Four hours into my series of flights to San Francisco I realized I could mute the crazy light display of the little TV screen at my seat by dialing the brightness all the way down.
There's no actual off switch, because who *wouldn't* want a tiny TV screen at their seat?
Me. I do not want a TV screen at my seat. Not one that requires I swipe my credit card before I receive any programming of merit. Not one that cycles through the same endless series of promos on the unpaid plan. Not one that competes with the Cory Doctorow's Content for my attention, a book that ironically is all about the lure and power of the screen. (I found if I held the book just right I could block the flickering lights.)
These little screens must be working the way advertisers want them to because they're propagating in all the semi-anonymous public spaces where I used to think my own thoughts. In the backs of NYC cabs. In elevators. At the checkout of my local grocery store.
Their default position is always on and loud and cheerleader cheery.
Enough.
I do not want them in my cab.
I do not want them near my Tab [1].
I will not watch them in a box.
I will not watch them playing Fox.
[1] Okay: that's a lie. I don't drink Tab so I don't buy it. But I needed a grocery item that rhymes with "cab". Any ideas? Happy to swap in a substitution.
Posting by cameraphone enroute to SFO.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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5 comments:
Three possible solutions:
a) Re-education camps for everyone who works in marketing/advertising, or
b) blinding yourself with a small, collapsible plastic fork, or
c) blinding everyone who works in marketing/advertising with a small, collapsible plastic fork.
but if we didn't have Marketers how would you know what to buy?
(I'm kidding.
& culpable.)
Crab?
Steamed blue crab?
I became murderously angry if I dwell too long on the proportion of my waking life during which I am aggressively marketed to. The best thing is just to allow yourself to be hypnotize by the flashing lights. You only mind for a little while, and then you go pleasantly numb.
My least favorite of these is at the gas pump.
I can't believe you didn't know about the "turn brightness down" thing... but, I'm glad you figured it out! At least that's controllable. My pet peeve lately has been the damn advertising in the movies... so, I just paid $13 to watch some band do a 4 minute commercial to join the National Guard?? Really??
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