Wunderlich

Everywhere you look you can see them, some are so small you can barely discern them from the fabric of your clothing, they lurk around every corner and in every crowd.

No, I am not talking about the newest strain of bird flu, or even an imminent terrorist attack, what I am describing is a weapon far more subtle and not nearly as deadly.

Logos, every piece of clothing you purchase has one these days, from jacket to underwear. Look down at your clothes, go ahead, they wont hurt you, do you see the classic checkmark of Nike? Or perhaps the stylish omega of Lululemon? From ancient Greek to a simple checkmark, these well known symbols adorn our clothing, our cars, and even our toothbrushes.

But why would anyone bother to put some checkmark or color on your shirt? Because it pays. Major corporations make billions of dollars a year off of merchandise such as clothing, and spend millions every year to make sure they make even more then next year.

Now, we all know that companies must advertise to sell a product, and they must try to make some revenue on the product in the process, its a simple factor of consumerism. Most adults know that a brand name may mean quality or a certain style, and some brands are supposedly better than others in an unofficial hierarchy.

The question is however, how do the younger generations, such as high school students, perceive these logos? Are youth these days willing to spend that outrageous 35$ for a simple t-shirt, or 70$ for a pair of shorts? Many would disagree, but if clothing companies such as Quiksilver and Nike spend millions per year on advertising targeting youth, then there must be some payoff. So if high school students are spending outrageous amounts of money on clothing just for a little logo, first of all, why? And second, where is all this money coming from?

I saw a couple buddies starting to wear them, they were something new that I noticed was becoming a lot more popular, so I decided to give them a try, says Thomas, a local highschool student. People definitely notice a unique hoodie or t-shirt compared to sweat pants and a plain t-shirt,

It seems corporations have found the best advertising front available, its free, it will last for as long as the brand stays in popularity, and it walks around, proudly showing off the miniature advertisements pasted on shirts, shoes, and pants. When do students become walking billboards? Some as early as grade 5, and if you think that a 10 year old is working double shifts at the local gas station to pay for his or hers 35$ shirt, think again. So are parents actually the true target of this assault of trendy merchandise? Perhaps a 500$ wardrobe is standard with pencils and a notebook these days.

My parents pay for some stuff mainly pants and shirts, but hoodies, hats and extra stuff I like, I have to pay for, says Thomas.

Are students working weekends and after school simply to wear their meagre salaries on their backs? Maybe so, but why not save the money and buy a car? Or maybe that new of dirt bike? Because you have to, especially in the fearful conformity of high school, if everyone is wearing white, you wouldnt want to be one of the black sheep.

Maybe there is no stopping it, it was bellbottoms then, its zip up sweatshirts now, maybe in the next few years it will be fluorescent jumpsuits or bellbottoms once again. I guess this is the price we pay for our ever so comfortable lifestyle, you basically buy your popularity these days, at 35$ a shirt. Will people stop wearing brand names? Probably not, school uniforms could be an alternative, although with everyone wearing the same brands, we basically are in school uniforms. So the next time you turn over that price tag and gasp, maybe take another look at exactly what you are buying, and instead of throwing the money down the drain, save up and buy that car (cars are also another issue, but lets not get into that.) youve always wanted, heck, you could even treat yourself to a nice meal. If we all take that advice than maybe there is a cure for this cancer of consumerism, we have the antidote to this poison, but nobody has realised that yet, not even me.

Now you must excuse me, I think I need a new pair of shoes...

Shay Pomeroy is a writer for a Canadian newspaper in Lake Country, British Columbia. He intends to pursue a career in journalism/communications.
NOTE: Submitted articles have been edited for personal content(Names, Places, ect.)