Highlife: The power of brands

As I walk by Hard Rock Cafe and Hotel in Kuta Bali and see the masses flock outside I'm reminded again of the strong brand focus Asia has. I mean if you want to be somebody you need to look like somebody and to look like somebody you need to wear a brand. Why? well obviously the only way to be some one is to be wear what people things some one should wear.
In the ghetto west and later in street sub cultures like hip hop and such sneakers and shoes became the status symbol. For the rich maybe cars or yachts. Here it's definitively all about clothing and bags but the brand focus and the desire to consume all the is something is just so extremely powerful here. It's ofc better to wear a Burberry jacket in 30+ degrees heat and feed your kids nasi lemak and water every day as you ride around on your bad ass scooter. And then defining a bad ass scooter as one with a few LEDs on. Where did that desire to be unique go? and Why is it better to life in a dump and pay up your butt for a brand on top of the same cotton shirt as your neighbor wears. Yeah the poor one that put his kids to school...