2008 Woodie Awards
Imprints: Student leads 'bare' life style
Eric Dinsfriend sparks interest with unusual choice of footwear - lack of footwear; criticized as druggie or hippie for lack of shoes
Rachel Crews
Issue date: 5/24/07 Section: News
A full-bearded young man with shoulder length curling brown hair in an olive green sweater decorated with floral embroidery stood with his hands resting in the back pockets of his fitted jeans.
Underneath him, his bare feet, identifying him as 'barefoot man' an OSU student who never wears shoes, no matter the weather.
What most people who spot him on campus don't know about him is his earnest attempts to practice a primitive lifestyle, not just appear counter cultural in his fashion.
Eric Dinsfriend, a sophomore in general agriculture, transferred from Biola University in Southern California to OSU this year. He has avoided wearing shoes since high school.
His choice to not wear shoes was never a religious conviction or social statement, he simply doesn't like wearing shoes.
"I just really enjoy going barefoot and I don't enjoy shoes so it's logical not to wear shoes," Dinsfriend said.
Also unique in Dinsfriend's appearance is the length of his hair and beard. Again, Dinsfriend did not attribute these choices in appearance to any moral conviction.
"I don't have a long beard and long hair and bare feet to look like Christ or anything. It's just personally how I like to look," Dinsfriend said. "But I am Jewish, so the long beard and the long locks let me feel more in touch with my Jewish self."
Part of Dinsfriend's relatives were living in Poland at the time of the Holocaust. Some of them got out safely, but others did not.
His great uncle was a wealthy doctor and did not expect that his family would be taken to a concentration camp, and did not leave Poland in time.
In desperation he sowed diamonds underneath the skin of his children and wife, Dinsfriend's great aunt, to bribe the guards. Despite these efforts none of them were able to escape the death camps.
Dinsfriend does not practice Judaism but is proud of his heritage.
At Biola Dinsfriend was studying music, majoring in the saxophone. He also plays the flute, bassoon and clarinet. His favorite instrument is the lute.
Underneath him, his bare feet, identifying him as 'barefoot man' an OSU student who never wears shoes, no matter the weather.
What most people who spot him on campus don't know about him is his earnest attempts to practice a primitive lifestyle, not just appear counter cultural in his fashion.
Eric Dinsfriend, a sophomore in general agriculture, transferred from Biola University in Southern California to OSU this year. He has avoided wearing shoes since high school.
His choice to not wear shoes was never a religious conviction or social statement, he simply doesn't like wearing shoes.
"I just really enjoy going barefoot and I don't enjoy shoes so it's logical not to wear shoes," Dinsfriend said.
Also unique in Dinsfriend's appearance is the length of his hair and beard. Again, Dinsfriend did not attribute these choices in appearance to any moral conviction.
"I don't have a long beard and long hair and bare feet to look like Christ or anything. It's just personally how I like to look," Dinsfriend said. "But I am Jewish, so the long beard and the long locks let me feel more in touch with my Jewish self."
Part of Dinsfriend's relatives were living in Poland at the time of the Holocaust. Some of them got out safely, but others did not.
His great uncle was a wealthy doctor and did not expect that his family would be taken to a concentration camp, and did not leave Poland in time.
In desperation he sowed diamonds underneath the skin of his children and wife, Dinsfriend's great aunt, to bribe the guards. Despite these efforts none of them were able to escape the death camps.
Dinsfriend does not practice Judaism but is proud of his heritage.
At Biola Dinsfriend was studying music, majoring in the saxophone. He also plays the flute, bassoon and clarinet. His favorite instrument is the lute.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Anonymous
posted 5/24/07 @ 11:58 PM PST
Eric is perhaps one of the most genuine, sweet, real people I know. He is very humble, too. It was really cool because I ran into him on campus the day before this came out and had no idea that he was appearing in an article. (Continued…)
uk online shoes
posted 8/28/08 @ 5:42 AM PST
If someone doesn't like to wear shoes it really doesn't matter to me. I think being barefoot is not a problem as far as style/fashion of someone is concerned. (Continued…)
uk_online_shoes
uk online shoes
posted 8/28/08 @ 5:48 AM PST
If someone doesn't like to wear shoes it really doesn't matter to me. I think being barefoot is not a problem as far as style/fashion of someone is concerned. (Continued…)
Weblog
posted 9/23/08 @ 4:26 AM PST
I had read about a college that is famous for having many students walking around without any shoes on. The article told how they like how it makes their feet feel on the sole. (Continued…)
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