The qotsa I´m Designer song...

[VonDada]

Originally Posted by George W Bush

If Consumer Culture is bad, why is it so prevelant in every society? Even at the utter hieghts of say Stalin's Russia, the actual economy and culture revolved around the black market...in goods.

What form of 'Culture' would be better? and why?

This sounds like an essay question.

[George W Bush]

perhaps it is, in a way.

Personally, I see 'consumption as status' a lot more benign than say achiving status through warfare or religious intolerance.

Imean, how many culture modes are there reallY

historically, all cultures have been based on either exclusion or dominance, right? 'consumption' seems failry inclusive and benign in comparison.

[macthulhu]

Sure, it would be nice if people had more altruistic motivations, but that's not the world we live in. I do kind of resent being lectured about it by people whose careers are so enmeshed with the consumerism they're bitching about. Oh, I get it, you're "inside the machine, using its power to make change"... Whatever.

[George W Bush]

I find machines very useful.

[Hrabovsky]

Even your most vehement single-gear food not bombs anarchist types are consumers.
They have cell phones, jobs, computers, rent to pay and buy little mp3 players
so they can listen to music while they rage against the machine
in a Critical Mass ride.

It's that weird kind of what I guess you could call hypocrisy that bugs me
when musicians start talking out of their asses about how bad and wrong all of it is.
That consumer culture and their product is what put them there.
I guess that means that if you sell one album album—you're a sellout.
Or make one thing that someone likes and then buys—you're a sellout.

I think only a band like Fugazi can make statements like that and not look like total hypocrites.
But now that Ian MacKaye's dead and all... well... .

[swampviking]

HIGH fellas!

[standard]

Consumerism is only bad for those who attempt to spend beyond what they earn.

High credit card debt, bad mortgages, leased cars, rented furniture, no savings, bling-culture, brand fetishes... a large part of our society screw themselves because they try to live aspirationally instead of using common sense. They serve a purpose in the overall scheme of things, though. Every predator needs her prey. So fuck 'em.

[dennyschmickle]

TOPICAL!!!
Markets Tumble On Citi Turmoil - Forbes.com

Markets Tumble On Citi Turmoil
Steve Schaefer, 11.05.07, 9:46 AM ET

Two Wall Street pillars were making headlines Monday, as Citigroup and Merrill Lynch headed in new directions.

Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ) announced Sunday that Chief Executive Charles Prince has resigned. Former U.S. Treasury Secretary and head of Citi’s executive committee Robert Rubin will take over Prince’s role as chairman, while Sir Win Bischoff, who heads up Citi’s European business, will assume the role of acting chairman. (See: "Another Wall Street Chief Falls")

Prince becomes the latest corporate chieftain to fall victim to the subprime meltdown, joining Stanley O’Neal of Merrill Lynch (nyse: MER - news - people ), who resigned his post last week. Reports Monday had Merrill offering its top spot to Laurence Fink, the head of investment firm BlackRock (nyse: BLK - news - people ), which is 49%-owned by Merrill. (See: "O'Neal Steps Aside At Merrill")

Citigroup, which also restated its third-quarter results Monday and said earnings were 3 cents lower than initially reported, fell $1.68, or 4.5%, to $36.05, to start the day. Merrill was down $2.97, or 5.2%, to $54.31.

The major averages were continuing their downward slide on the turmoil at Citigroup. Other than a late rally Friday, stocks have been falling since the Federal Reserve hacked a quarter point off interest rates last Wednesday. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 104 points, or 0.8%, to 13,491, and the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 14 points, or 1.0%, to 1,495. The tech-driven Nasdaq was off 30 points, or 1.1%, at 2,780.

[Zach Hobbs]

it's about the britney generation. "it's just like diamonds in shit"

best line on the album. cool shit. I really started to like the record.

[Magnus]

Originally Posted by standard

Consumerism is only bad for those who attempt to spend beyond what they earn.

High credit card debt, bad mortgages, leased cars, rented furniture, no savings, bling-culture, brand fetishes... a large part of our society screw themselves because they try to live aspirationally instead of using common sense. They serve a purpose in the overall scheme of things, though. Every predator needs her prey. So fuck 'em.

Hehe I love your cynism.

"Brand Fetish" is such a funny term.