- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
- 250
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Does modernism remind you of propaganda?
This daydream-dystopian vignette was inspired by The 6th Day.
====
A slick California software designer named Cal Mask was travelling to Northern Italy with his baby-daughter Sivana when he discovered some strange Italian countryside spook-tale in a village about a mutant female named Spider-Woman tackling a forest-demon named Gray Goblin. Cal and Sivana headed towards a library to see if this local ghost-story was catalogued in the annals of the village's history. The library was small, but Cal found a citation of a sighting of Spider-Woman and Gray Goblin debating in the forest and then fighting over the issue of women's rights in modern civilization. They debated about video-game software, which intrigued Cal. Cal owned a software company called HellGateway (marketing to the college student and post-graduate café-society crowd of the modern American city). Sivana was along for the ride...
As you may not have anticipated, Spider-Woman was as diabolical as Gray Goblin and their discussion about dowry-related controversy in modern India stirred ideas about the sociological impact of a lack of cultural governance. Cal and Sivana Mask were now merely witnesses to what was a very symbolic debate between two underworld mystics. Spider-Woman had no intention of giving up easily or losing the argument to her rival and nemesis. Spider-Woman awoke and stared out her window and prepared that day for this great challenge.
As for the Gray Goblin, he was busy doing mischief with unnatural weapons, soaring on his jet-glider as if he were Satan himself. Gray Goblin was worse than the Unabomber, Osama, and General Reginald Dyer. Gray Goblin cared nothing for the 'idiosyncrasy' of man or the fineries of civics dialogue. However, Gray Goblin was used to being considered a menace to the human race (including women) so he sharpened his evil skills and prepared to engage Spider-Woman intellectually (before he did so physically). Gray Goblin was a true prince of darkness.
As the discussion, began Cal and Sivana Mask watched eagerly and eating delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwiches Cal brought with him on the day's trek that landed him and his baby-daughter in a modern Colosseum event. The atmospheric setting was therefore India, where there was a good deal of discussion about women's rights problems linked to bizarre or unusual sociocultural customs/rituals/deeds --- specifically, the burning of brides for failure to pay satisfactory bride-price (or 'dowry'). They were referred to as 'dowry-deaths' and that's what Spider-Woman was confident she could prosecute Gray Goblin on --- failure to tend to the details of human suffering in crusades of anarchy.
GRAY GOBLIN: Dowry-deaths are as standard as capitalism...
SPIDER-WOMAN: The failure to address human suffering is ugly!
GRAY GOBLIN: Indian men focus on the ornaments of religion closely.
SPIDER-WOMAN: Nationalism can cure the problems of violent dogma.
GRAY GOBLIN: Friends of victims of dowry-deaths have little opportunity to complain.
SPIDER-WOMAN: Journalists are changing the way we look at gender...
GRAY GOBLIN: The Mortal Kombat video-game series presents female-warriors!
SPIDER-WOMAN: Yes, when I think of Kitana and Sindel, I think of anarchy.
GRAY GOBLIN: Kitana and Sindel both symbolize female rage.
SPIDER-WOMAN: Censorship concerns remind us of the intrigue in graphic media.
GRAY GOBLIN: Video-game designers are akin to journalists!
SPIDER-WOMAN: Well, not really; however, I like Yale's Comp Lit course on online journalism.
GRAY GOBLIN: Are you a fan of the Madden series of NFL video-games (featuring superstars)?
SPIDER-WOMAN: Yes; my nephew is a huge fan of Eli Manning in his Madden (Xbox) game.
GRAY GOBLIN: Eli Manning defeated Tom Brady in two Super Bowls!
SPIDER-WOMAN: Tom Brady is a modern-day Goliath (like Roger Federer in tennis).
GRAY GOBLIN: Will dowry-deaths destroy the reputation of women's rights in India?
SPIDER-WOMAN: There should be a journalism-themed video-game of high quality.
GRAY GOBLIN: I prefer absolutism (e.g., punishment) over controversy (e.g., Supreme Court).
SPIDER-WOMAN: I prefer civics (e.g., Washington Post) over extremism (e.g., Napster).
After Cal and Sivana slipped away, they travelled to England, where Hollywood (USA) actress/super-celebrity Julia Roberts was busy filming a new Roman Polanski film about an English queen titled Monarch. Roberts played the queen and was adorned in a very interesting red-feather royal gown. Cal and Sivana were just catching their breath after witnessing the passionate debate about dowry-deaths between Spider-Woman and Gray Goblin before the two super-mutants fought each other. Spider-Woman won in the end, and Gray Goblin fled (and just barely escaped her clutches). Cal and Sivana were now witnessing the production of this Polanski royalty film starring Julia Roberts --- a very different perspective on gender indeed. Polanski had announced that there would be a video-game adaptation of the film (and Julia Roberts would provide some voice-narration for the titular character, the queen).
