Day 66: Adbusters

Adbusters is probably the coolest magazine in the entire world. It's a magazine that publishes articles and photography regarding the state of the world in regards to critiquing mass media, the environment, corportations, governments and politicians, and the lives of everyday citizens. It's a magazine that empowers and challenges, that criticizes and supports, that tears down and gives birth, that essentially changes the way you see the world. It's shocking and it's provocative and it's controversial and it's brilliant. It's the kind of magazine that everyone in the world needs to read.

Anyways, while hanging out at Brad's this weekend I came across the Nov/Dec 2003 issue and was thrilled to have the chance to read it as it's been many months since I've seen one. Brad let me borrow it, and while reading it today during my afternoon break I came across a really interesting opinion article that someone, who's living in South Korea, wrote in describing the state of life here in Korea. It sums up very succinctly (sp?) and eloquently a cross-section of Korean society. It's not exactly a happy article, but pretty much everything he writes is true, or so it seems to me. It really struck a chord with me and so I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy, and ponder.

"In South Korea we have a dynamic western-capitalist economy mixed up with, amont other things: pervasive corporate power, geopolitical merit, a beligerent enemy-brother to the north, megacity centrism, 37,000 American GI's, retreating labor unions, Confucian customs, a national inferiority complex, CNN, Budweiser, Tommy Hilfiger and an absolute (American) English obsession.

Just outside every crammed apartment complex: drafted soldiers in fatigues with brand name boutique bags, miniature mannequins and all the same coats, $8.00 cappuccino, sidewalk fish half price and everyone's eating from the same dish. Drunkenness is fashionable (is an art form). Jaywalking's a mortal sin, computer games are careers. Digital countdowns at pedestrian crosswalks and everybody's late. Five thousand years of history, five years to western conversion. Family may come first, but corporate juggernauts make sure every last member gives what they've got to keep the ship afloat. Every male over 21 is deadly with an assault rifle and red neon crosses bless half the buildings on the block since Buddha was gunned down by steel-and-glass Christianity.

The Korean language, however ingenious, draws secondary ad space, making way for poorly-understood English slogans. Products and retail outlets have English names. Ingredients, directions, manufacturers, warnings, assembly instructions and menus are necessarily Korean; brand names are always English.

And one more thing: in South Korea, golf's not a game; it's a style and a business obligation. In America, vice-presidents play golf.

Get your clubs, son."

-Gregg Blakey, South Korea