The Shiva-Aladdin Drawing

[Abishai100]

Here's a dialogue between Shiva (Hindu god of destruction) and Aladdin (fabled Arabian wanderer who became a prince by the hand of a genie) about 'Starbucks redemption.'

They say consumerism breeds natural sarcasm (e.g., "Anyone been to Burger King lately?"), so the riddle posed in this thread is, 'Is this Shiva-Aladdin consumerism-themed dialogue meant to be idealistic or cynical?'

YOU DECIDE!


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SHIVA: So what troubles you on this gorgeous October Saturday morning, Prince Aladdin?
ALADDIN: I know I've come a long way thanks to my genie-in-the-lamp, but I'm still human...
SHIVA: Everyone's 'human.'
ALADDIN: What do you mean?
SHIVA: Everyone hurts. So what can I help you with, my fortunate friend?
ALADDIN: It's my wife (Jasmine). The royal community frowns upon her saris.
SHIVA: They find Jasmine's saris to be...too plain or gaudy?
ALADDIN: Too plain!
SHIVA: This hurts your mind...
ALADDIN: Yes!
SHIVA: What does this royal community do to express this dissatisfaction?
ALADDIN: They call her a 'common princess.'
SHIVA: Well, that is hurtful indeed, even to a fortunate prince such as yourself.
ALADDIN: That is why I contacted you, Lord Shiva. My genie is confounded...
SHIVA: Your genie has done much for you, so I will give him a break and help you myself!
ALADDIN: You are as gracious as they claim you are...though you seem rather hermetic.
SHIVA: I'm a hermit, Aladdin. So, Jasmine is hurt by this unfair 'town-talk,' and you like her 'plain saris.'
ALADDIN: Yes, and I want the slander to stop!
SHIVA: Tell everyone Jasmine loves Starbucks coffee (since it boasts that pretty female mermaid-siren logo).
ALADDIN: How will Starbucks (and its mermaid-siren logo) save Jasmine's reputation?
SHIVA: If people think Jasmine values Starbucks, they will think she is 'efficiency-minded.'
ALADDIN: Oh, right, since coffee represents 'high-speed rejuvenation.'
SHIVA: Precisely, Aladdin. Now go and watch Sinbad films with Jasmine and drink coffee...
ALADDIN: I will tell Sinbad of your unusual and magical will!
SHIVA: Good.
ALADDIN: Everytime Jasmine and I enjoy Starbucks coffee, we will think of your 'capitalism courtship'...

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SHIVA & ALADDIN:

 

[toobfreak]

Actually, Shiva is the Deity of Dissolution, returning the Cosmic manifestation to its unmanifest state, the other two arms of the triad being Brahma, Demigod of Creation and Vishnu, in charge of maintaining the cosmic manifestation.

 

[Abishai100]

Killing Fields

Well, I wasn't being too formal, I simply wanted to use folk-avatars to talk about consumerism cynicism (very generally), so here's a consumerism-fun dialogue about an anti-Shaivist modelling himself after Jason Voorhees (the iconic hockey-mask wearing serial-killing zombie from the Friday the 13th horror-film franchise) and talking about the anti-capitalism symbolism potentially 'hidden' in images of Kali (Hindu goddess of feminine power) and their link to consumerism-distaste.

This sarcastic dialogue was inspired by the consumerism/media-perspiration film The Fan.


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SHIVA: Why are you wearing a hockey-mask in my temple?
JASON: I've come to you not as my human-persona but as Jason Voorhees!
SHIVA: So, you think you're some incarnation of Jason?
JASON: Yes, and I have a message from goddess Kali!
SHIVA: What does she want?
JASON: Kali has sent me on a psychic mission to cover New Yorkers in mud and chop off their hands!
SHIVA: Why would Kali tell you to do such a thing?
JASON: New Yorkers (and all Americans!) have become obsessed with gambling and are Earth-polluters.
SHIVA: So why does Kali want you to dress them in mud and cut off their hands?
JASON: Kali represents primal rage and the vengeance of earth and the corruption of Earth!
SHIVA: In that case, we might both agree that Kali definitely does not represent pure pity...
JASON: So?
SHIVA: If you're a 'messenger' trying to 'emulate' Jason, you seem to have no interest in religion...
JASON: Religion is not just about pity.
SHIVA: The gods do not deify dirt and filth; they discuss focused fury and more so controlled-anger.
JASON: Why does Kali run around like a nudist bent on hellfire and ecstasy?
SHIVA: Why are you asking me? You should ask her! My guess is she's interested in humor...
JASON: I'm tired of Starbucks, Captain America, and Donald Trump.
SHIVA: I don't think Jason has the cure for you. You should consider meditation or sculpture!
JASON: Maybe I'll make an ice-sculpture of the Starbucks mermaid-siren logo.
SHIVA: Yes, she is beautiful, and she might inspire you to do less self-destructive ugliness.
JASON: Maybe I'll just go home and rent Friday the 13th on Netflix and make personal peace with Planet Hollywood.

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