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The consumerist mindset in the 1900s led to the exploitation and manipulation of hundreds of people. The Nike brand in the 1900s was a trend for many young Americans, and they used this advantage for power. Mackelmore emphasizes this point and aims to show what these companies truly are. In "Wing$," this child undergoes an inner transformation from a manipulated kid with a pair of Nikes to an adult who realized that the shoes would not make him what he dreamed.
His use of metaphors and analogy shows the progression of his inner and exterior conflict. Macklemore's transformation from a kid to an adult dramatically shifted his emotional outlook on consumerism and its products. Throughout the song, his perception of the shoes changes dramatically.
"So much more than just a pair of shoes," symbolizes Mackelmore's confidence. He is stating that the shoes are part of him or a replacement of him, that they represent him. "And now I see it is just another pair of shoes." Macklemore is stating that his Nike shoes used to be everything to him, but in the end, they mean nothing.
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Proficient in: Consumerism
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“ Amazing as always, gave her a week to finish a big assignment and came through way ahead of time. ”
"This is the best day of my life" He is stating that receiving the shoes was one of the best days of his life. The shoes here, in the beginning, are referring to Mackelmore's confidence, his character. A fabricated image woven into his head that these shoes would let him seize his dream or reach the net, consumed his thoughts and emotions. Since the shoes "let" him reach this "goal," the shoes made his day the "best day of my life." "For $100 and some change, consumption is in the veins".
The shoes are referred to in his head as the best thing that transpired for him.
When consumption was in his veins, he found himself manipulated into thinking that these "perfect shoes" would let him grasp his dreams and touch the rim. He bought the shoes for lots of money, wore them for some time only to take them off and realize what they were. Society made him think that these shoes were his dream, that they were his one goal. After possessing them for a while, he realizes that these shoes were not exclusive and that they did not make a difference. These dramatic changes and emotions emphasize his view on consumerism and its products. The use of metaphors shows his state of consumerism that Mackelmore's in and his battle against it. He uses analogies to symbolize his feelings for instance, The air bubble on his shoe and it popping. The air bubble symbolizes his confidence as well as determination. If it metaphorically pops, his confidence pops as well.
"Will I stand for change, or stay in my box?" When Macklemore is talking about the box, he says that it "consumed his thoughts," which could also mean it consumed him. By staying in the box, he is becoming a piece of Nike, a part of consumerism. If he "stands for change," he will step outside of the box and refuse to be a part of the company or the shoe. Therefore, when he tries to determine whether he'd "stand for change or stay in my box," he is split between two different personalities. The Nike shoes give him something that he desires, but they are also consuming him and controlling him. He is choosing whether he should give in or resist. "I wanna fly, can you take me far away?" When he says, "I wanna fly," he is talking about becoming the best, flying like Michael Jordan did, rising above. When he says, "Can you take me far away," saying that Macklemore would like to be taken away from this messed up world and be in a better place. These emotions convey the idea of Macklemore's struggle with consumerism and its effect on him. Mackelmore experiences internal and external; his exterior conflict is being the popular kid, whereas his internal conflict is reaching his dreams. These Nike shoes are supposed to be what will get him there.
When Macklemore first received the shoes, he did not yet have an internal conflict. The only conflict he had was about the way he looked, which is his exterior conflict. "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 is gonna make me fly." He is saying that the shoes would give him the power to rise and become a star basketball player. "On the court, I was not the best, but my kicks were like the pros, yo." If he "was not the best on the court but his kicks were like the pros," it can be inferred that at one point, he was just like the people with four stripes on their Adidas. That the shoes gave him the "kicks" means that the shoes made him feel like he was better than everyone else. He knew that getting these new shoes must have impacted his life in a big way because he was finally a "Cool Kid." The shoes separated him from the people with the four stripes on their Adidas because of what they wore.
"They told me to do it; I listened to what that swoosh said. Look at what that swoosh did" The way the shoes from the society around him made him feel like he needed to have these shoes to be looked at in the right way. He followed what the swoosh told him to do, and he became obsessed with what they wanted him to - their products. He became emotionally convoluted with the idea that these shoes would solve all of the world's problems, and that is what Nike wanted him to do. "And now I see it is just another pair of shoes" society made him think that his dream was to get those shoes. When he wanted them, let himself get dragged into thinking it was all he needed. Nevertheless, when he had them after a point in time, he realized that they were not as important as it was made out to be. The shoes ended up not making a difference; it was just a mental image woven into his head. These thoughts portray the idea of Mackelmore's inner and outer struggle with popularity and his intended dreams.
Macklemore realizes that society made people obsessed with consuming trends to fit in. People were so consumed in this state of mind that they never thought about outcomes. They let their momentary thoughts take over and make their decisions. "Wings is about society yearning to convert their consumers into their own company. Mackelmore realizes that by becoming part of this movement, he was letting the need to fit in control of his decisions. He was stating at the end that social value and consumerism should not decide what you do; it should be your thoughts as an independent consumer.
The consumerist mindset in the 1900s. (2019, Dec 01). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-consumerist-mindset-in-the-1900s-essay
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