America was under attack by North Korea in what would prove to be a most terrible nuclear war. Half of North Korea was destroyed, and a good portion of American cities laid in ruins. When Cal and Sivana Mask returned to their homeland safely, they saw a devastated nation brooding from the destruction of the 'Modern War.' They remembered how Spider-Woman overcame Gray Goblin, however, and how the victory offered some splash of exciting women's rights chatter/intrigue for the social arena, intrigue that could lift the spirits of the world in fact. Cal prayed Spider-Woman showed up; in the meantime he decided to meet with executives of HellGateway (software) and discuss plans for a Spider-Woman 'fan-fic' oriented video-game (to be co-produced by Konami). It would be the antidote to this new dark city.
GOD: Too bad Spider-Woman couldn't prevent the nuclear devastation.
SATAN: However, at least she overcame the 'nefarious' Gray Goblin.
GOD: I suppose that's a minor achievement...
SATAN: Cal's HellGateway (software) will develop the Spider-Woman game.
GOD: That should be as gender-symbolic as the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider series.
SATAN: Media has changed dialogue platforms and signals.
GOD: Journalists should avoid controversy...
SATAN: Censorship is the biggest fear of liberals trying to unite humanity.
GOD: I like new age toys symbolizing socialism paranoia.
SATAN: Sure. Richie Rich. Transformers robots. The Smurfs. G.I. Joe.
GOD: I'm a fan of the whole G.I. Joe (Hasbro/Marvel/Hollywood) franchise.
SATAN: It includes comics, cartoons, toys, and films. It's about patriotism.
GOD: Idealism towards democracy (and the modern American empire).
SATAN: Yes, I wonder what a female-joe from G.I. Joe would say about dowry-deaths.
GOD: I'd imagine Lady Jaye might say, "Ban it" while Baroness would say, "Exploit it."
SATAN: Commerce makes politics more 'child-like.'
GOD: Convenience is the hallmark of media. Journalists should seem accessible.
SATAN: The Wall Street Journal keeps Americans at pace with market IQ.
GOD: I think HellGateway will go far with its Spider-Woman video-game.
SATAN: I wonder if modern toys can heal the scars of children of dowry-death families.
GOD: The modern age is full of potential...and full of danger.
====
This daydream-dystopian vignette was inspired by The 6th Day.
====
A slick California software designer named Cal Mask was travelling to Northern Italy with his baby-daughter Sivana when he discovered some strange Italian countryside spook-tale in a village about a mutant female named Spider-Woman tackling a forest-demon named Gray Goblin. Cal and Sivana headed towards a library to see if this local ghost-story was catalogued in the annals of the village's history. The library was small, but Cal found a citation of a sighting of Spider-Woman and Gray Goblin debating in the forest and then fighting over the issue of women's rights in modern civilization. They debated about video-game software, which intrigued Cal. Cal owned a software company called HellGateway (marketing to the college student and post-graduate café-society crowd of the modern American city). Sivana was along for the ride...
As you may not have anticipated, Spider-Woman was as diabolical as Gray Goblin and their discussion about dowry-related controversy in modern India stirred ideas about the sociological impact of a lack of cultural governance. Cal and Sivana Mask were now merely witnesses to what was a very symbolic debate between two underworld mystics. Spider-Woman had no intention of giving up easily or losing the argument to her rival and nemesis. Spider-Woman awoke and stared out her window and prepared that day for this great challenge.
As for the Gray Goblin, he was busy doing mischief with unnatural weapons, soaring on his jet-glider as if he were Satan himself. Gray Goblin was worse than the Unabomber, Osama, and General Reginald Dyer. Gray Goblin cared nothing for the 'idiosyncrasy' of man or the fineries of civics dialogue. However, Gray Goblin was used to being considered a menace to the human race (including women) so he sharpened his evil skills and prepared to engage Spider-Woman intellectually (before he did so physically). Gray Goblin was a true prince of darkness.
As the discussion, began Cal and Sivana Mask watched eagerly and eating delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwiches Cal brought with him on the day's trek that landed him and his baby-daughter in a modern Colosseum event. The atmospheric setting was therefore India, where there was a good deal of discussion about women's rights problems linked to bizarre or unusual sociocultural customs/rituals/deeds --- specifically, the burning of brides for failure to pay satisfactory bride-price (or 'dowry'). They were referred to as 'dowry-deaths' and that's what Spider-Woman was confident she could prosecute Gray Goblin on --- failure to tend to the details of human suffering in crusades of anarchy.
GRAY GOBLIN: Dowry-deaths are as standard as capitalism...
