Visual Essay
I figured that I would go in the direction of connecting my photos to the prominent theme, consumerism.
I chose this picture to best represent what a modern view of consumerism might look like, at least in our times. The picture takes some of the more commonly known labels/brand names. etc., and has turned them into a never ending cycle, which in a way, it is. We're built to consume, maybe not in the manner of buying things, but we need a lot of things, and unfortunately a lot of corporations take advantage of one of our weaker sides.
For me, I see the subject of this picture and I imagine it to look like one of the "units" in the story; so zoned out and constantly bombarded with images of "purchase Purchase PURCHASE". It's hard to imagine living a life when even after you've turned everything feedy off. It's like no privacy, your only motivation to get up would be to actually succumb to the feed, let yourself buy so it would stop.
The onion is great, it's so sarcastic and cynical, but ever so true. This picture reminds me of spending your way out of debt, not going to work, just as buying won't battle consumerism. It's more of a joke than anything, but it's so true. I could see it happening on the news, one of those bleach blond reporters saying you can buy your way out of buying.
For awhile, I've thought that it makes sense for companies to push holidays, and for more than one reason. Not only does that loving face of Santa {invented by Coke} make people buy their kids stuff, but it breeds them in the future to do so as well. Get 'em while their young, so the idea of purchasing is as much a part of them as going to the bathroom is. Same with the tooth-fairy, Easter bunny, and all the other holiday mascots. It's quite a revelation, when one realizes that this is true.
The original version of this photograph is ingrained into every one's brains-patriotic, heroic, noble-so it would make sense that the most recognised food chain in the world would replace the American flag so smoothly. The idea that we revere McDonald's is not far from the actuality in which we worship it. I doubt that if you visit any industrialized country in the world, you will meet someone who has not had McDonald's. In some ways, McDonald's is the international sign of "I'm fat, you're fat, lets be friends."
In the book, it's mentioned more than once that nature, in its reality, is gone because of the dangerous habits that we even use today, like clear-cutting and the "unclean", {if they ever can be} carbon missions. This picture really puts the raw consumption of the natural world that we don't see, into perspective. And it's funny how everyone is obeast, as my dad would say. We teeter precariously on the edge of the destruction of our world, and no one seems to care. At least no one that would ever be listened to.
This photo is so similar to the one with the soldiers erecting the McDonald's sign, except here is the true nature if America. So many of the common logos that we see on a daily basis, signs of or need to consume, our brainwashed need...are there for us to see, so blatantly put out there, exposing Americas shame for everyone to see.
This brings to mind the arrogance that the characters in feed are reduced to speaking, the manner in which they act that everything they're doing is fine, without question. Here, the idea of brainwashing comes to mind as I scan back and forth the similarities in these characters. It's sad to think, but some people, like Mall-of-America lady, don't even realize how much they spend and how much impact it really has on your life. Maybe not positive impact, either.
It's only a matter of time before religion gets dragged into our classroom, so lets start early. Jesus is supposed to represent everything positive. He loves everyone equally {even though the religious extremists say otherwise}, and yet this image renders him just as ignorant as the people in feed, demanding and blinded by the sheer consumerism pulsing through his veins. It makes sense that to get a message across, some people would put it into reality by "bashing" a religious figure, the only beacon the government has to keep us blind and following.
Everyone has come across that item in their life, the one that says what the picture does. But haven't we already gone over that fact that buying does not fill the void of unhappiness? I take pity on those who think it does. Filling your life with a bunch of mundane objects is not going to make you a better person, or make you live longer {although with this health care system, only the monetarily rich can afford it}, and like I saw while I was browsing images for this, "He who dies with the most toys...is just as dead".I hope this fits the parameters for the visual essay, but I can only be certain that I hope this sends a message to all who read it. I want everyone to know that their lives do not have to be dominated by the artificial need to buy. We can resist the feed together.
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