Thursday, October 13, 2005

 

Swank

Good morning to all,

Swanking Shines Nowhere.

This word, Swank, and its practice, was popular in the
1940s. It was in school where I learned its meaning. In an
era where living from hand to mouth was commonplace,
it was fashionable for the few wealthy schoolmates to
swank about. Their behaviour did make the others envious.
Fat pocket money, Parker fountain pens, ability to go to
the cinemas at will, wearing watches and riding shiny
spoke Raleigh bicycles with flashing dynamos were things
many other students could only look at. There were
students who could not even visit the tuck shop during
the recess. Swanking then, did elevate the stature of
these few sons of people of means.

Strangely, this word swank is seldom seen, read or heard
of in our communication media nowadays. However, its
absence does not indicate that people do not swank
anymore. People still swank, even the not so well-off
financially; it is just that the word is seldom used.

Why do people swank? For the wealthy, there is not much
purpose for it really. When wealthy people forked out twenty
thousands of dollars to own a handbag made on order, not
made to order, what did that achieve; to prove that they
measure up to their wealth? When others spent a good
portion of their salary just to wear expensive branded goods,
did that make them rich as they intended people to believe?
It is quite a burden for such an indulgence. Still, there are
others who wear gold jewellery when their income come
from clearing tables, washing toilets and sweeping roads.
Does appearing rich make them rich?

Does swanking about to-day impress anybody? The reality,
really, is who cares; in a society where everybody is better
off than everybody. It is really rare to witness a sale of
something where only a few people will go to buy; usually
there would be a big crowd. And the really poor people who
depend on charity are beyond being impressed by anything
anyway.

There is a group of people who call themselves The Divine
Society which membership is restricted to millionaires and
by invitation only. When they dine they have their drink
fetched by an angel; a young girl dressed like Tinkerbell
who flitted about a high wall where the bottles of wine and
whatnot are kept. The atmosphere is indeed swanky, but
divine, oh well? How many people are impressed by what
they have and what they do?

Perhaps there is a reason why the word Swank is not
popular nowadays. Swanking shines nowhere.

Have a nice day.
Ronald

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