SPIDER-WOMAN: The failure to address human suffering is ugly!
GRAY GOBLIN: Indian men focus on the ornaments of religion closely.
SPIDER-WOMAN: Nationalism can cure the problems of violent dogma.
GRAY GOBLIN: Friends of victims of dowry-deaths have little opportunity to complain.
SPIDER-WOMAN: Journalists are changing the way we look at gender...
GRAY GOBLIN: The Mortal Kombat video-game series presents female-warriors!
SPIDER-WOMAN: Yes, when I think of Kitana and Sindel, I think of anarchy.
GRAY GOBLIN: Kitana and Sindel both symbolize female rage.
SPIDER-WOMAN: Censorship concerns remind us of the intrigue in graphic media.
GRAY GOBLIN: Video-game designers are akin to journalists!
SPIDER-WOMAN: Well, not really; however, I like Yale's Comp Lit course on online journalism.
GRAY GOBLIN: Are you a fan of the Madden series of NFL video-games (featuring superstars)?
SPIDER-WOMAN: Yes; my nephew is a huge fan of Eli Manning in his Madden (Xbox) game.
GRAY GOBLIN: Eli Manning defeated Tom Brady in two Super Bowls!
SPIDER-WOMAN: Tom Brady is a modern-day Goliath (like Roger Federer in tennis).
GRAY GOBLIN: Will dowry-deaths destroy the reputation of women's rights in India?
SPIDER-WOMAN: There should be a journalism-themed video-game of high quality.
GRAY GOBLIN: I prefer absolutism (e.g., punishment) over controversy (e.g., Supreme Court).
SPIDER-WOMAN: I prefer civics (e.g., Washington Post) over extremism (e.g., Napster).
After Cal and Sivana slipped away, they travelled to England, where Hollywood (USA) actress/super-celebrity Julia Roberts was busy filming a new Roman Polanski film about an English queen titled Monarch. Roberts played the queen and was adorned in a very interesting red-feather royal gown. Cal and Sivana were just catching their breath after witnessing the passionate debate about dowry-deaths between Spider-Woman and Gray Goblin before the two super-mutants fought each other. Spider-Woman won in the end, and Gray Goblin fled (and just barely escaped her clutches). Cal and Sivana were now witnessing the production of this Polanski royalty film starring Julia Roberts --- a very different perspective on gender indeed. Polanski had announced that there would be a video-game adaptation of the film (and Julia Roberts would provide some voice-narration for the titular character, the queen).
America was under attack by North Korea in what would prove to be a most terrible nuclear war. Half of North Korea was destroyed, and a good portion of American cities laid in ruins. When Cal and Sivana Mask returned to their homeland safely, they saw a devastated nation brooding from the destruction of the 'Modern War.' They remembered how Spider-Woman overcame Gray Goblin, however, and how the victory offered some splash of exciting women's rights chatter/intrigue for the social arena, intrigue that could lift the spirits of the world in fact. Cal prayed Spider-Woman showed up; in the meantime he decided to meet with executives of HellGateway (software) and discuss plans for a Spider-Woman 'fan-fic' oriented video-game (to be co-produced by Konami). It would be the antidote to this new dark city.
GOD: Too bad Spider-Woman couldn't prevent the nuclear devastation.
SATAN: However, at least she overcame the 'nefarious' Gray Goblin.
GOD: I suppose that's a minor achievement...
SATAN: Cal's HellGateway (software) will develop the Spider-Woman game.
GOD: That should be as gender-symbolic as the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider series.
SATAN: Media has changed dialogue platforms and signals.
GOD: Journalists should avoid controversy...
SATAN: Censorship is the biggest fear of liberals trying to unite humanity.
GOD: I like new age toys symbolizing socialism paranoia.
SATAN: Sure. Richie Rich. Transformers robots. The Smurfs. G.I. Joe.
GOD: I'm a fan of the whole G.I. Joe (Hasbro/Marvel/Hollywood) franchise.
SATAN: It includes comics, cartoons, toys, and films. It's about patriotism.
GOD: Idealism towards democracy (and the modern American empire).
SATAN: Yes, I wonder what a female-joe from G.I. Joe would say about dowry-deaths.
GOD: I'd imagine Lady Jaye might say, "Ban it" while Baroness would say, "Exploit it."
SATAN: Commerce makes politics more 'child-like.'
GOD: Convenience is the hallmark of media. Journalists should seem accessible.
SATAN: The Wall Street Journal keeps Americans at pace with market IQ.
GOD: I think HellGateway will go far with its Spider-Woman video-game.
SATAN: I wonder if modern toys can heal the scars of children of dowry-death families.
GOD: The modern age is full of potential...and full of danger.
====
