May 18, 2003
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In a previous ‘blog, I told the tale of freeing myself from an old, old craving for a motor scooter. In his responses, Sejanus offers opinion as to why I am wrong about these conclusions I’ve reached. He essentially says that what I describe as a culture of gimme-gimme consumerism could also be described as a culture that can deliver what I desire when I want it, and how could this possibly be a bad thing?
Now, I’ve had a similar set of arguments a number of times, with a number of people. I’ve explained, in cool, unimpeachable logic, the seemingly endless boundaries of US consumer culture. I’ve elucidated the US consumer culture’s danger to the rest of the world, as issues ranging from the simple (waste creation alone) to the complex (IMF, biodiversity, climate change). I’ve argued this many, many times and felt the sting of noncomprehension from the small-minded and slow-witted. In fact, I’ve been literally jeered at and taunted for expressing my ideas about the country in which I live (that’s why they call ‘em reactionaries). But the fact is that I’m trapped here with you in this culture, and cannot escape, even if I were to run off to the far reaches of the globe, where the US’ presence is felt even if only as a disconcerting hum you hear at night when the wind has died down and the people have gone to sleep and the howler monkeys are dreaming of low-slung branches full of fruit. The hum is still there, connecting me and you and everyone else on this doomed world.
And the other fact is that I refuse to make it easy for people who want to deny me my own exploration of what it means to be an American.
So if you want to argue with me about my experience of living in this country where people judge each other’s emotional state based on which brand of clothing they put on, where the GDP justifies anything and everything, where government props up failing airlines but cuts back benefits to the families of the servicemen who just fought and died in Iraq, where people think TV is real, where we’ve given our minds over to whoever tells us the best story, where the urge toward individualism is stifled at every turn by people who believe themselves to be rebels, where identity is packaged and sold as easily as sunglasses and a pair of shoes, where beauty and truth are forgotten terms… If you want to argue with my experience of all those things, please be aware that if I entertain the presence of your tired apologetics within the sacrosanct boundary of my ‘blog, it’s because I think you have something to learn.
My desire to own a motor scooter did come from the culture where I was raised, and you can’t convince me otherwise. I can defend my thesis, but why should I go to the effort?
If you want to discuss what all this means, please use the comment box below. If you want to drag me from ‘human’ back down to ‘consumer,’ just so you can feel good about your own lot in life, please find something better to do with your time.
Comments (12)
“He essentially says that what I describe as a culture of gimme-gimme consumerism could also be described as a culture that can deliver what I desire when I want it, and how could this possibly be a bad thing?”
Say what? Sorry, but you just TOTALLY and BLATANTLY misrepresented what I said. Go back and read it again, I’ll wait……
Ok. Was I making a statement on the goodness a culture that caters to your desires? No. I wasn’t making any sort of statement on culture at all. I was saying I think you’re WAY over-analyzing and over complicating simple human appeal to novelty and play…and trying to turn it into evidence for some Socio-Cultural Thesis on Consumerism demading that you programed that you must own this scooter. I was saying man, lighten-up, just to borrow a scooter and get it out of your system. So then you even over-analyze my simple suggestion and turn THAT into me making some sort of statement praising instant gratification and a Consumer Culture. REALX. Not every action or event in the world or every statement someone makes is part of some grand cultural struggle or evidence of Consumer programming. Sometimes a cigar is JUST a cigar. Sometimes a scooter is JUST a scooter. And I believe now, more than ever before, that you REALLY NEED that scooter ride.
Get away from it all for a while and lighten up a bit. I’m an analytical person by nature too, but I recognize the need to “turn it off” and enjoy life for what it is. Because the mind is an amazing thing and it can create patterns and interconnections among things all day it you let it, regardless of whether they are real connections.
Second point. As far as I know, nobody can deny you your exporation of what it means to be an American, and ESPECIALLY not over a blog. Of course, if you choose to do your exporation in public, then you have to expect to have people point out their disagreement. These blogs are interactive ya’ know. The equivalent of having alot of people on your bus journey of exploration, you’re to have people tell you to turn left, turn right, “lets go there and see the World’s Largest Ball of String” or shouting “PLEASE STOP I HAVE TO PEE!” If you wanted this to be a private exploration, without people voicing their disagreements or counter suggestions to yours, then much like masterbation I recommend you do it privately so you’ll enjoy it more. :)
Anyway, I’m a bit murky how this “deny” thing is supposed to work.
