City
Graffitists Resist Xmas Advertising
There's something about the marketing deluge of the xmas shopping season that I find strangely hypnotic. The ads and the sharpie-wielders' response to them fascinate me, especially when I find myself succumbing.
I don't watch a lot of TV, I try to ignore billboards as much as possible, and have learned to overlook the hundreds of ads in print media (unless they mention something specific that I've been considering anyway, like the yoga studio ads in eye and Now).
But over the past couple of weeks - I find myself craving things whose actual value escapes me. I blame my metro pass and the wallpaper of giant ads on the TTC - there's nothing else to read.
Suddenly I find myself considering things I don't need (and usually can't afford), like an iPod (I have a cheap mp3 player that works just fine, but doesn't have the memory capacity - although really nothing's stopping me from getting a memory card for it), a new phone (those pretty Samsungs from Bell look a lot nicer right now than my Kyocera - whose antenna has snapped off), and possibly a new phone service (though realistically I can't part with my phone number, nor do I want to sign on for three more years of mediocre Bell service to get a pretty phone for half it's usual price).
Shouldn't I at least be wanting to get this stuff for other people?
Lucky for me, there are some anti-capitalist sticker-wielding graffitists out to remind everyone that you don't need to buy stuff you want. And, since this is Toronto and everything's up for discussion, some equally defiant capitalists responded with succinct yet pointed arguments about the validity of shopping.
In case you can't read the pen marks, it says:
(on the first sticker)
Fuck U, I (heart) retail therapy
What People?
(on the second)
What if it really would?
Do you have an alternative?
Discussion
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I saw these stickers at St.George station but the camera on my phone sucks. Maybe I should ask Santa for a new one? ;)
Be careful what you wish for Jerrold, you might just get another Nokia 6682.
I saw one of those stickers stuck on the window of a subway car. It was half torn. I feel sorry for the guy that has to waste his time trying to scrub it off the window.
The only thing more awesome than advertising is wannabe guerrilla ad-busting vandalism.
Graffiti rules, but on the other hand consumerism _is_ real life. Sorry.
Anyone who says another piece of clothing won't make you happy obviously doesn't know where the awesome clothes are! I need me some Le Chateau fitted vests...
i saw some kids putting up those stickers on the bloor west subway car. they couldn't have been over 20, and were clearly pleased with themselves while putting up the stickers maintenance workers would surely spend hours tearing down.
one of the wannabe anarchists didn't seem to mind wearing nike shoes, though.
Probably the work of the AdBusters-affiliated local group. They've been looking for something to do, and I guess the 6 Weeks of Christmas came just in time.
Consumerism is a part of "real" life, but it's at a level nowadays that is unrea compared to the rest of the course of human history. People should spend less time shopping, and more time doing ANYTHING else with their life. Go out there and get a life. Shopping is not a hobby!
Number two, this time of year was about famiy, good will and religious faith. When did it become about making some rich fat white men at the top of the corporate later even more rich?
If you think Christmas has become to commerciaized, here is your chance to do nothing about it.
www.buynothingchirstmas.org
Boo hoo, everyone should stop buying things!
Ad-busting in these situations are so hypocritical and, I find, condescending when it's coming from middle-class teenagers. It's impossible to buy nothing nowadays, just be reasonable, set a good example and have more faith in your urban neighbour that we don't all go out, blow our paycheques on Reitman's winter line and abuse the children in 3rd world countries that manufacture them.
Karen, if not the middle-class teenagers... who?
I saw a guy on tv last week complaining that Best Buy is witholding nintendo wii's from the public. wtf?
That's who needs to be snapped out of their frickin' daze, the guy who won't stand up for anything but goes to the media because he doesn't a f'in Wii. Pathetic.
consumerism is not real life. if that's what you truly believe than i have nothing but pity for you.
it is possible to live without buying anything, but the idea is more symbolic that literal. what i can't understand is why everyone is so willing to work the vast majority of their lives away so they can afford to buy meaningless trite. is a phone/car/computer/tv/whatever really worth the time you wasted slaving for the money to buy it?
there's a reason why our happiness hasn't improved with the economy, and there's a reason why the increase in mental health problems has. we live in a culture where money is more imporant than people. if you disagree then tell me why there are so many homeless people out on the street?
stickers on subway windows are definately not cool either..
"Trite" isn't a noun.
not to be off-topic or anyway.. but it's whatever i want it to be. besides, nor is "kicks"
*sigh* ..sorry ;]
to reduce all homeless people down to being on the street because they don't have money/because of our money focussed society is a bit rich.
surely we don't need all those things to be 'happy'(what is that anyways) but they do help in the comfort of living, which leads to happiness... to some...