Wednesday, January 10, 2007

'06 the hottest year on record?

I mentioned to someone at work today, that he should watch "An Inconvenient Truth" today after bringing up the news that it seems to be official... 2006 was the hottest year on record in the US.

I've been reading a book by Naomi Klein called No Logo which reminds me VERY MUCH of the spirit of Culture Jam: How to Reverse America's Suicidal Consumer Binge--And Why We Must by Kalle Lasn. Lately I've been very much in the spirit of trying to make a difference in the world and one of the things I keep coming back to is "adbusting" or "culture jamming" or attempting to subvert the "cool" of brands and advertising. I've been somewhat interested in this whole idea since taking classes on Mass Media and Advertising in college as a part of my second major. I try not to be a slave to brands but it seems that I end up doing it anyway. I tend to be enthusiastic about things I'm interested in such as cars, computers and music. So I end up being a member on automobile related forums. I buy Apple computers and I brand myself with Thrice, Every Time I Die and Thursday t-shirts. In these ways I tend to strongly support things I'm interested and that makes me conflicted in the fact that I'm supporting the culture that is branding and selling EVERYTHING we come into contact with. (Aside: I find it very ironic that I also buy books on anti-consumerism. It should come naturally to someone who's interested in the whole idea of anti-consumerism.)

Anyway, I think that this weekend is going to be the weekend to get some compact fluorescent light bulbs and an increase in intensity to find a job closer to home.

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