In today's sound-bite world, we love catchphrases and cliches. Saves on time. And on thinking...!
Here's one the east coast literati and DC think tanks love to use: counter-culture. It always sounds terribly sophisticated to decide what the flow of the national culture is. And then to decide what's going against that flow. These are the so-called experts who tell us what's the "norm," and then instruct us on why not following that is somehow "counter."
Consider such experts as the cosmetic industry and the Hollywood studios. Somehow they have taken it upon themselves -- and we have allowed them -- to establish the norms of feminine beauty in our culture. If you thought we are born hard-wired with these norms you're largely wrong. While evolutionary biology suggests our genes react pleasurably to such things as physical symmetry (ie. facial lines and body contours), the specifics to these norms change from culture to culture, from era to era.
And so the ancient Persians, Greeks and Egyptians were pleased by some very different female lines, contours, and even body weights than we are today in America. That's because what cultures consider the norm and/or its counter are not only learned experiences, but manufactured ones as well. And thus it is that the pleasures of young American womanhood have been manufactured to various specifications at various times by various men.
Turn of the century -- the Gibson Girl. The 1920s -- the Flapper Girl. The 1930s through 1960s -- the Blond Bombshells (see Carol Lombard, Betty Grable, and Marilyn Monroe for sensuous details). For the next half century the specs have continued to fluctuate according to the cosmetic impresarios who want women to keep buying their new baubles, and the movie moguls who want women to keep paying to see their latest silver screen discovery.
No big deal, right? Just good old fashioned American entrepreneurship at work, right? Perfected with the manufactured magic of promoters like P.T. Barnum and Cecille B. DeMille, right? But not so fast. Manufacturing beauty is much different than manufacturing say cars and computers. Tens of millions of little girls drenched in a sea of beautification specifications have been whip-lashed from style to style and taste to taste. So that the American Psychiatric Association continues to report serious behavioral damage to young impressionable minds and bodies that can't quite fit that dreadful notion: The norm!
And that do fit that even more dreadful notion: Not fitting the norm!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
BACK STORY TO BIG CUB SALE
The press is reporting on the pending sale of the Chicago Cubs. Big story for our town. But there's back-story...!
Major League Baseball officials are worried about the 26% jump in big-ticket players stuck on the disabled list. Last year teams paid a half billion dollars to DL players sitting on the bench. So the question for probable Cub owner Ricketts is how to reduce this risk to his investment?
MBL officials theorize the plague of injuries might be because players, now living with drug testing, are afraid to use some of the meds that once helped them play through the pain. Maybe! But here's another theory. In a scandal-ridden era, maybe high-profile players are afraid of something else. Being caught by a gotcha press.
After all, how can a pricey player concentrate on his game when the lady he had dinner with last night may turn out to be the daughter of a Chicago politician? Or a member of the University of Illinois Admissions Board? Or a Latin American relative of our banished Governor??
So here's how some of us Cub fans figure it, Mr Ricketts. To avoid more lost millions on DL players, pass out a fact-sheet that lists which meds are legit and which girlfriends have absolutely, positively no connection with anybody in Illinois government.
OK, that might make for a pretty short list, but it could help. Right now, anything could....!
Major League Baseball officials are worried about the 26% jump in big-ticket players stuck on the disabled list. Last year teams paid a half billion dollars to DL players sitting on the bench. So the question for probable Cub owner Ricketts is how to reduce this risk to his investment?
MBL officials theorize the plague of injuries might be because players, now living with drug testing, are afraid to use some of the meds that once helped them play through the pain. Maybe! But here's another theory. In a scandal-ridden era, maybe high-profile players are afraid of something else. Being caught by a gotcha press.
After all, how can a pricey player concentrate on his game when the lady he had dinner with last night may turn out to be the daughter of a Chicago politician? Or a member of the University of Illinois Admissions Board? Or a Latin American relative of our banished Governor??
So here's how some of us Cub fans figure it, Mr Ricketts. To avoid more lost millions on DL players, pass out a fact-sheet that lists which meds are legit and which girlfriends have absolutely, positively no connection with anybody in Illinois government.
OK, that might make for a pretty short list, but it could help. Right now, anything could....!
Monday, July 6, 2009
SUNTIMES SAYS IT ALL ON 1 PAGE!
