Messenger Bags: Different for the sake of being different

The messenger bag was originally used by postal workers, bicycle couriers, and even as far back as Pony Express riders. It was used primarily because it easily allowed those workers access into the contents of their bag. In the case of bike couriers, this proved very useful, as the worker could deliver newspapers and other items while still riding their bike.

The messenger bag falls into the larger system of ‘bags’. Other objects that fall into this category include purses and backpacks. The use of messenger bags by students has become popular in recent years, with some students opting to use a messenger bag over a backpack. I wonder why this has become the case, however, as backpacks perform the same primary function that messenger bags do: carrying one’s belongings. Surely the majority of students in college now had backpacks to carry their books in high school, so there is no imminent need for a messenger bag in college. Most students that have messenger bags in college don’t ride bikes, so there is no need for the ability to dispose of the bag’s items quickly while still riding a bike. Also, messenger bags distribute their weight unevenly, making them a possible health risk and inferior to backpacks in this respect.

Students that use messenger bags feel as if they must stand out from the crowd by using an object that is different from the norm. However, this object provides no functional advantages over a backpack, and ultimately becomes a useless purchase on the part of the student.