Sneetches on Beaches
Do you genuinely want a star? Or are you just following the herd?
Just the other evening, while I stumbled tongue-tied through the ryhmes of Dr. Seuss's "The Sneetches" at bedtime, it dawned on me: aren't we all just modern-day Sneetches? I couldn't help but quickly find parallels to our current climate of overconsumption, conformity and societal pressures.
For those of you not familiar with the book – the Sneetches (see image below) get caught up in a craze to embrace a trend: stars on their bellies. This obsession leads to division and conflict among them.
Enter Sylvester McMonkey McBean with his Star-On and Star-Off machines, causing chaos as Sneetches rush to change their appearance based on the shifting of trends. And as he always does with his allegorical texts, Dr. Seuss highlights the nature of prejudice and the foolishness of seeking validation through superficial measures.
Supposedly written to address issues of discrimination post-war, the book's message also clearly resonates with our modern obsession to chase the newest drops or follow the latest trends, all in pursuit of acceptance and fulfillment.
Moreover, "The Sneetches" serves as a reminder of the financial absurdity of our consumer culture. The Sneetches spare no expense in altering their appearance, mirroring the sacrifices people make today, sometimes at the cost of their financial stability.
But why do we feel this compulsion to follow the herd, to be the first in line for the latest craze? Like Jessica Testa states here about the Nike x Bode collab: “But even if I’m able to nab a pair when they’re released on May 1, do I want to be wearing the same sneaker as every other joker on Orchard Street?”
That desire to follow others can surely be traced back to our hunter-gatherer days, can’t it? Conforming and social cohesion were vital for our survival. And while it’s absolutely not vital anymore, I’m guessing that primal instinct runs deep.
So being a “Sneetch on a beach” wanting to follow the latest trend is hardly anything new. But in our society today, with the constant bombardment of social media and fast fashion, we’re given little time to discover what kind of Sneetch we want to be. We have blurred the line between authenticity and conformity.
As
in her post “You’re Too Broke to Buy Cheap Shit” puts it, "It’s the air we breathe. We’re all bombarded by stuff to want, all day, every day, everywhere. It’s totally normalised for boxes and packages to arrive a few times a week. Everywhere’s a retail space. Everything is shoppable. The stores never close. And even more than that - our consumption has become a source of huge joy, inspiration and self-development and our biggest, most powerful social platforms’ business models have monetised human conversation and connection to such a degree that we’ve all been conditioned to bond through what we consume/buy/own/have, over what we think/feel/create/believe in."Consumerism truly permeates our daily existence and shapes our social interactions. Are we choosing the stars because everyone else is, or because it genuinely reflects who we are and what we like?
For me, I’m the sneetch on the beach (or am I?) that sees everyone with stars on their bellies (mesh shoes), and I want to run in the opposite direction. I like to think so at least, but let’s not kid ourselves, I fall victim to trends all the time and I still get riled up at being an early adopter of what might be the next big thing.
So what’s the antidote? For me, it boils down to cultivating greater self-awareness and embracing mindfulness in my purchasing decisions. Do you want that star? Go for it! Do you need the star? Let’s try to be more like Oma, and really mull it over like you try to solve a quantum physics equation, which I write about here. Do you feel you’re just doing it to be like every other Sneetch out there, then be ok with a hard pass or feel empowered to embrace it.
At its core, "The Sneetches" encourages us to value ourselves and others for who we are, not for what we possess or how we appear. It's a timeless reminder to seek authenticity in a world often fixated on materialism and image.
Thanks, Dr. Seuss, for the reminder.
Some of the Substacks I enjoyed lately:
And with that said, let’s recommend lots of products to consume! Jk. Let’s share some of the latest news to hit the Scandinavian bubble, some enjoyable links and some brands that promote thoughtful consumption.
Wes Glover of Monster Children and Allyson Shiffman of Vogue Scandinavia have recently interviewed Zambian and Copenhagen-based Jack Kabangu, also known as “Denmark’s next art world darling”.
I came across Danish Odder Thing Vintage the other day, and just need to share.
Finnish design house Marimekko marked its 60th anniversary at Milan Design Week with a vibrant celebration centered around its recognizable poppy print called “Unikko”. Collaborating with Apartamento, they introduced Bar Unikko, a day-to-night café embodying the essence of communal gathering—a core value of Marimekko.
Creative director Rebekka Bay highlighted here in Dezeen’s coverage the brand's mission to foster joy and connection.
The branded cafés continued to be all the rage with Caffè RIMOWA celebrating their collab with La Marzocco Linea Mini caffè and Oatly's Fountain of Youth also made waves at the design week.
As mentioned in previous newsletters, I have a love for glass. On my to-do’s this month is to visit Nitty Gritty Store (Krukmakargatan 24-26, Sthlm) to see Carl Cyrén’s pieces that will be on display until May 31st.
Vogue Scandinavia’s Print Editor and one of my favorite writers, Allyson Shiffman, just covered her favorite second hand shops in Copenhagen. I mean look at these Alaïa beauts from Magnolia’s Luksus Second Hand and if you’re not familiar with I Blame Lulu’s amazing selection of consignment pieces, then follow them stat.
And last but not least, I have *mindful* eye on this sweater from Danish Aiayu (This newsletter is really Danish today - can you tell?). The bond sweater looks like the perfect knit to have tied around your hips or shoulders all summer long.
Some things that are completely unrelated to the above but that are consuming my thoughts this week:
My alma mater, SMU, and its Equestrian Team, which I proudly rode for, clinched their second (back-to-back) National Championship this past weekend. Such an incredible achievement!
Rafa Nadal just announced he’ll join team Europe at this year’s Laver Cup. Will he retire there? I am still recovering from Federer’s retirement ceremony! But if it means that he’ll play with Federer again and we get to see another bromance performance, then I am all for it.
xA
I love this perspective so much and have been thinking a lot about it myself, for a variety of reasons. Thanks for sharing! Also, that lamp!!!
Thanks for sharing your clear-eyed view on soo many things.....and your amazing taste when it comes to choosing "faves of the week"....such as this to me new artist in Denmark for example!!