As a nerd/hipster I am really into the ideas of Culture Jam and the poem "It's gotta be the cheese." Modern America has become almost too modern is a sense. I just have to say though that Lasn is completely too blunt with her ideas. Within the first page she goes on to explain how a simple camping will make your kids experience the five stages of grief. I am an outdoorsy kind of person and when my parents would take me camping it was an amazing experience filled with hiking, fishing, and mountain biking. Now I am not saying that I am the perfect example of a average kid, but her statement was completely over-exaggerated.
Now that that is taken care of, the book is a very good read and (now that I brought myself to read it) I find it hard to put down. I completely agree with her idea about us (as a nation) being hypochondriacs. "Any trifling discomfort you might feel has been legitimized. Your pain is valid. If you think you're sick, you are." (page 10). That statement couldn't be any truer. Basically everyone has ADD, ADHD, RLS, or some other kind of abbreviation. When it comes down to it, it's the media that jams it down our throats. Watching any channel on TV there is always some kind of medicine being pushed that can cure you of your illness and if you're not aware of the illness they tell you the symptoms just so you can self-diagnose yourself with this new disease.
The poem "It's gotta be the cheese" pretty much explains post-modern America in a nut-shell, or should I say plastic cheese film (I know that was a terrible attempt at being witty.....but moving on). Everything you want, be it food or appliance is wrapped in some sort of plastic, to seal in the "freshness." Everything is mass-produced on a scale that wouldn't even be fathomable 100 years ago. It's sicking to me, although Aton Kadosh seems to love it in a weird sort of way. Do I agree with what is going on in America? No, but I really don't see it going on any other way
"if you're not aware of the illness they tell you the symptoms just so you can self-diagnose yourself with this new disease."
ReplyDeleteI found myself laughing when I read this...it's so true. "Hey doc, I don't know what's wrong with me, but I seem to be suffering from irritable bowl syndrome, chronic inflammation of the skin, and the inability to concentrate for more that 20 minutes. Do you think it could be (the dreaded) "X"??? If so, can I have "Y"??
What are we doing to ourselves?
I really like the last line of your post, and I completely agree with the statement. Even though the way things are going in society do make some of us sick, what would American society be today if it wasn't like this? And I also completely agree with you about Lasn over exaggerating points in the book.
ReplyDeleteTrue! When it comes to the commercials about medicine they are always trying to get people to take a certain kind of drug. However, the only way this happens is if we as a society are persuaded enough to feed into the lies/truths they may sell.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. the book is very overexagerated when he discusses people going camping. When get the chance to go outside I feel great and have never felt any stage of grief.
ReplyDeleteI liked reading your post, dude. I knew a girl that was all into adderal becuase she "had add" and couldn't function without the drug. Turns out, she was just fine for 15 years of her life, then all of the sudden she couldn't last without it. I think that not only commercials for drugs, but peopls perceptions of drugs has gone off the deep end. I like those commercials that say what the drug does then lists a whole slew of crazy side effects but people still want it.
ReplyDeleteOh well, I'm just tryin' to keep my head above water, thats about all us darn kids can do these days!