God save us from the “ID fetish“! Is it a Swedish thing?

Claes Britton | Jun 9, 2006 | 1 comments

So we're back from Italy just in time for the opening of the fotball World Cup – this dream for us sports lovers, but at the same time nightmare for us defenders of a certain rudimental style in appearance. For a full month's time, we will now be force-fed with vast amounts of male hair do's, flashy sunglasses, sponsor logos and TV sport studio fashion in all its cheap, blazing, synchronized color.

I'm most fascinated with this identity badge obsession – you know these awful little plastic things with your name on them that they give you when you go to a meeting at some official authority or major corporation. I always discreetly put mine away in my pocket and usually forget to give it back when I leave. Nobody ever asks for them. Most people, however, seem to bear these things proudly, like medals – a sort of token of honor for belonging and general importance. I'm always amazed when I see even people like cabinette ministers and, as now, fotball head coaches happily carrying these badges as dominant accessories – almost like a fetish. It must be by their own free choice, since, surely, they must be recognized even without them? I also wonder whether it's a deeply Swedish thing. I can't remember – or don't want to remember – seing the Italian coach carrying that badge over his tie...

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God save us from the “ID fetish“! Is it a Swedish thing?

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