Slavery fashion

Change is the only thing that does not change in nature. Change is always present in our lives. We change mostly to suit ourselves with the society. This can be seen vividly from how people change themselves to adhere to latest fashions because society follows it. To be part of the fashion ‘pack’, they change their dressings, looks, habits and even moral values. Fashion is not something to be contained because it is like a wildfire which spreads rapidly from the place of origin to the rest of the world through communication modes like internet and telephone and media. As a result we can see the influence of western fashion in our countries among our people.

Mostly teenagers or the youth are the most impressionable people. They are the ones who almost always keep up with trends. For them it is not a matter so much that they are accepted by the society by large but they want to be recognized by their peers. There is a form of restlessness within youth to be with pace with latest trends and changes and to break away from their parent’s and their generation’s influences. It is this restlessness that carries them away to form groups so as to gain acceptance by their peers. While most of the time the influence of fashion brings no harm, it could be otherwise at times.

Usually, there is the existence of a group leader to guide the group into activities. When this leader, without considering the consequences, misleads the members into activities like vandalizing public properties in the name of fashion for that age, the repercussions could be severe with apprehension and punishment by the law which could ruin one’s future.

We can clearly see how youth are slaves to fashion and how they easily fall as preys to danger arising from fashion. Yet, we can see this continue generations after generations. While there is nothing wrong in keeping up with latest trends is if it does good than harm, there is a need to curb the influence of fashion. In some very regimented societies, youth are controlled by tenets of customs and religion. Force is used to ensure that the rules are obeyed and any breaching of the rules results in punishments. This can work at times but it results in the loss of the good that could come from the force and the also the loss of the energy which drives these young people.

Youth is like a rebellious passing cloud. Before you know it, it is all passed and gone. There is actually no need to curb the energy in youth by punishing them. Rather this energy could be channeled elsewhere in doing social work or working. Parents too could build up a bond of trust with their children before the rebellious age. In fact, in some psychological point of view, it’s actually the outcry of youth to be understood, recognized and loved which is shown through their outward expression of adherence to fashion.