Just Save It, Don’t Do It By Mel

My daughter’s birthday is approaching and the first thing she said to me, “Daddy, I either want a pair of LeBron’s or Jordan’s.”  Payless shoes do not exist anymore because what she is told by her classmates and the media is that her popularity rating meter in her school drops down if she is not a part of the latest fashion trend.  My daughter Ayanna is very talented and her goal is to be a musician.  I believe a better investment would be a keyboard or some sort of musical instrument to enhance her musical skills.  I explained that her uniqueness is what makes her very special and to always focus on what she is doing; to be the best version of herself.  I also explained to her that her content of character, talent and education will get her very far in life, not a pair of over the top expensive sneakers.  You will be amazed that the ones who do not floss their name brand external wear are the very ones who have plenty of money.  Not only children but we as adults fall into this trap I call “Materialistic Mind Thinking.”  Instead of bargain shopping or saving our money for more important future endeavors we are becoming consumers based on advertising.  Little do people know while some of us glorify our popularity rating meter by spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of sneakers a worker at the Sukabumi plant which is located in Indonesia is suffering physical abuse and verbal abuse.  An article by Daily Mail reported, “The 10,000 mostly female workers at the Taiwanese-operated Pou Chen plant make around 50 cents an hour.  Indonesia is Nike’s third-largest manufacturing base, after China and Vietnam, with 140,000 workers at 14 contract factories.”  You are viewing slavery in a different form and it is pretty sad we support countries with little to no labor laws and below poverty wages.  The seed for thirst attraction is planted within our subconscious which comes from advertisers that pinpoints what you want into what you need.  I know some parents will invest their hard earn money into a pair of sneakers for $250 instead of investing into their child’s future like a college fund.  Or a fresh new pair of Jordan’s they feel will put their child into a position of popularity in school but underneath it ALL it would put their entire family in debt.  But you have the ability to change your mindset to invest in more important aspects in your life.  Just follow Nike’s slogan and “Just do it.”