they try to show off. I don't think it is really important because I don't like to show off.
ReplyDeleteYour self,cuse it is not what you where that makes you cool it is how you treat others.
ReplyDeleteAmelia
What makes you cool is not what you wear it is what you treat people
ReplyDeleteI don't think that there really is something cool just what is popular that time. And I don't care if I'm cool or not because I don't care what other people think and other people should think that also.
ReplyDelete-Ian H
What makes you cool is you and what you wear and how you act. I really don't care about being cool ya like I want to be popular and all but what I care about is true friends and being cool can't stop that. I want to be popular but I think friends and grades could beat that everyday.
ReplyDeleteI think that you are cool if you are nice and funny and some other things.
ReplyDeleteI do care a little because if your not then you can be made fun of. I think that if your nice you will be cool and people will be nice to you.
From,
Joseph C
I don't care about being so cool, I just like to be who I am. It dosent mater cool or not. All that maters is that your happy.
ReplyDeleteA lot of things like cool clothes or cool stuff
ReplyDeleteSometimes i feel that i need to be cool.
I think the really make you cool is being yourself. Trying to be cool, I think it's just be yourself; trying to be someone that's not you is chaos and it will make you new friends and you will probably lose some friends. So I think it's better just just to think of yourself as cool, or don't think of yourself as cool. There's many opinions to it. Different opinions. I don't care about being cool because:
ReplyDelete1. I don't want to be cool.
2. I am NOT cool.
3. If I wanted to be that would be a problem because I don't want to change who I am.
4. I like who I am.
I think cool is who you are inside. Your friends are you're friends because they want to be your friends. They like you for who YOU are. Everyone's cool in their own little way. Own DIFFERENT way. A special way. Cool = Cool
Something that makes you cool is that you are different from other people a d you are yourself. Like trends are stupid, a d people think that you have to have the trend enable to be "cool". I do not care about being cool because that just means you hang out with people who follow trends and are something they are not.
ReplyDeleteWhat really makes you cool is how you act. I don't really care about being cool, because I am a unique individual. All I want to be is myself because I am unique.
ReplyDeleteWhat really makes you cool is how you act and what you do. I do care that I am cool or not because it is what people think of me. I want to walk down the hall and feel like people making fun of me. Being cool is just how you should feel good about your self.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes you cool might sometimes might be the clothes but mostly its the way you are on the inside and being happy, and smart. Honestly i dont care about being cool because i would be acting like someone im not i dont wanna be under the catagorie cool i wanna be under the catagorie "me"
ReplyDeleteI don't judge people by "cool" or "not cool" so, I don't really know what to write for that. I don't care about being "cool" because it is not in my opinion nice sometimes. Like some people mig not hang out with you just because you're not "cool" to them. Everyone can be there own cool.
ReplyDelete~ A r i a
Grace
ReplyDeleteWhat your personality is and what close you ware
Ya because if you Are cool you have friends and friend are good to have and you don't have to be cool if you don't want to but if you do that's fine
Stuff that makes you cool are the stuff that every body else wears. So like Timberlands doesn't make you cool. It's how you act and that determines how popular you are. If you wear Kobe's and you aren't popular it really doesn't make you popular. It's mostly your personality. I do care about popularity because it depends on your future. Even though popularity doesn't matter in your job and stuff it's still goes on until college. I do care about popularity.
ReplyDeleteSomething that makes you cool is Respecting other people and being kind. When you respect other people they will respect. You back. I don't care about being cool because it doesn't matter what you wear or look like.
ReplyDelete-Jordyn
That am diffent kind of I care because I'm in a wheelchair, and I want people to know being in a wheelchair is not really bad I want to have friends forever and I want them to remember me so yeah
ReplyDeleteI think that being cool means you have a lot of friends and you are popular. I do not think being cool means you have to be mean though. I think that it means you have a lot of friends because you are nice to people and your friends think you are cool.
ReplyDeleteWhat make you cool is what is on the inside not to out
ReplyDelete