Third point regarding these comments of yours: “I’ve argued this many, many times and felt the sting of noncomprehension from the small-minded and slow-witted.” and “If you want to argue with my experience of all those things, please be aware that if I entertain the presence of your tired apologetics within the sacrosanct boundary of my ‘blog, it’s because I think you have something to learn.”
Ok…so maybe I was wrong about the whole ”xanga blog” thing. I came to the conclusion that it was a place where people discussed matters that interest them with other people, sometimes agreeing and somtimes disagreeing. I wasn’t aware it was supposed to be a pullpit for enlightening the poor heathen masses of “small-minded” and “slow-witted” in the Gospel According to the Blogger. Obviously resorting to namecalling and insulting people on your blog because they dare to disagree with you is your right, but I think it’s counter-productive and makes you look bad.
I will simply say what I’ve said before. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t mean they are stupid, small-minded, slow-witted, ignorant, uninformed, unenlightened, a dupe, or a bad person. The sooner you come to terms with that, I think the better off you will be. But that’s just my opinion and my way of looking a people and ideas. Obviously you’re not required to agree with it.
BTW. Because my parents taught me manners and all that crazy out-dated stuff about being respectful to others; if you find my posting my opinions and disagreements in response to your blogs undesireable or uncomfortable, just respond “Sejanus, I really don’t want your opnions in my blog.” I’ll respect your wishes and cease posting here. Otherwise I’ll continue to express my honest opinion, whatever it is, when I think I have a comment to make.
In a twisted sort of way, I really really LIKE Sejanus, but it’s a love/hate sort of thing. He/She has gotten on MY nerves too many times, and made me explain myself to the nth degree. It gets old sometimes.
Am I the irritant grain of sand that helps an oyster make a perl? Or am I the bad Chow Mein that kept you hugging…or sitting on…the toilet all night?
Nah…nothing quite so dramatic…just another shemp on the internet, a voice among many…with WAY to much free time on my hands today apparently since I’m following up in the same day. I’m going to go make a meatloaf or something, talk amongst yourselves.
Much love Femme.
See my 2 PM entry, “Phaedrus Lives!”
Sej: You told me that my desire for a scooter didn’t come from where I know it comes from. I’m defending my experiences versus your analysis of my ‘blog. It’s as if I had ‘blogged that I stubbed my toe the other day, and you said, “No, you’re just overanalyzing the propensity of the curb to run into your foot.”
If you want to participate, please be respectful of this sort of thing, or I will surely jump down your throat again.
It’s kinda’ silly to hash over this I-Said/He-Said since it’s right here. I expressed a different opinion from yours…it’s not like I shot the Pope or ate your last KrispyKream or something.
Your example is kinda’ straw-man like though. If you’d blogged that you stubbed your toe I don’t imagine I’d say anything, other than perhaps “ouch!” But if you blogged that you stubbed your toe because of the programmed cultural pressures to increase wear and tear on your sneakers, thus enforcing planned obsolesence and your requirement to consume…then yeah…I’d say you’re overanalyzing again. Thats a more apples-to-apples example.
I think I am participating respectfully. Does respect require agreement with you? Participating respectfully means that I only speak to praise or express agreement with you? I don’t agree. It’s not like I called your not sharing my differing opinion “noncomprehension from the small-minded and slow-witted.”
So I guess you’re going to be jumping down my throat again. Though frankly, I didn’t realize you were jumping down it the first time.
Awww. I love you guys. Even though you’re from totally different pods.
TWO E-PROPS!!! This is the most entertaining blog & responses that I`ve read EVER!
Jeeez, you guys just get married already! FUCK.
(I want a scooter too. There are many practical reasons for owning one, including the reduction of fuel emissions and lesser traffic congestion.)
(notwithstanding, I *am* slow-witted and small-minded.)
Femme: Yup, if I were any more lovable I’d come pre-packaged with a bottle of Joy Jelly. hehehe
MarcoPolo: I’ve never really wanted a scooter…I’m on a one man mission to bring on Eco-Armageddon you see
…but I have to admit it’s starting too sound like fun for just tooling around on. I can’t see taking business clients to lunch on one though…. Maybe a side-car…YEAH! 
LOL to the side car and joy jelly!
Scooters are cool.
I think a lot of the time we (collectively, we) try to put our words in other peoples mouths, because it’s more convenient than listening to what the other person is saying. A digest version of the universe.
and like I said, scooters are cool.
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