The schlub of the earth

[jouis_sens]

A television commercial on an airport screen mid-week treated me to some of the boldest and most unapologetic classism in recent memory:



Quickly now, run along and fetch yourself one of these devices.   Surely you're not some fat, greasy, lumpen who does not possess The Very Latest Electronics.   What are you, some kind of animal?

Comments

[daoinesidh]

Consumerism consumerism consumerism ... the preeminent god of our system in the U.S., and a deity who has a disturbingly powerful influence over the minds of so many, but especially our youth. And yes, as signsof has pointed out, this ad is especially rife with the horribly cruel message of "all the cool kids are doing it" ... something that has of course been a prevalent part of Western cultures for some time now, but which has become wrapped up with all the worst of the worst of late! I simply cannot keep up with all the latest trends these days, because they are insidiously (or perhaps not so insidiously now) linked to this technology that changes so fast that I get a migraine just thinking about it. I have a laptop, we own one mobile phone (for business and emergencies), and I have a iPod thingamagummy (NOT an iPhone thingamagummy), which I OCCASIONALLY use to check email when in Vancouver, BC. Other than that, I have a house full of books and lovely antiques, and a LAND line phone (the latter said in shocked tones by my 20- and 30-something year-old acquaintances ... sighs!) ... oh, and I own THREE manuel (not electric) typewriters, which I take out from time to time to remember how to take my time when writing. And the wind-up clock in my icon is one of four that we actually use (also said in those shocked tones by certain acquaintances) in our house. Also, being on the slightly smaller side of average in size (not at all a lumpen), where does the message in this ludicrous commercial place me? A non-entity perhaps? Oh the twisted and absurd language of this era's visual and tech culture ... and the MILLIONS spent in creating this ridiculous commercials ... enough, I say, enough! Sighs!

My soapbox for the day ... not that soap comes in those sturdy old boxes anymore!

[jouis_sens]

Oh of course you're a non-entity: people over 40 don't exist. I love the old manual typewriters, but I'll go you one better - I still sometimes write by hand, on big yellow legal pads, a fact my recent publisher found, in his words, "fabulously eccentric." It is only in such a world as this that the most basic, unadorned acts read as "eccentric."

[daoinesidh]

Oh, I am called eccentric all the time (out loud to my face, or whispered behind closed doors and cupped hands in hushed tones) ... my dearest too ... we are that eccentric older couple who still rents and doesn't OWN, and has just too many books to be decent ... oh dear! :) Not only are we both over 40, but we are not land barons, which makes us double non-entities in the good old U.S.A ... sighs! :) :)

My dear, I am going to one-up your legal pads. From time to time, in order to slow down to a speed that even the old Underwoods and Remingtons can't impose upon me, I pull out my ink bottles and nib pens, and write on parchment paper. We should really meet sometime and write poetry in an internet cafe ... wouldn't that be grand?! :)

And now I am going to edit that previous comment of mine, which was typed in a hasty state of emotion on my speedy MacBook, leaving the blaring error of "this ridiculous commercials", just caught as I read it out loud to my dearest. Yes! I edit everything I write, and I am eccentric and proud of it! Poetry written on parchment in an internet cafe ... I tell you, it would be grand! :)

[daoinesidh]

Well, now the dratted thing won't let me edit the comment. I suppose there is some solace in the fact that I admitted my grammatical error! :)

[jouis_sens]

You needn't fret, we don't frown upon grammatical misdemeanors here; in our line of work, it is only profound, unrepented ontopolitical crimes that are singled out for well-deserved derision and punishment.