These are going to be a lot of unfinished messy thoughts as I am currently “in it” and don’t know when I’ll be out. Apologies for the random timing.
I sat in Washington Square Park as I often do after a long day, to people watch and decompress. June is always a special time of the year in this city. New energy. New people.
As I sat, a young black girl, couldn’t have been older than 7 asked if I wanted to buy some Oreos. 2 for $5. If you’ve spent time in New York, you will have noticed that this is something kids do in parks and trains to make some cash. You will also notice these children are most often black.
As I looked at this young girl coming up to me, carrying a box that was half her size, the beads at the end of her braids reminding me of the Williams Sisters… I knew I would buy some. And I did. Most times I don’t, probably because carrying cash is rare now. Maybe for a reason I don’t even understand.
I handed her the $5 and she looked at me, the first person to buy in what looked like 20+ people I saw her ask, and asked me if I would buy more. I told her sorry, but maybe next time. The woman on the bench next to me observing this scene gave an audible pitying “awe” and a smile. She did not buy anything.
Shortly after, a young boy, slightly older and more animated, was asking the same aisle of us on benches to buy Oreos. He was met with all no’s. His frustration, however, was evident. And in his childlike way, expressed with an awareness of his audience “Really, none of you!” This, for some reason was met with a few chuckles.
And that is where I broke.
I found no humor in this situation. I only felt pain. A pain that was far more identifiable than when I am usually in these situations. A pain that immediately stripped me from my privilege. The privilege that was my day, running between Soho and Union Square going up to venture offices… pitching my vision for the future. The privilege that is me sitting here typing this anecdote to share with you. It instantly made me this little boy. Looking at a sea of white faces asking “…none of you.”
The other day I was being silly and was trying to figure out what a $1,000 app might be.
In short, I think it would be a fun experiment for Supreme (or another modern streetwear brand) to launch a completely digital clothing line that you unlock through buying the app. The utility is digital overlay (AR or done in post), that allows for the same sensation of flexing for the gram. And even if it doesn’t hit the highest level of photorealistic quality, the signal of this individual having a $1,000 app is interesting on its own.
When I was telling this to my girlfriend, she remixed it to digital consignment. Which is definitely a smarter business. And a really interesting marketplace. It would work like this.
Zahra wants to flex on Insta with a Chanel bag, but doesn’t have enough digibucks to buy.
Jenny with the good-hair has already posted several times with her digital Chanel bag, and has gotten the social utility from it.
Jenny puts this item up on the digital consignment AR shop.
Bip bam boop. I spend less digibucks by purchasing Jenny’s.
Maybe these items degrade. Maybe there’s a hard and set life span. There’s a lot of mechanics to play with. But if you want to see more digital clothing things, check this project out. iridescence
I find that when I’m taking a light break from reading it is actually harder for me to write
I also find that I generally know where a piece of my writing will start and end, but the middle is this sort of game of discovery, of how I’m really thinking about something.
Above is a tweet I am answering from a friend. I would really like an actual sociologist to break down the shared artifacts between Eastern Asian youth and Black American youth. I feel like we genuinely have some silent trade agreement going on, but I’ve never come across anything about this topic.
There was something else I thought was clever but I’m completely blanking.
Finally, here is my playlist for June. I turn 24 June 26, and I think I’m feeling some type of way about it. Anyway… here it is. 24 & THE SAME - JUNE 2019
That’s it for today. Thanks so much for giving me your attention. I hope it was worth it, if not… unsubscribing will not hurt my feelings, and will give you back time you literally cannot have back.
Much love.