I've read the Bible, skimmed the Koran, and surfed the Internet. But I don't believe I ever found a more succinct profile of our strange human nature than on page 4 of your July 6 edition....!
First, we learn that after 117 proud, staid years the University of Chicago has discovered a new gender. In addition to the Biblical male and female, now the UC has added "transgender." Translated, that means students who are "more comfortable" with the opposite sex, even without sex, are considered transgenders, and can live together in the dorms. I take that as either progress, pragmatism, or simply weary surrender!
Next, we learn that Facebook is breaking exciting new frontiers by showing England's new national spy chief splashing around in his swimming trunks. I take that to mean the era of Jame Bond has been replaced by middle-age guys in speedos!
Finally, there's your story about ex-DC mayor Marion Barry arrested for stalking. I take that to mean reading about our American politicians has now become even more popular than Danielle Steele novels!
Oh, and the SunTimes tossed in there an ad for cut-rate garage prices. I take that to mean there's no place like home even in a recession!
First, we learn that after 117 proud, staid years the University of Chicago has discovered a new gender. In addition to the Biblical male and female, now the UC has added "transgender." Translated, that means students who are "more comfortable" with the opposite sex, even without sex, are considered transgenders, and can live together in the dorms. I take that as either progress, pragmatism, or simply weary surrender!
Next, we learn that Facebook is breaking exciting new frontiers by showing England's new national spy chief splashing around in his swimming trunks. I take that to mean the era of Jame Bond has been replaced by middle-age guys in speedos!
Finally, there's your story about ex-DC mayor Marion Barry arrested for stalking. I take that to mean reading about our American politicians has now become even more popular than Danielle Steele novels!
Oh, and the SunTimes tossed in there an ad for cut-rate garage prices. I take that to mean there's no place like home even in a recession!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
SUNTIMES MAKES EVERYONE A PROPHET
All through history people have tried to foresee the future. Now the SunTimes is making it easy for everybody. It's front page stories are written so anyone can become a prophet...!
Take just a few of your latest headlines: Sarah Palin Resigns...Iran blames Obama...North Korea fires missiles...Jackson family quarrel over will. I didn't check their bylines, but the way these reporters wrote these stories, any reader can now predict what's coming next. I mean, your stories write their own next headlines. Here I'll prove it:
* "Palin dumps low-paying Alaska job with no future for fat speech & TV gigs in 48; it's a beauty-over-brains market where Coulter & Limbaugh are yesterday's news!"
* "Mullahs got troubles; time to play the Great Satan ace-in-the-hole-card!"
* "North Korea gambles noisy stunts still get D.C. money; like Wall Street & Detroit whenever they need new bailouts!"
* "Hollywood never buries rich celebrity without everyone making bid for the bucks; the race is on!"
See...? Thanks to sharp coverage today, any reader can become a prophet tomorrow. No magic between incantations, just a few minutes between the lines. Now for my next prediction, I predict I'll be posting a fortune-teller ad in your weekend editions!
Take just a few of your latest headlines: Sarah Palin Resigns...Iran blames Obama...North Korea fires missiles...Jackson family quarrel over will. I didn't check their bylines, but the way these reporters wrote these stories, any reader can now predict what's coming next. I mean, your stories write their own next headlines. Here I'll prove it:
* "Palin dumps low-paying Alaska job with no future for fat speech & TV gigs in 48; it's a beauty-over-brains market where Coulter & Limbaugh are yesterday's news!"
* "Mullahs got troubles; time to play the Great Satan ace-in-the-hole-card!"
* "North Korea gambles noisy stunts still get D.C. money; like Wall Street & Detroit whenever they need new bailouts!"
* "Hollywood never buries rich celebrity without everyone making bid for the bucks; the race is on!"
See...? Thanks to sharp coverage today, any reader can become a prophet tomorrow. No magic between incantations, just a few minutes between the lines. Now for my next prediction, I predict I'll be posting a fortune-teller ad in your weekend editions!
THE NEW LAW IN TOWN
The ancient law of unintended consequences is not really new, but it's never been more active than today. Just ask John McCain and Sarah Palin...!
According to this law, once X happens, you can never tell how Y, Z and everything else might follow. In Genesis, X is the appeal of that darn apple...to the Greeks in the Trojan War, it was the beauty of that darn Helen....to the Brits back in 1775, it was that darn Tea Tax on their American colonies....and to the Cub fans, it's been that darn goat they wouldn't let into the park.
