I have worked at a junk yard and detasseled corn. I know something of the "working man." I made many sacrifices and worked very hard so that I would not end up like the working man. Indeed, my father and I got into a huge argument when I was young: He made me quit my job at the junk yard, since he got the impression I enjoyed it too much. (Thanks, Dad.) It's a tough life.
Compare a 50-year-old lawyer to a 50-year-old factory worker. Law is a grind is just metaphor. Lawyers like to whine. Waah, law is so tough. Yes, it is. So what? Go work in a factory for one week if you've forgotten (or never knew) what a real grind is. Consider it "Scared Straight!" for lawyers.
In any event, people who have never worked a day in their lives nonetheless want to be perceived as rugged working men. That is narcissism.
Narcissism is mistakenly understood as egoism. There's more to narcissism than mere egoism. A narcissist does not have a true ego - because an ego presupposes the existence of an internal identity. An ego looks within.
Instead, the narcissist has a persona - a brand. The brand is always looking out, and is always obsessed with how others perceive it. Always managing the brand. An egoist (not naming names) simply doesn't give a fuck. Identity > persona.
Look at these idiots. Then read their professions:
- Kris Payne, 26, Landscape Photographer.
- Kyle Hackett, 28, Menswear Designer.
- Jason Andrews, 36, Artist, D.J.
- Simon Howell, 37, Photographer.
Back in the day, I wore thick denim jeans to work...Because thin denim would tear. Steel would cut through thin jeans right into your skin. The same thing with flannels. When you're outside working, you need durable clothing to protect you from thick branches and errant scrap metal. You also need warmth.
Look at the cost of their clothing:
- Stock: Pima-cotton flannels, tartan ties, and raw selvage denim jeans ($130).
- Stock: Woodsy-dandy pieces, lambswool-lined leather vests, khaki chino pants ($135).
- Super-durable blended-cotton fabrics, wool-flannel check coats ($289)
What working stiff could afford to spend $130 on jeans? None. Even if they could afford it, they wouldn't be so stupid. The clothing will eventually rip. A good pair of work jeans might last a few months.
Denim and flannel wasn't about a look. It was about reality. In a society of narcissists, the look becomes reality.
