How Did It Come to This?

The shoe pictured above is being released today to the tune of $650 for adult sizes and over $300 for child sizes. It is not the materialistic greed of the nation that has me troubled, but the exploitation that is taking place due to greed.

Five days before the shoes release date, people began lining up to purchase a pair. Initially I thought, "how foolish." Why would someone stand or sit outside to give away $600 for a pair of tennis shoes? Is it just to say you own them? What I found is that many people were in line to purchase them and make a profit by selling them once they are all sold out. To this I say if someone is silly enough to pay thousands of dollars for a shoe that probably cost $30 to make, have at it.

What made me stop and pause was an interview I saw of a homeless gentleman in line who said he was being paid to sit there. Someone knew he was homeless and offered him money to sit in this line for who knows how long so they may purchase shoes to sell later to someone else. Is this person going to use his or her profit to help this man's situation? I highly doubt it. The gentleman did not reveal how much he was being paid, but in any event I feel his situation put him in a vulnerable position to be exploited in this way. Shame on the ruthless people who will do anything to make a quick dollar.

There was a time when community stood for something. When people took care of one another, and did not use each other for their own personal gain.

The land of the "free" has a price.