Now here come two ironic new ones: (1) John McCain very unintentionally creates Sarah Palin, which might turn out to be the only thing his illustrious life will ever be remembered for (2) Sarah Palin very unintentionally becomes the new litmus test of American politics, because instead of voters being divided over abortion now it may be over Palin.
So I ask the SunTimes -- can you find any laws on the books with intentioned-consequences any more amazing than these unwritten laws of unintended-consequences? Makes you think, maybe life's neither a journey nor a joy. Just a great big casino....
According to this law, once X happens, you can never tell how Y, Z and everything else might follow. In Genesis, X is the appeal of that darn apple...to the Greeks in the Trojan War, it was the beauty of that darn Helen....to the Brits back in 1775, it was that darn Tea Tax on their American colonies....and to the Cub fans, it's been that darn goat they wouldn't let into the park.
Now here come two ironic new ones: (1) John McCain very unintentionally creates Sarah Palin, which might turn out to be the only thing his illustrious life will ever be remembered for (2) Sarah Palin very unintentionally becomes the new litmus test of American politics, because instead of voters being divided over abortion now it may be over Palin.
So I ask the SunTimes -- can you find any laws on the books with intentioned-consequences any more amazing than these unwritten laws of unintended-consequences? Makes you think, maybe life's neither a journey nor a joy. Just a great big casino....
Saturday, July 4, 2009
REBOTTING YESTERDAY IN TIME FOR TOMOORROW
It's not news to report on the latest widget or website -- our world is exploding with them. But you took the time to sneak in a little explosion that might just have some large consequences (July 4, page 20)...!
At least half your readers have heard of the Saturday Evening Post. The other half are in for a surprise. As you reported -- it's back!
The charming old magazine started by Benjamin Franklin almost 240 years ago featured folksy art, fiction, commentary and health articles. Including those classic front covers by Norman Rockwell and his take on America.
Speaking for both halves of your readership, hats off to you for taking the time to slow the time down with this timely item. In a time when we have billions of cell phones, millions of websites, and thousands of digital & print publications dedicated to hurrying up...this magazine revival may test whether there's still time to slow down.
At least half your readers have heard of the Saturday Evening Post. The other half are in for a surprise. As you reported -- it's back!
The charming old magazine started by Benjamin Franklin almost 240 years ago featured folksy art, fiction, commentary and health articles. Including those classic front covers by Norman Rockwell and his take on America.
Speaking for both halves of your readership, hats off to you for taking the time to slow the time down with this timely item. In a time when we have billions of cell phones, millions of websites, and thousands of digital & print publications dedicated to hurrying up...this magazine revival may test whether there's still time to slow down.
Friday, July 3, 2009
BIKES AND BATMOBILES
The July 3 front pages are a powerful statement about the current drift of our world. They featured the role of the old-time bike in contrast to the new-age Batmobile. A nifty metaphor for the value of experienced humans in contrast to exotic technology...!
A couple of Chicago paramedics on bikes helped save the life of a woman who collapsed at the Taste of Chicago. True, they were packing some technology with them, but what saved her was compassionate human intervention more than any hardware. Which is something people need to remember when we're being told -- and seem to believe -- "there's a machine for that!"
Keep the machines, god bless them, but lets not stop being human in favor of being bionic. Lets remember it's still humans who save lives, prevent accidents, teach knowledge, achieve victories and change the world. Not hardware.
Every time the lights go out, or O'Hare gets shut down, or markets jam, or the Internet goes black, it's always a person not a tool that's needed to get our world moving again. So hats off to all the guys on bikes, more than the ones on Batmobiles!
A couple of Chicago paramedics on bikes helped save the life of a woman who collapsed at the Taste of Chicago. True, they were packing some technology with them, but what saved her was compassionate human intervention more than any hardware. Which is something people need to remember when we're being told -- and seem to believe -- "there's a machine for that!"
Keep the machines, god bless them, but lets not stop being human in favor of being bionic. Lets remember it's still humans who save lives, prevent accidents, teach knowledge, achieve victories and change the world. Not hardware.
Every time the lights go out, or O'Hare gets shut down, or markets jam, or the Internet goes black, it's always a person not a tool that's needed to get our world moving again. So hats off to all the guys on bikes, more than the ones on Batmobiles!
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