My First In Class essy

"It was a little stressful, but I made it! The essay was about an American Artifact, which is a mirror of American culture. In the course book Common Culture it talks about a Barbie doll as an American Artifact. I looked around to find a good one to write an essay about it, and I came up with NIKE. "

 

 

 

 

In 2011, when I entered United States the first sign of American Culture grabbed my eyes right at the airport.  That was a blonde girl who looked beautiful and had Nike shoes on.  Before getting out of airport I counted the number of Nike shoes that I saw in one hour and half, it was seven. Back to my native country, in Iran someone wears sport brand like Nike that her/his profession is Sport.  It looks weird if I as a non-sportive person wear a Nike shoes in the street, just because I want to look fashionista or perhaps just for comfort.  Everybody in the street knows that there are a lot of cheaper and comfortable shoes out there.  I cannot lie to people if I want to show off something to them.  In the school, in the street, in the hospital, on TV, in Magazines everywhere you can find Nikes in human’s feet, even non-athletics’ ones, if you are in the America.  I think the craving of this brand for American people is just because they think it is more fashion, better called “fashion and sportive”.

How ever, after thinking about Nike brand as an “American artifact”, I looked up Nike website and found out, this brand not only makes the sport outfit but also it makes non-sportive outfit like booties or sunglasses or even scarves, mostly for women.  Now I am not surprised If I think that American people mostly young generation may wear Nike to satisfy their fashion needs while they may feel good at the base of their feet.  Looking back at the article written by Carolyn Muhlstei, who analyzed the role of Barbie doll in American society, he talks about how American people look at material goods; “…devoting her self to the pursuit of happiness through leisure and material goods… “ he says about the character of Barbie which I believe is true for both genders, male and females when the “materials good” is manufactured for both sexes for the same purpose of use. Nike is one of those “material goods”.

Further more, if Nike is not about Fashion why it produces five lines of different types of just training shoes? Each type comes in about at least three different colors.  Of course it is all about customers with different interests.  Fashion is all about interest and pleasure.

Even the simple Nike logo reminds me my teachers’ sign, when I write something right and get a positive feedback.  Simply from Merriam Webster’s dictionary Nike is a Greek word means “Victory”.  More positive than this? Having a positive logo and positive brand name. Now it is clear that if could stay longer at airport I might see more Nikes!

After three years, looking at my closet, I have three pairs of Nike shoes plus bunch of sport outfits, even accessories from Nike.  I am seeing myself exposed to American culture. I like it when my friend tells me that “ Oh my God, How cute is your bright pink shoes.” I feel I finally did something right that someone liked it.  Maybe I like to be accepted and admire by people.   Perhaps others have the same feeling as I do when they wear their Nike shoes.