This morning I sent out a Twitter message advising that people not be influenced by commercialism.

The thought was sparked by something I’m learning in English class. We are reading White Noise [not the movie], its a satirical commentary on mass culture and the numbing effects of technology.  Its pretty good.  One of the main themes is not being manipulated by commercialism.  Mr. Garrett had a funny story to go along with the lesson.  I’ll tell it to you now:

Note: These are not Mr. G’s words, but rather my paraphrase.

“I was hanging out with one of my buddies out in Dallas around the time that they were opening up this new bar.  It was supposed to be the next big thing because it was themed with all this communistic artifacts and what not.  Even the drinks were named after dictators.  My friend and I had gone there with intentions of making fun of the bar and the people there because the majority of the people were ‘yuppies’ and children of commerce.  Wealthy brats of business owners, and the irony of it all was that they were hanging out in a place which carried the theme of ‘anti-capitalism’.  It’s funny.  While I was there I noticed some really beautiful people.  Like, super attractive guys and girls, all living it up and having a nice time.  I began to make fun of their group when two of the girls approached my buddy and I.  They talked with us for a while and we had a great conversation, then they went on to talk to some other people who had just entered.  I strolled over to the bar to get a drink and some of the guys started talking to me.  I looked around me and noticed that most of the people who I had been talking with were drinking a certain brand of ‘milk’ [Mr. G didn't want to condone Alcohol consumption].  So I ordered the same thing.  After a little while of talking with this one guy I asked him what he did for a living.  He said he was a model.  I asked him how he liked it and where he got to work and things like that.  He then explained that he was working right now.  I was a little confused.  ’Right now’ he was in a bar having some drinks with some friends, how could he be working.  But he went on to explain that those ‘friends’ he’s with are his co-workers.  They are also models, and they are all working for ‘Such & Such’ [I forget the name] brand of ‘milk’.  [The same brand that Mr. G had just gotten because he saw all these people (models) drinking.]  I was so taken back.  I couldn’t believe him at first.”

Mr. Garrett had an interesting brush with a living commercial.  Have you ever heard of anything like that?

Andrew Nemeth