$350 worth of North Face Gear?
Today I was a little taken back when I first saw the other hikers in our group; it was like a moving North Face catalog. The hike was sponsored and organized by the local "North Face" store (an outdoor clothing/ gear brand, for those of you who didn't get the memo). Consequentially, all of the 33 other hikers (minus Aki and I) were topped-off in (what HAD to be) at least $350 worth of North Face gear.
North Face hiking boots, North Face spandex leggings, North Face gortex shorts and pants, North Face t-shirts, North Face gloves, North Face hats, North Face backpacks, North Face walking sticks, North Face TATTOO'S, North Face SHRINES, North Face YOUR-MOM!!! Ok, so the last three were a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point.
Needless to say, I was an obvious deviant from the group since I was wearing chacko's (hiking sandals), khaki shorts, and an old x-country t-shirt. Heaven forbid I wear hiking clothing when hiking...
But why am I so peeved? The ENTIRE TIME people kept commenting on my shoes, "asi o daijoubu des ka?" or "Are your feet OK?" No less than 20 times the whole day. It was the only thing people would talk to me about. It was both a joke (I now understand enough Japanese to know what people are saying about me when they think I'm not listening) and a way to patronize the gaijin (I don't speak enough Japanese to tell them they are being ass holes).
I know how to camp. Camping is in my blood (inherited from my paternal side). Back in real life, I work and live at a summer work three months of the year... Don't tell me my sandals aren’t good enough for your little six hour trot through the woods.
I joined the hiking group to meet new people and enjoy nature, and instead I was completely ostracized for not being materialistic and name-brand-trendy.
And how does this all relate back to Japanese culture?
Conformity.
(and "keepin that cho-wa" as Pete tells me.)
If everyone looks the same and adheres to all of the same social codes at exactly the same time - nothing can ever, ever go wrong, right? Well, not if you are a damn stubborn and independent Yankee who is happy in her own not-name-brand hiking clothing.
The power of group-think overran the group and the whole time Aki and I kept to ourselves (she was ostracized for wearing jeans - see the picture below) and we laughed about how ridiculous these people looked walking along temperate well-blazed trails in gear made for surviving a month in Siberia. I am so lucky; Aki loves me, and my perfectly good hiking sandal-ways.
posted by Mo @ 7:06 AM
4 Comments:
Yeah! Screw conformity!
Your blog is funny, keep up the posting.
And you have cute toes (in a completely not creepy way)
Nice point about conformity.
Then again, I've got to say I like North Face stuff.
Since I live in Siberia.
But I can't afford it either.
I think it is a Japanese expression that states, "The nail that sticks up, gets pounded down." This kind of thought makes non-conformity less than attractive, and makes anyone who doesn't conform feel insecure. But conforming to society, and being a sheep following every trend are not quite the same thing. Their insistent questioning and talking about you behind your back may have been: an attempt to understand your nonconformity, or just a way of reinforcing amongst themselves the correctness of their conformity. Either way you rocked the boat without harming anyone, which is okay. Oh yeah, cute toes, especially the toe ring. I remember tickling them when they were little.
BTW It was good to hear your voice. I called back, but you were gone.
Conformity is overrated!! If you conform your whole life then you will never know what it is like to be truely free. This attitude makes me feel sad for the Japaenese people. They need to break out and be a little individual.
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