Response: Just for Kicks

Here is the link to Leah's original post:

Sinners Have Souls Too

Leah,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post about sneaker culture especially because I share the same interest as you. I wouldn’t consider myself a bonafide “sneakerhead” but more just someone with a genuine interest in and infatuation with sneakers. I remember walking into a small skateboard shop and instantly falling in love with the Nike SB dunk highs. What is fascinating to me is that over the years, sneaker culture has developed from the streets and now also exists over the internet – an online sneaker culture! Not only does this culture bring about a sense of identity and belonging for its members, but it also gives meaning to life, and there are often stories of how sneaker culture “saved” people. Thanks to Gordon Lynch’s book, my eyes are once again opened to yet another piece of popular culture that has religious functions in society!

How is sneaker culture social?
There is a sense of social bonds and community within sneaker culture. Members have respect for one another through something that is deeper than a common interest – a shared lifestyle. There is a language that has developed through sneaker culture that is exclusive to its members. Sneakerheads are often loyal to their brands and identify themselves according to where their loyalties lie.

How is sneaker culture hermeneutical?
After briefly talking to you about our shared love for sneakers, you suggested that I watch the documentary Just For Kicks. I absolutely loved it! In the documentary, a recurring theme was that sneaker culture was not just a hobby for collectors or enthusiasts – it was a way of life. People found meaning through their passion for sneakers.

How is sneaker culture transcendent?
Toronto Loves Kicks is an organization that seeks to empower youth by using sneakers as a tool for empowerment. The following is information from their website:

Toronto Loves Kicks is a unique Social Enterprise that aims to strengthen social responsibility, youth empowerment and engagement through creative programs and events. The foundation of these programs and events will be a direct reflection of the urban, youth and sneaker culture which is the key to getting the attention of today’s youth.

Toronto Loves Kicks is one example of how sneaker culture has functioned as a tool for transcendence.

For more information on Toronto Loves Kicks, here is a link to their website:
 
Toronto Loves Kicks