seriously. i sometimes get very concerned about the world we're sending the little ones into.
they stand absolutely zero chance against today's advertising and corporate trend makers. the whole idea of cultural and ideological appropriation is so intertwined with post-modern thinking that in this new world, where modernity has become just another aphorism that comes prepackaged with a matching clothing line and accessories, musical tastes and political values, where do we even begin to delineate cultural dissolution from cultural creation? and all things considered, is the fact that these ideas are now arguably one and the same actually the true definition of our generation?
has the last line been crossed? has independent thinking itself been co-opted?
they're trying.
www.nikelegacy.com is an online community set up by nike to gauge trends, opinions, and general interests. cool hunting, trend setting, early adapters -- these are the people marketeers and companies are sitting on and watching.
but this website man, it just looks at the feedback loop and says "fuck it. this takes too long." nike legacy is a "social community" for those interested in nike basketball. it combines every resource into one place, and allows for interaction where instead of taking surveys and focus groups to task, it simply puts a blank screen in front of kids and asks "what do you want us to sell you?".
as a marketer, i would say it's genius. as a consumer, it scares the shit out of me.
exhibit a. would be the websites first activity for new members: take a picture of your closet and send it to nike, including details of everything you own in said picture.
and you know what? teens are glad to do it. they take pride in showing off their shiny material goods, paid for by overwhelmed parents or minimum wage jobs -- or both.
now, don't get me wrong. anyone who knows me will know that i am unabashedly a nike fan. but when the intrusion becomes so blatant, so bold; even i can't help but feel dirty.
i'm not against capitalism. to be honest, i kind of laugh at the idea of hipsters who refuse to support major corporations but will then drop $200 on pants made by a smaller clothing brand, which in turn is likely prospering off a subcultural niche being propagated by one of many said corporations the person is trying to avoid.
i love money. but even moreso, i love the idea that money is the result of chasing things you have a passion for that are not....well...just money. this is what makes our world interesting. and when capitalism begins to exist outside a free market and enter into the realm of hyper-consumption, one can't help but wonder where our priorities got misplaced, and how to fix things.
i'm probably sounding an awful lot like a communist. but i swear i'm not. i'm not trying to be partisan, or pretentious (well, ok, maybe a little), or hell, even personal.
all i'm venting about is the bigger picture: what does it even mean to be an individual anymore?
and most importantly, what will we tell our kids when they ask us?
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