(no subject)

[randomness]

From https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/keurig-papa-johns-and-the-politicization-of-american-junk:

There is something grotesque, demoralizing, and entirely fitting, in the Trump era, about seeing Americans act out political grievances through the quotidian and joyless consumer products that populate our lives, of seeing quick coffee and takeout pizza become the emblems by which we are left to define ourselves and the hills on which we die for our imagined ideals.

Comments

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.... OTOH, the consumer boycott has always been a favored tool of people who have political grievances.

In modern societies, shopping is a central self-creative act. You are what you consume and you get what you consume by shopping for it.
-- James B. Twitchell

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

"acts of self-inflicted property damage" seems to be an innovation, however, and that's the idea the linked piece leads with.

I think the whole "self-inflicted property damage" political tool is riotously funny. If it catches on perhaps people will come up with reasons to drive their cars off cliffs or set their houses on fire, helping the economy by increasing demand (assuming they'd be replacing their cars and houses afterward).

It's like Keynes and his idea of paying one group of people to dig holes in the ground and paying then to dig them up, except given a political motivation.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

It'd certainly make Twitter more interesting!

And then, Jedediah Purdy analyzed the photo of the guy wearing Nikes smashing up a Nike store, noting that this was entirely consistent with Nike's brand image:

Nike understands that in the wealthiest civilization ever, people don't just want more things. They want better selves: fuller lives, sharper feelings, and more satisfying relationships. Consumers want to do good and be good. If that means breaking rules, defying inane ad campaigns, understanding that material wealth doesn't bring spiritual satisfaction, and raising a little havoc to make the world fairer, Nike wants to help. It wants to be your sassy, mischievous, co-conspiring friend, there at the right time with a slap on the butt. You need to smash something to complete your goddesshood, Nike has smashing footwear for you. What else are friends for? What else *would* you wear to a protest?