Why does it seem that lower-middle-class people choose to go barefoot, say, when visiting the local ice cream stand? I've observed countless parents with their children with nothing on their feet who are walking in a parking lot. It seems quite dangerous and irresponsible. These are not homeless people and can obviously afford shoes if they are buying ice cream, so money is not the issue.
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Name : SW27517, Gender : M, Age : 26, City : Sterling Heights, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, When I was a kid I liked to go barefoot, especially in spring when it was warm, but not so warm to where you could fry an egg on the pavement. In summer, forget about it, unless it's on grass. In winter, maybe on a warmer day, this being Southern California and all. Some places, such as certain grocery stores, don't mind if you go barefoot. And I could walk for a while on pavement while barefoot, because I've got feet like Fred Flintstone. Here are some possible reasons: #1. They've got lousy shoes, and being barefoot is freeing. #2. They're free spirits, sort of like one's hippie aunt. #3. They've been wearing heavy work boots all week, and their dogs are killing them. #4. Common slobbishness. Of course, it's not a good idea to walk barefoot through the middle of L.A.; you might step on a syringe or a broken beer bottle or an unidentified puddle of something or other...
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Name : Dan27273, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Pentecostal, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, What's wrong with walking barefoot? I was raised in an upper middle-class neighborhood, and yet as a child, one of my favorite parts of summer was shedding my shoes - take off the constrictive closed toe and socks; wiggle my toes. It was fun. It still is. I suppose it's dangerous to some degree (hazards like glass and nails) but no more dangerous than a thousand other outdoor pleasures (picnics, hiking, swimming holes, bicycles, etc.). And as the summer progresses, feet get tougher, so they can handle hot pavement or little pebbles. I daresay not everyone does what they can afford, and there's a lot of fun in simplicity.
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Name : Lisa, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 
swParticipant
It seems everyone is misunderstanding. The particular ice cream place I'm referencing is located in a rougher neighborhood. The sidewalks are in bad shape. There is broken glass here and there. The point I'm making is that you do not see as many people going barefoot in 'better' (not necessarily upper or even middle class) neighborhoods. Not that there is anything wrong with going barefoot. It is just an observation I made. But when there are the aforementioned hazards, it seems you could slip on some sandals or something without losing too much of the 'freedom' you describe and not risk slicing open your foot on a piece of glass. The money issue I described was just to clarify the situation, an I am one of the few in this world that takes great pleasure in the simple things in life. I am not putting down these people...just making an obervation and satisfying a curiosity.
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Name : sw, City : Sterling Hts, State : MI Country : United States, I went barefoot when I was a kid, and also when I got older. I grew up on a farm, and this may have something to do with it. In fact, whenever I picked my way across my grandparents' gravel driveway, they told me I should go barefoot more often outside to 'toughen up' my feet. Oh, and by the way, we weren't lower middle class. My family owned about a third of the farmland in the county. My dad did some farming on the side, but he also worked in town during week and wore a suit. I was not allowed to wear shorts to town after about the age of 6 or 7. But it seems like being barefoot was acceptable. When I moved to Atlanta, I would occasionally go barefoot, like to a friend's home, or choir practice, or something like that. And it quickly became obvious that people thought this was very strange, and sort of 'hick' behavior. So I quit going barefoot in some places; but in the park, at the lake, or my yard or inside my home - and inside the homes of close friends and family - I still kick off my shoes as soon as I can. I really don't like shoes - even though I have some very nice and comfortable ones. Nothing is as comfortable as going barefoot - not even my Birkenstocks.
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Name : Nancy, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Episcopalian, Age : 35, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : education, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Maybe because they know something you don't know.
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Name : Cynthia Wilson, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 38, City : Denver, State : CO Country : United States, Occupation : programmer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I don't wear shoes in the summer unless a store specifically requires it or I'm mucking out stalls. My feet are very leathery. It's odd how people look at you if you are shoeless but aren't at the beach or something. Having no shoes historically meant 'poor.' To me, it means not conforming, and being natural and free of social constructs. Plus, my feet are wide, and shoes hurt!
