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BRANDED - A Case of Mistaken Identity

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posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 02:12 PM
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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



posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 02:30 PM
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LOL. You are a literalist. Remind me not to converse with you! Just messing with ya. You are a real listener. That has to be tough especially if you read too deeply and literally. But I get you.

Sometimes people should be careful about what they say. Especially when introducing or giving salutations. If you ask me how I am doing in a brisk casual way, I will tell people exactly how i feel at that particular moment regardless if you have time or not. It catches people off gaurd. LOL

How am I doing? Well let me tell you...........I have a sebaceous cyst on my backside and I can't walk or sit comfortably! Be careful what you ask with me, because my response will be directly honest .


I know I wasn't exactly on topic, but i get your gist.



posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 03:37 PM
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I take it you make your own clothes?
2nd line



posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 05:12 PM
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reply to post by rangerdanger
 

you dont have to make your own clothes. Just do what i do and take the brand label off or avoid clothing that has a brand that can't be removed.



posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 06:06 PM
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EyesOpenMouthShut
reply to post by rangerdanger
 

you dont have to make your own clothes. Just do what i do and take the brand label off or avoid clothing that has a brand that can't be removed.


exactly. I haven't found it difficult to maintain a brand-less wardrobe for over ten years, and I hardly have to try. At any rate, I can find clothes of any type and of any quality at Value Village or Goodwill, and I just think that a person is going to naturally dress how they LIKE to dress, instead of shopping at one store and adopting their "style".

I am not claiming to live some "superior lifestyle", but I will say that I have naturally come to see most of the "Brand-Game" from a outside-perspective and it is difficult to not take the game too seriously sometimes. It just seems to extend in every direction, although it is known by different names..

"Parties" and "isms" for Politics and Religion and "genres" for film and music, have had the same effect on the industries and audiences. Aesthetics has become a free-for-all because we (at least Americans) are taught that "quality" and "innovation" are both ENTIRELY subjective, and this just isn't the case..
As far as I'm concerned, this mode of thinking has led to a world where its "stars" of Politics, Movies, Sports, Music, Religion, and Science are now enacting the "Emperor Wears No Clothes" but as is the case in the story, very few are willing to see the truth of it..

I guess we'll just hafta strap ourselves in and see where the ride takes us!



posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 06:11 PM
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reply to post by EyesOpenMouthShut
 


Or, be more secure in who you are and understand that the cloths you where has nothing to do with who you are.

The Bot



posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 06:21 PM
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reply to post by HyphenSt1
 





edit on 19-2-2014 by hounddoghowlie because: (no reason given)



posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 06:29 PM
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haha i dunno bout that. It's not that I'm taking it too literally, so much as i have trouble not seeing things on multiple "levels" simultaneously..

Homonyms have been my favorite part of the English language for a long time, and (whether intentionally or subconsciously) I think that there is a reason for certain words having many and sometimes contradictory meanings..

Language itself is what we use for "thoughts" and "plans", and if you look into children who were raised by wolves etc, you'll find that language is not a naturally occurring thing..

By building upon syntax, context, and subtleties in language, the human brain can create a matrix of meaning and use them as fulcrums on which to balance goals and priorities. However, when the brain goes on "auto-pilot" (usually around adolescence) it seems that a person can be "programmed" quite easily IF they are not aware of HOW and WHY they think and do what they do..

If people became aware of this.. THEN what..? haha.

what if originality and innovation ITSELF became "cool"..?



posted on Feb, 19 2014 @ 06:41 PM
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EyesOpenMouthShut
reply to post by rangerdanger
 

you dont have to make your own clothes. Just do what i do and take the brand label off or avoid clothing that has a brand that can't be removed.

You could go one better.

My in-laws have their own clothing brand. They import shirts and pants from the factory. Cost per piece = $3.00. That's right ... $3.00. Doesn't matter what you want ... $3.00. Now, ask yourself why the mark-up averages 15 to 20 times that. Everyone oughta take a trip to China and look at the clothing factories and the warehouses chock full of ready-to-ship textiles. It's hard to take in mentally.




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