The boy was born in a family that was not very wealthy, quite the contrary in fact, but that’s ok, since this includes him in the vast majority of his country’s population. He grows up in the suburbs, and the more he grows, the more he has contact with upper class kids. He watches them, and he likes what he sees. All those brands, cool clothes, cool cars to pick them up. How come those girls seem to be so much more beautiful than the ones from his neighbourhood he doesn’t understand. Does money bring beauty?
Time passes, and the context in which he lives in goes through some changes. The scenery is the same, and so are the people and their houses. But now he sees some plasma TVs, and his mum, who is still at the same occupation that she has been at for the past decade now can afford meat instead on only chicken and cabbage soup. More than that, she can also afford some Nike and Adidas every now and then.
Years of public safety issues took the minority who think as a majority into the large and thick walls of shopping malls. There they do everything. They live. They shop, they eat, they walk, they talk, they see. They live.
But the boy had been left out all this time. The few times he went there were not very pleasant. Looking but not participating was hard, so his visits were reduced to meeting his dad at the end of his shift before going home.
But things have changed now. Now his mum can afford to give him some money to spend on his things. And all of a sudden he looks down and marvels at the three stripes. And it gets better than that, he’s not alone. It feels as if his entire neighbourhood has gone up a level. Or two.
He still accompanies his dad to the mall, but this time at the beginning of his shift, not the end. While his dad works, he shops, eats, goes to the movies, hangs out, dates, wears and enjoys. He lives. And he likes it. He and his friends really do enjoy it. They compare styles. They compare attitudes. They have fun. They have so much fun that they grow. And they grow exponentially.
But something’s wrong. That was not the plan. Those walls were built to bring safety and entertainment for kids wearing the same clothes, but the skin colour is quite different. And so are the backgrounds, the neighbourhoods and everything else. Now those walls welcome two different crowds. One is having a blast. The other is scared.
Those walls are also a business, and their owners are also scared. What is going on, they wonder. The purpose of these walls were built was to separate these crowds, and now they are back crammed together in a very odd situation.
The boy now sees himself in the epicentre of a national social clash. His neighbour made it to the cover of a magazine, and his girlfriend has 6 figures of followers on social networks. And he doesn’t like the fact that people are scared of him. Do they think I want to rob something? Those guys who got into trouble last week have nothing to do with me and my friends. I have decided long ago not to be a criminal. I saw what happens to those drug dealers who lived not far from my neighbourhood. I’m not a criminal. I want what they want. Cool brands, have a good time, hang out with friends and hopefully some kissing will be involved. I don’t get why they’re so pissed and scared.
But the camera is focusing on me and I’m making my point clear. I’ve finally joined the class of consumers, and I’ll enjoy it as I can. Capitalism has finally open its doors for me and it’s fun. A lot of fun. Buying is absolutely brilliant. And you should see those chicks’ eyes glitter when I pay cash. I guess that’s how it feels to ride in a limo. But I can’t let this moment slip away, I have to take a stand and fight for my rights. I’m not going to be kicked out of malls like a bandit. And that is why I have decided to join the a national organization who will help me fight back. I have joined the National Socialist Party for Youngsters. They fight back society, and I’m sure they’ll guarantee I have the right to buy my cool brands.
What have I missed?
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