gone to fare??

[kohala]

Originally posted by allanimalswelcome
Want to hear a stupid rule we have?

No gang colors.

What the hell is a gang color? They won't even tell us when we ask!

~Rachel

For example: Kids have been killed for wearing a bandana that was the color of a rival gang without even knowing they were.
Generally, kids who live in heavy gang areas are better off with a limited dress code, it can actually save your life. Imagine getting shot by a drive by because you happened to wear an "enemy" style or color. It happens. But it does seem a little ridiculous to tell you not to wear "gang colors" without telling you what colors they have identified as being gang colors!! As is often the case, they probably don't know, just know about scenarios like what I just told you about. Between LA and San Diego, there are a lot of gangs, and they aren't run by kids, either.

About "style":
Kids who come from more priviledged areas sometimes buy styles to show their stature either as a style slut or as a rebel who really isn't at all influenced by all the affluence around them. You might be surprised to find out where so many marketed styles originate. We used to tie dye or batik our jeans, and when they got holes we'd sew embroidered patches all over them. It was interesting to see how long you could maintain one pair of jeans. And yes, we did wash them. Contrary to what our elders used to say. Needless to say, before long the styles were available in all the retail stores, at an outrageous (at the time) price. It really pissed off people whose whole objective was to resist the economic rape of the American people. The idea that you could make beautiful things from your old things was buried under clever marketing and people lined up to spend money they didn't have to buy clothes that would fall apart in no time. Planned obsolescence isn't just for cars. And we perpetuate it with a pseudo-concept called "latest style". I know you all have seen it: selling jeans that are "pre-torn", those stupid looking things with the faded stripes that you could do with your own butt, if you wanted to, etc. etc. You've seen it, too. Hey, keep all your stuff, it'll come back around - I had some hip-huggers that would rock your world, some faded and torn jeans that were exceptionally good looking, and platforms to die for - in the 70s! HA
Do you know where the "jeans hanging off your butt" originated? Or the chains hanging off stuff? It's interesting how many styles evolve out of criminal and jailhouse origins. Being "bad" isn't all it's cracked up to be. Ask some lifer sometime how much fun she's getting out of life


I do think it's sad to have a society so screwed up you can't express your individuality, but I also agree that school is supposed to be about getting educated. . Although you do get a lot of your social education in school by default, ideally people have social events outside school that fill that part of your education. What will surprise you the most later in life is how very much like school the work world is, in terms of subcultures, games, friendships and enmities, etc. And that applies to both blue collar and white collar occupations! I know, I've been in both.