Abishai100
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- Sep 22, 2013
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This is a commerce-consciousness interaction between Green Arrow (an American comic book 'superhero' symbolizing democracy-idealism) and Toyman (an American comic book 'super-villain' symbolizing democracy-nihilism) about the value of modern imagination.
This 'parable' was inspired by the film Dr. Strangelove.
Cheers,
====
Oliver Queen and Jack Nimball were the best of friends and met while studying at Princeton University in the 1970s. When the big consumerism 1980s hit, Americans were feverish about Walkmans, stereos, computers, Wall Street, and coupons. Hollywood films reflected a pedestrian interest in the culture of commerce --- e.g., The Secret of My Success, Ruthless People, Wall Street, The Breakfast Club, etc. This is where Queen and Nimball parted ways; Oliver believed in the virtue of democracy/capitalism, while Jack insisted that consumerism would create natural gluttony.
Oliver became the American vigilante and democracy-defender Green Arrow, while Jack became a nefarious anti-social terrorist (a 'super-villain') named Toyman. Green Arrow allied himself to individuals who cared about the valiant and prudent defense of global commerce, while Toyman networked with druglords, unscrupulous tycoons, and capitalism pirates. Green Arrow wanted to understand the imaginarium-value of commerce-symbolic 'treasures' (e.g., Apple Macintosh), while Toyman wanted to deconstruct the primal nature of piracy totems (e.g., water-guns, Playboy magazine, etc.).
GREEN ARROW: You've become a terrorist, Jack!
TOYMAN: You're a naive puppet, Oliver...
GREEN ARROW: Why do you call yourself 'Toyman,' Jack?
TOYMAN: Capitalism is a toy, Oliver...
GREEN ARROW: What about charity?
TOYMAN: What about gluttony?
GREEN ARROW: Apple Computers will inspire humanity.
TOYMAN: Burger King will create 'American obesity.'
GREEN ARROW: People aren't stupid, Toyman.
TOYMAN: What about the Great Depression, Arrow?
GREEN ARROW: The flaws of capitalism can be addressed with faith.
TOYMAN: The proverbial 'American Dream' creates envy...
GREEN ARROW: I believe Apple Computers will promote optimism.
TOYMAN: Japanese companies (e.g., Sony) will envy the success of Apple!
GREEN ARROW: The 'cure' to envy, Jack, is democracy (you know that!).
TOYMAN: All I know is that capitalism creates greed...
GREEN ARROW: I think you'll find imagination soothes the 'savage beast.'
TOYMAN: Maybe (only maybe)!
====
This 'parable' was inspired by the film Dr. Strangelove.
Cheers,
====
Oliver Queen and Jack Nimball were the best of friends and met while studying at Princeton University in the 1970s. When the big consumerism 1980s hit, Americans were feverish about Walkmans, stereos, computers, Wall Street, and coupons. Hollywood films reflected a pedestrian interest in the culture of commerce --- e.g., The Secret of My Success, Ruthless People, Wall Street, The Breakfast Club, etc. This is where Queen and Nimball parted ways; Oliver believed in the virtue of democracy/capitalism, while Jack insisted that consumerism would create natural gluttony.
Oliver became the American vigilante and democracy-defender Green Arrow, while Jack became a nefarious anti-social terrorist (a 'super-villain') named Toyman. Green Arrow allied himself to individuals who cared about the valiant and prudent defense of global commerce, while Toyman networked with druglords, unscrupulous tycoons, and capitalism pirates. Green Arrow wanted to understand the imaginarium-value of commerce-symbolic 'treasures' (e.g., Apple Macintosh), while Toyman wanted to deconstruct the primal nature of piracy totems (e.g., water-guns, Playboy magazine, etc.).
GREEN ARROW: You've become a terrorist, Jack!
TOYMAN: You're a naive puppet, Oliver...
GREEN ARROW: Why do you call yourself 'Toyman,' Jack?
TOYMAN: Capitalism is a toy, Oliver...
GREEN ARROW: What about charity?
TOYMAN: What about gluttony?
GREEN ARROW: Apple Computers will inspire humanity.
TOYMAN: Burger King will create 'American obesity.'
GREEN ARROW: People aren't stupid, Toyman.
TOYMAN: What about the Great Depression, Arrow?
GREEN ARROW: The flaws of capitalism can be addressed with faith.
TOYMAN: The proverbial 'American Dream' creates envy...
GREEN ARROW: I believe Apple Computers will promote optimism.
TOYMAN: Japanese companies (e.g., Sony) will envy the success of Apple!
GREEN ARROW: The 'cure' to envy, Jack, is democracy (you know that!).
TOYMAN: All I know is that capitalism creates greed...
GREEN ARROW: I think you'll find imagination soothes the 'savage beast.'
TOYMAN: Maybe (only maybe)!
====
