De Rigeur Without Rigor.
Recently I was defeated by a moment of television absurdity... introduced, on the catwalks of Paris no less, was a ludicrously expensive bauble for an even more ludicrous clientele.De rigeur this season, the designer Remote Alcohol Monitor anklet.
Go ahead, take a moment.
Now this warrants a blog entry of its own, but how to satirize something beyond parody?
It does, however, serve as an excellent segue... I happen to be excited about reading Amusing Ourselves To Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Showbusiness, by Neil Postman. Many of his most salient points regarding our image-based culture and the lack of a typographical context, are here illustrated.
The trivializing effect of presenting serious, or grave information as entertainment, is here depicted by the electronic shackle of some vacuous starlet, who's neurotic self-indulgence has led to addiction and shame, now accessorized by a prominent design house.
Don't let's waste mental horsepower on fame and fashion here, except to say it represents the reductio ad absurdum of medium as message and metaphor. What gets more purchase here, so to speak, is this same effect on political discourse particularly during the US presidential contest.
There is a complete lack of substance and content in their communication, despite the ridiculous degree of scrutiny on their lives. Not for any substantive ideological analysis, but more for any discernible politically incorrect gaff, or maybe an indication of uncertainty like a hesitation or maybe a pause to think... that is always considered disastrous. Obama was repeatedly shown sneezing today. I wonder how it will poll?
Imagine that we have reached the point where if a public figure, the stature and import of a presidential candidate, is not flawless with their crafted and rehearsed demagoguery, if they actually betray a real opinion, that it is considered a liability or mistake that could alienate voters? Indeed, this type of bizarre inversion actually does influence voters.
Yet the appetite for meaningless information, or disinformation, is not sated until
we have literally stared up John McCain's colon. Picture a room full of so-called journalists pouring over images of a man's intestinal tract, with limited or no knowledge of what they are seeing, just to find out if he has the shelf-life to be president; never mind what exactly he will, or will not be alive to actually do or decide... that seems much less important.Is this trend irreversible? Is the freefall into moronic, bleating culture death unavoidable? Moreover, is it complete, 'cause I want, at least, to enjoy the temporary rebound when the body hits bottom and bounces.
posted by Atomos @ 03:02
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