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Name : Juno R., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pagan, Age : 38, City : Swisshome, State : OR Country : United States, Occupation : mechanic/musician, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class, I grew up in a house, and my daddy made a little more than $4 million a year, and I still go around barefoot. I've noticed the opposite of what you describe: that rich people tend to be less strict about wearing shoes. It just feels good to be barefoot.
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Name : Martin-F, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Episcopalian, Age : 20, City : Raleigh, State : NC Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, I love to go barefoot and go to a great many places barefoot, and I have never hurt my feet. Going barefoot is not dangerous or illegal, there are no health department restrictions, regardless of the crap you see on doors of stores, and it does not put you at risk for disease. It actually promotes a healthy foot. How going barefoot went out of style for kids I cannot understand. Want to know more? Try www.barefooters.org. Free your feet and your mind will follow. And oh yes: at the age of 15 I had a multi-million dollar trust fund set up for me. Look for me - I am the barefoot boy getting out of the new Cadillac at the ice cream store!
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Name : Chris W., Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, City : Tulsa, State : OK Country : United States, Occupation : idle rich boy, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, I love going barefoot! My parents and friends don't care for it... I like the way it feels. Some people like to walk down a street, just for the variety in things they see. I do the same, except it's to feel. It's really amazing, the things you notice when you're walking barefoot. (I really love walking on those cheap green 'grass' plastic doormats...) I walk barefoot so much that the bottoms of my feet are thicker, but they still have a lot of feeling. I wish more people would not wear shoes. I've never seen the phenomenon you're talking about in my area.
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Name : Steph C., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 15, City : Lyndhurst, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : student, Social class : Middle class, Take a look at "The Parents For Barefoot Children" web site and you will see why a lot of parents allow our children to go barefoot. It has nothing to do with money, or the lack of it.
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Name : Beth, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 39, City : n/a, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : part-time sales, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Oh, the Norman Rockwell of it! The image of dusty, red-headed children in overalls with no shirts underneath, eating ice-cream, and, with special signifigance, barefoot. This is an issue of class and comfort. Some people might find barefoot, ice-cream eating children to be of poor hygiene, and would never allow their own to show such slovenly behavior. To imagine that their children might be seen as a 'little-rascal' stereotype makes these people uncomfortable. Others might find their own struggles and lives are more important than their social status, and do not worry about what the neighbors might think, as long as they keep their family happy and free of worry. They might think that sometimes shoes can be uncomfortable and a hassle, when all you are doing is going to the market to get some ice cream.
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Name : Vin, Gender : M, Age : 20, City : Glendale, State : CA Country : United States, Going barefoot is one of the ultimate forms of relaxation. When I get home, the second thing that comes off is my shoes... I also have severe tendonitis and need to be barefoot for my excercises. Working in a library is great fun but hard on the feet.
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Name : Alma, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, City : Kempner, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : contract employee, Education level : 4 Years of College, I'm from Florida, and my family was lower-class, but now I live in the Northeast and make decent money. The first time I went to an upscale Connecticut lawn party I immediately took my shoes off, much to the chagrin of my fellow guests. They asked, 'What, did you grow up in a trailer park?' 'Well, yes,' I told them. But because of my upbringing I really don't care what these people think. I'll go barefoot whenever appropriate - and a casual lawn party is appropriate. Sorry snobs.
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Name : Ric-M30036, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 30, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : various occupations, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, When I was a kid we used to go barefoot all the time. It was no big deal. We were by no means uneducated people. I guess in California we aren't as uptight as in some other parts of the country. Our neighborhoods were relatively clean, so there wasn't really a health issue, and we always washed our feet on the back porch before coming back into the house. As far as going to the ice cream stand barefoot, what's wrong with that? Is it such a formal place that mothers need to get their kids dressed up to go there? I don't think so - it's ice cream for God's sake. As an adult, I still take my shoes off as soon as I get home. If I need to go anywhere beyond my own yard, I will put on sandles, but that's about it.
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Name : Lucy22462, Gender : F, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Age : 26, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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