George Tannenbaum on the future of advertising, the decline of the English Language and other frivolities. 100% jargon free. A Business Insider "Most Influential" blog.
Friday, October 10, 2008
It all makes me think of Joseph Heller.
The economy is in freefall. General Motors is worth less than $3 billion (I know people who could buy the entire company during their lunch-hour) Ford is worth less than $5 billion.
We are fighting two wars and no one questions the semantics of the word "surge," which I believe means escalation. It's costing us well over $10 billion/month.
We have two presidential candidates who can't answer questions. And who don't let people know where they stand. We have a Vice Presidential candidate who doesn't believe in evolution and that's not even an issue.
25% of all species on Earth are reputed to be endangered. Again, not even an issue.
California and Iceland are about to declare bankruptcy.
And this on a day when I'm in a good mood. Or at least not a rotten one.
So, it all makes me think of Heller, a master of the absurd:
Our illegal wars: "Peace on Earth would mean the end of civilization as we know it."
Our ignoring of global warming: "He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt."
Our Guantanamo justice and suspension of the 800 year-old standard of Habeas Corpus: "The case against Clevinger was open and shut. The only thing missing was something to charge him with."
Our presidential candidates: "Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three."
— Joseph Heller
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