If you go to buy socks, you will find that there are some types that are labeled: one size fits all. I bought one of those the other day, but it turned out to be too big. Naturally, this got me thinking: how can the socks producers claim that one size fits all?In my mind, claiming that one size of socks fits all requires that the socks be tried on all sizes of feet. If any foot size fails the test, then the basic premise of "one size fits all" fails. Seems to be simple enough, right?
So what about those people who insist that one size fits all even though I've tried it and I'm sure it doesn't fit me? Proud of having acquired the "one size" sock, they point at my feet and say, "it fits... you just think it doesn't!" So supposedly, I should believe them and ignore how I feel about the sock, right? In fact, I'm not really believing them... I'm believing the sock producer who made the sock in any size then programmed these people to believe that one sock really does fit all. Bearing into consideration that this claim plays directly into the interest of the sock producer, I have problems believing in their objectivity towards the "one size fits all" premise.
Let's pursue this further... As I said, in order to make sure that a sock fits all sizes, it must be tested on a representative sample of the human race. The question is: how many people would you have to have to test a sock to make sure all foot sizes and shapes are represented in the sample? Seems to me to an impossible sample to create - probably not the approach sock producers follow. The more likely scenario is that they use an elastic material which expands to wrap the exact size of the foot. Brilliant, eh? But then what happens a year later? If my little brother (don't have one actually) tries to wear my elastic sock, it won't fit because over time, it would have lost part of its elasticity to the shape of my own adult foot. It is probably safe to say that no sock can absolutely fit all sizes of feet at any given moment in time. It is probably safe to say that despite the fact that we may wear same sizes of socks, each person has one size which fits them exactly - but we choose to go with a close match to simplify life.
So until a sock has been tried on ALL human feet continuously for a century or so, I will not accept that one size fits all. As far as I am concerned, "one size fits all" is a myth that has not existed anywhere except in the minds of people brainwashed by sock producers. I don't even think sock producers believe it.
Oh, and in case you're concerned with where this blog is going, our next article is NOT about underwear!
Image courtesy of Hippie Shop
