We are missing the point

I just found an ad for a new Reebok shoe called RealFlex. The shoe is supposed to move with the foot much like Nike's Frees are supposed to do. In the ad, it says "76 Running Buddies." (for the shock absorbing nubby things on the bottom of the thick rubber sole) It then says, "Natural Movement. Perfected." This is the part that makes me scratch my head. Reebok, and it's not just Reebok, is saying that they have perfected natural movement. 


We are missing the point, or we are just arrogant. We actually believe we can "outsmart what we were designed to do" - to quote my better half, Mike McNiff. There is nothing wrong with the way we were designed. We weren't born needing shoes that would correct the movement of our feet. We were born with a perfect design. If we took advantage of that design and moved, we wouldn't be so easily convinced that we aren't made perfectly. If we would just allow ourselves to move the way were made to, we wouldn't need gimmicks that are supposed to perfect our movements. 


And it is a gimmick. How can you make money selling shoes to a growing population of people who are becoming aware that maybe the foot should be allowed to move when they walk or run? You come up with a shoe that "perfects" the natural movement of the foot. You convince people that their body is not made perfect and they need your help. 


Here it is: The body, your body, is wonderfully designed and pretty much perfect. If we did what we were made to do (move) we would not have many, if any, movement issues. We would not be so easily convinced that we need gimmicks like better running shoes, or electronic ab shocking devices, or whatever else you might see. 


Sorry for the rant, but we don't need our natural movement perfected. We simply need to move and explore movement. We need to take advantage of our design, which needs no perfection.