Hello, how are You today?
Do you feel Brand-New or Dirt-Old?
The specific words we use in everyday living have a huge impact on the way our brains process our experiences.
When we read "dirt-old" as an adjective to describe ourselves, it's typically not seen as positive, whereas "brand-new" somehow communicates
"freshness" and reminds me of that good ol' proverb from Brave New World :"less stiches, more riches."
In the external world, we have our senses relaying data about stimuli at any given time, but in the internal world, our memories and thoughts which
are also a part of any given experience, and (especially nowadays) the
science of "programming" how we process those thoughts and memories
through words and phrases, has become refined to the point where their motives are a little bit too obvious for comfort..
a BRAND originally meant a symbol made of metal, which would be heated up and used to burn the symbol into the skin of an animal or slave as a proof
of ownership..
does this word really mean anything different today..?
These days the word "Brand" typically describes a company which specializes in a certain product, and the Brand is supposed to just a be a "simple way
of representing themselves"
..right?
well think of this: when slaves were being branded, they were stuck with that ONE brand, and that ONE owner.. but nowadays (yanno.. now that
"slavery is outlawed" ) the brands are on T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Hats, Backpacks, bumper-stickers, etc etc etc etc... and better yet, they've figured
out a way to get "the slaves" to BUY the brands!
the work is done for them..
but where is the real "slavery" aspect of this, you ask?
Its when people act as "agents" or "representatives" for any given company
without any payment, suggestion, or affiliation with the company,
besides buying their products.. their mistaken identity confuses the product for a part of themselves.
It is when an adolescent goes from wondering to themselves "I keep seeing people wearing clothes that say 'Abercrombie'.. I wonder what that is?" to
actually exclaiming "me and my friends always shop at Abercrombie when we go to the mall!"
..they begin to
identify themselves with the brand..
Most people don't seem to see this at all, or if they do they don't see it as a "big deal".. but I beg to differ.
When a person's head is filled with insignias and slogans, there's not much room for original thought is there? combine those brands with a
manufactured cult-ure (such is portrayed in mainstream hip-hop videos, and MTV in general) and they have a perfectly cyclical process of marketing to
people, getting those folks who are vulnerable to suggestion, convincing them that "they will have friends and will belong, if you join OUR culture"
and the rest is taken care of by the consumer..
i mean, look at the "club scene" these days..
is anyone even pretending that it's about taking part in an actual culture..? or is it just a meeting-place and/or mating-ground for the slaves..?
you have a crowd of mostly lonely and/or bored people, crowded into a small area with THROBBING bass frequencies, the most repetitive drum beat (yes,
singular "beat" haha. "n-tsk-n-tsk-n-tsk-n-tsk"), alcohol, and.. what is there to talk about?
on average, people will talk about BRANDS!!! or at least their favorite movie stars, TV shows, cars, phones, etc..
(bits of real conversations I've heard in passing during the rare occasion that i cruise around seattle or bellingham...)
"what kind of cell phone do you have? Oh damn, i just have THIS crappy 3G phone.."
"oh i like that jacket, where did you get it?"
"OMG, that commercial is so funny!! oh oh, did you see that one where.."
"wait.. Donna from That 70s Show is dating WHO???"
"did you hear that Microsoft was going to "
"Yeah, Boeing is going to be working on a new jet this year.."
blah blah blah.
my point is: They're not talking about their own lives.. I'm sure someone will respond saying "yeah.. haven't you ever had a conversation before..?
what else do YOU talk about with people?" and i would say "my friends and I talk about OUR lives, OUR interests, and OUR ambitions" and while this may
include a movie here, and mentioning an album there.. the FOCUS of our conversations and friendships
is focused on our relationship as two people
talking, not sponges of pop-culture, trying to get some sort of recognition or admiration by demonstrating our knowledge and participation in "our
modern world"..
people take it for granted that these companies and their products
are doing the best that anyone could possibly do.. critical thinking
doesn't even enter into it,
and it is this which worries me.
how is our species going to progress if people can't think further ahead than the status quo? Where is it written that conformity has EVER led to
innovation and less-suffering in the world..? Why do people say people like Bill Gates are "smart" just because they know how to utilize marketing?
When did real innovation and creative effort become "unfashionable"..?
Perhaps it's time to stop parading our brands around town, trying to make new "friends" and perhaps then we might live our lives to their full
potential and make ACTUAL friends in the process..?
If you stopped playing the role of who you are TOLD you are
supposed to be..
..who would you be..?
edit on 19-2-2014 by HyphenSt1 because: typos