Posts Tagged ‘society’
A Backwards Look at Liability
I’ve been told on several occasions to be careful how I promote barefoot activity. The concerned persons say I might end up liable if people end up hurting themselves. This is a completely backwards and thoroughly confusing concept to me.
How is it that our society’s collective thinking has gotten so twisted that we now believe that I could be liable if people use their feet as nature intended and that shoe companies are free from liability for weakness, stiffness, skin conditions and other ailments that are caused or exacerbated by their products? Do you see how topsy turvy that thinking is?
Bare Feet v. ‘Barefoot’ Shoes: The BIG Difference
I’ve got a bone to pick with some people. When barefoot running, Vibram Fivefingers (VFF) and other minimalist shoes became so popular, the lexicon used to describe how we cover — or don’t cover — our feet became muddied. Search Twitter or read news articles about the phenomenon, and you hear people talking about “barefoot shoes” or how they are loving running “barefoot” with their VFFs.
As confusing as it is to call something barefoot when it’s obviously not, the issue gets even worse when people tell their friends, “Wearing (fill in the blank minimalist footwear) is just like being barefoot.” Those of us who subscribe to fully bare feet are often asked, “Why not just wear flip flops? Isn’t it the same?” My answer to both of those questions: “No, it’s not the same.”And let me give an example why…
Don’t Get Cold Feet About Bare Feet As Cooler Months Approach
Many people are open to the idea of going without shoes in the summertime, but get “cold feet” about the idea of baring their feet in the fall and winter months. It’s true that we humans would typically prefer to be warm instead of cold. That said, there are still ways that you can get yourself — and your feet — more comfortable with the idea of going without shoes as the days get shorter.
Among questions regarding broken glass or fungal infections, another concern that we barefooters regularly hear about is cold feet. “Don’t your feet get cold?,” one person may ask. Another may state, “I’d like to go barefoot more often, but I can’t stand for my feet to get cold,” or “My feet get cold really easily.”
My Take on Minimalist Footwear
From left to right: Hand-made Huaraches, Vibram FiveFingers Sprint, Vivo Barefoot Runners.
In recent years, there has been quite a bit of development of the so-called “minimalist footwear”. While the definition of minimalist footwear tends to vary from user to user and from manufacturer to manufacturer, basically, any type of footwear that is designed to simulate, as close as possible, the experience of going barefooted by still providing an acceptable amount of insulation and protection from the environment (at least part, usually the soles) can fall into the category of “minimalist”.
