Current Affairs -- Are you Brand Consious?

An article in the Sunday Times today discussed the big spenders from China and Indonesia and got me thinking. Of course, these spenders are a great boost to the retail and service scene here and they should be welcomed with open hands. But I can’t help but think why these people are so brand conscious. Many of the China tourists flocked here to grab branded goods like Armani, Louis Vuitton, Burberry etc…. Yes, they are rich; they have the spending power but are branded goods better in quality?? Or are they just following the ‘rich’ crowd blindly and need to flaunt their wealth???

I wonder whether wearing a $50 jeans or $300 jeans will make someone a better person? Sophisticated? Yes , but in what sense? To me, being sophisticated means behaving in a refined manner with a wealth of knowledge and intelligence and able to conduct oneself in an appropriate manner when the situation calls for it.

According to the dictionary, a sophisticated person is one whose ideas, tastes, manners etc are altered by education, experience so as to be worldly-wise. It is the opposite meaning of being naive. Ironically, when I think of those rich who are after branded goods to make themselves look sophisticated, I think of them as being naïve. I think of them as not being able to make sound judgements for themselves, for not all branded items would look nice on them.

It is even more naïve when we read about children when spent their parents money endlessly without bating an eyelid. These children do not have the financial means on their own, yet they chase after branded goods like bees to honey. Their parents seemed to encourage such intolerable attitude. So, in my opinion, both the parents and children in their attempt to look sophisticated are obliviously and naïve.

In short, to be sophisticated or worldly wise, we must be able to make sound judgements using our wits and intelligence. A well read person who carries himself well is worth a thousand words. I hope to practice what I preach, I will not be brand conscious. I prefer being judged by my speech, behavior, eloquence, humility rather than my brand of jeans. I wish to be WISE.