Friday, September 15, 2006

سهرابي، مبارك أنت بين الخياطين


Al-Zubara Fortress - Nomad, originally uploaded by iDip.

Inspired by Kleio's "Retail Therapy".


Neil Boorman (Savonarola of the 21st century) is up to something serious, and he’s not looking back. [Read]

Mr. Boorman wrote:
I now realise that it's these damn brands that are the source of the pain. For every new status symbol I acquire, for every new extension to my identity that I buy, I lose a piece of myself to the brands. I placed my trust, even some love with these companies, and what have I had in return for my loyalty and my faith? Absolutely nothing. How could they, they're just brands.”


Some may argue that Brands = Quality, but does showing off = well-being? that’s the question.

I -for one- feel surrounded by brands like: Apple, Nikon & Sony Ericsson, and they’re “wear-able” too. Just like any high street clothes, they all display a Designer’s name or logo, and this lessens my personal space.

Many items are exclusive, like the ones that only one producer can offer. Others are offered by producers not keen to show off their names or logos. The rest are “Statement items”, the ones that are bought for the sake of fake well-being.

There’s a bottom line we need to maintain, if we wish to.
Which one of the mentioned above items we want or like to have? and what are we looking for in the first place?

We’re being consumed by Branding & Consumerism. Even Che Guevara (the anti-Imperialism Guerrilla) became a victim to the growing make-money-out-of-anything mentality.


Now, look at yourself & your belongings. How personal/individual do you feel/look?

Thank God we have Dishdashas!


P.S.
This post was brought to you by: an Apple computer, a Blogger.com account & flick.com photo sharing service!!

8 comments:

Delicately Realistic said...

*Looking at my Starbucks coffee, nokia phone, my designer bag, my.... and my .... and my ...... and the list goes on....while i listen to my iPod*

GOD! And im not even at home!

This is NOT good. I admit. But at least i feel good :P

Anonymous said...

it's no wonder big corporations are coming up with customize your own thing .. maybe that will bring back some of ur lost personal space but i doubt it .. anyways where's the al-zubara fortress?

White Wings said...

I have a problem with some particular brands that are known for child labor for example and other "immoral" issues, but other wise I like to shop brands at sale prices, rarely do I buy a brand-name item for original price, number one because I cannot afford them and number two because I know they will go on sale soon and break my heart :)
seriously, I think that enjoying brands is acceptable, but oppsessing is never acceptable I guess about any and every thing

Mohammad Al-Yousifi said...

مالي خلق افهم البوست

الكويتي الحر said...

بالظبط مطقوق

:)

Erzulie said...

Hmm! Strange that you posted it now!

Equalizer said...

I am beginning to dislike places where brands are overwhelming and the local mom and pop stores are shutting down. Look at all major cities. They look the same, wherever you look its the same brand. Go to any mall in Kuwait and it probably has the same brands as the other. With a world bombarded with products and very little time to choose, only brands can provide a quicker hassle free choice, but not neccessarily the best.

iDip said...

DR,
"im not even at home"
exactly! ;)

Geo,
in Qatar
more

White Wings,
you're right. and when people get obsessed with a product/producer, it's the time they start to lose their personal "economic identity". I'm no different thought :(

Kila Ma6goog
&
الكويتي الحر

على راحتكم
:)


3asal,
electronics are less "showing-off-able" than clothes & accesories.... so I think we need to get geeky to escape and to get rid of family & friends pressure or criticism ;)

Erzulie,
it's just something that got on my nerves, and the blog come in handy for such feelings... what is blogging for?! :)


Ruth or Truth,
Yes.

Equalizer,
Malls are like clones of each other.

Your're right, just think of a picture of 3 or 4 shops in any given mall.. can we tell which mall are we looking at?!

in addition, enternpruners are not encouraged the way they need to be.