Pattern Recognition

 

Pattern Recognition by William Gibson

I was doing some "fall cleaning" and going through my books when I came across Pattern Recognition by William Gibson. I was assigned to read this for one of my English Lit classes in college. It's a pretty interesting sci-fi novel. When I was younger, I was a bit of a label whore but this book changed my perspective on how I view logos and branding and the corporate world as a whole.

The main character, Cayce, makes it a point to not wear anything blatant or distinguishable. It's an interesting point of view. It really is laughable when women are carrying Louis Vuitton monogram bags with Louboutin heels just because it has a red sole. It's desperate. I'm all for high-end designers and luxury products but I like it for its quality and aesthetic not its notoriety. I appreciate things that are unique. When you wear things just because it's a status symbol, you're only doing the company a favor. You're paying the label a high price to be its walking advertisement. Sure, some people will buy into the scheme and think you're "special" for owning (assuming it wasn't put on a credit card) something that is knowingly expensive. But newsflash- someone else is bound to be sporting that exact same item within the next few blocks.

Why buy into the notion that we need to impress people in the first place? Your friends should appreciate you for the person you are and not what color the bottom of your heels are. Anyone with a good eye would rather compliment you for something they haven't seen on every sorority girl or soccer mom at the mall.

I hate to be like everyone else. I think most people like to be memorable. I just don't see how wearing something recognizable makes you special. It's quite contradictory. Pattern recognition (the process not the book itself) is a big reason why our country is in debt. So many people are concerned with showing off to the world "what they have". They're typically the same individuals who built the McMansions with a loan they couldn't afford and are leasing the luxury vehicles but not making the payments. I'd rather own a charming house that has character, drive a used car and own it outright (albeit a classic car or something nice), and wear designs that aren't nearly as embarrassing. "In this economy", most people can't afford such expensive things. Why live a lie? Just a thought.

Now Playing: "So American" by Portugal. The Man