- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
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This is a commerce-culture vignette inspired by the film Toys.
Signing off,
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The Blue Knight descended from heaven to address modern-day America's problems regarding consumerism-convenience culture (e.g., eBay, eTrade, Burger King, Facebook, Wall Street, etc., etc.) gluttonies. The Blue Knight was concerned that Americans had convenient access to hardware tools (e.g., Home Depot) and guns (e.g., NRA) because of commerce-culture. He wondered if Americans had lost a basic appreciation of the intrinsic value of tools and toys!
The Blue Knight was studying the archaeological value of the Indian boti (a basic blade-and-board kitchen tool used for cutting foods on the floor with hand-and-foot). The boti was responsible for a number of household kitchen accidents involving women cutting their hands and feet while using the item to prepare meals for their families. The Blue Knight understood that the boti was not unlike the modern Ninja blender kitchen-tool (and for that matter the Keurig home coffee-maker) and therefore needed to be appreciated in terms of tool-use for a consumerism-based 'culture.'
As the Blue Knight proceeded with his 'kitchen-tool crusade' in the name of consumerism and commerce-idealism, a demonic presence named Pyro (a 'pure' arsonist) ascended from the depths of hell to serve as a prophetic 'Devil's Advocate.' Pyro believed that modern America's focus on convenience-based access to goods and services (e.g., eTrade) signified a developed interest in frivolity and fun --- a thrill-based approach to society etiquette. Pyro was a real nemesis of the Blue Knight, since the knight was more concerned with values and etiquette than fun and frivolity.
Pyro and the Blue Knight disguised themselves as academics and presented a debate at the prestigious Ivy League school Yale University about the norms and values of modern consumerism culture (which really was now global!).
PYRO: The Indian boti and the American chainsaw are terrific 'toys.'
BLUE KNIGHT: They are certainly handy-dandy, but they're not toys...
PYRO: You think too 'objectively' about commercialism.
BLUE KNIGHT: There's nothing 'laissez-faire' about mercantilism (e.g., NASDAQ).
PYRO: People have a right to have 'fun' with commerce (e.g., Toys 'R Us).
BLUE KNIGHT: We have to discriminate between imagination and idealism.
PYRO: I don't think there's a 'procedural' way to do that!
BLUE KNIGHT: I disagree! What about zoos? We observe animals imaginatively.
PYRO: Yes, but zoos are also 'cages' which remind us of liberty/freedom!
BLUE KNIGHT: Animal-themed avatars (e.g., Beast) remind us of prudence.
PYRO: Are you suggesting that Halloween-esque RPG (e.g., Catwoman) is 'religious'?
BLUE KNIGHT: Well, I'm suggesting that toys signify rationalism as much as frivolity.
PYRO: What about water-guns which symbolize non-violence as well as indulgence?
BLUE KNIGHT: Symbols of etiquette negotiation (e.g., water-guns) represent politics.
PYRO: I don't think we should politicize art.
BLUE KNIGHT: Consumerism is not merely art; it is also leadership...
PYRO: I will concede that mercantilism promotes 'aesthetics.'
BLUE KNIGHT: Let us agree than that the boti/chainsaw signify superstition!
====
Signing off,
====
The Blue Knight descended from heaven to address modern-day America's problems regarding consumerism-convenience culture (e.g., eBay, eTrade, Burger King, Facebook, Wall Street, etc., etc.) gluttonies. The Blue Knight was concerned that Americans had convenient access to hardware tools (e.g., Home Depot) and guns (e.g., NRA) because of commerce-culture. He wondered if Americans had lost a basic appreciation of the intrinsic value of tools and toys!
The Blue Knight was studying the archaeological value of the Indian boti (a basic blade-and-board kitchen tool used for cutting foods on the floor with hand-and-foot). The boti was responsible for a number of household kitchen accidents involving women cutting their hands and feet while using the item to prepare meals for their families. The Blue Knight understood that the boti was not unlike the modern Ninja blender kitchen-tool (and for that matter the Keurig home coffee-maker) and therefore needed to be appreciated in terms of tool-use for a consumerism-based 'culture.'
As the Blue Knight proceeded with his 'kitchen-tool crusade' in the name of consumerism and commerce-idealism, a demonic presence named Pyro (a 'pure' arsonist) ascended from the depths of hell to serve as a prophetic 'Devil's Advocate.' Pyro believed that modern America's focus on convenience-based access to goods and services (e.g., eTrade) signified a developed interest in frivolity and fun --- a thrill-based approach to society etiquette. Pyro was a real nemesis of the Blue Knight, since the knight was more concerned with values and etiquette than fun and frivolity.
Pyro and the Blue Knight disguised themselves as academics and presented a debate at the prestigious Ivy League school Yale University about the norms and values of modern consumerism culture (which really was now global!).
PYRO: The Indian boti and the American chainsaw are terrific 'toys.'
BLUE KNIGHT: They are certainly handy-dandy, but they're not toys...
PYRO: You think too 'objectively' about commercialism.
BLUE KNIGHT: There's nothing 'laissez-faire' about mercantilism (e.g., NASDAQ).
PYRO: People have a right to have 'fun' with commerce (e.g., Toys 'R Us).
BLUE KNIGHT: We have to discriminate between imagination and idealism.
PYRO: I don't think there's a 'procedural' way to do that!
BLUE KNIGHT: I disagree! What about zoos? We observe animals imaginatively.
PYRO: Yes, but zoos are also 'cages' which remind us of liberty/freedom!
BLUE KNIGHT: Animal-themed avatars (e.g., Beast) remind us of prudence.
PYRO: Are you suggesting that Halloween-esque RPG (e.g., Catwoman) is 'religious'?
BLUE KNIGHT: Well, I'm suggesting that toys signify rationalism as much as frivolity.
PYRO: What about water-guns which symbolize non-violence as well as indulgence?
BLUE KNIGHT: Symbols of etiquette negotiation (e.g., water-guns) represent politics.
PYRO: I don't think we should politicize art.
BLUE KNIGHT: Consumerism is not merely art; it is also leadership...
PYRO: I will concede that mercantilism promotes 'aesthetics.'
BLUE KNIGHT: Let us agree than that the boti/chainsaw signify superstition!
====
