Triumph of the Swill

So, not long after writing about the newest fad of "luxury shame" I came across a pretty startling article on HuffPo and Salon's Broadsheet. It's an introduction to a group called "Dating a Banker Anonymous" (or DABA) based on an article in today's NYT. Here's the group's mission statement:


My first (and, I think, natural) response to the mission statement was a mix of disbelief and confusion. It seemed snarky and smarmy enough to pass for a jab at actual women dating actual bankers. The real kicker came when I realized this wasn't a joke... these are women dating (or married to) bankers venting about their "monthly Bergdorf's allowance" and cutting back on nanny costs.  How they can both laugh and cry about their heinous worldview is beyond me, though it might have something to do with the mixed-emotions one feels when plummeting from the top of a skyscraper: One second you feel like you're floating; the next, you're not.

What was most striking to me was the phrase "free from the scrutiny of feminists" - which, thankfully, it was not. There's a certain undertone to that part of the message that bothered me for a couple of reasons, not least of which that it seems to speak to the inherent enmity of woman vs. woman that our culture promotes especially at the higher ends of the economical stratosphere.

The blog functions on a couple of pretty asinine assumptions:

1 - That it's primarily women being harmed by the recession.

While I don't disagree with this on the basis that women generally make less than men (and are thus at a disadvantage when it comes to consumer inflation/reduced buying power) it does piss me off that their sole example of this "victimization" is their husbands' failure to provide for them and remain emotionally "aloof".

2 - That only women are feminists, and only feminists would criticize them.

The second point touches on the enmity I was referring to earlier, and while Broadsheet was quick to give the great talking points in regards to how shallow these women's expectations of romance/love/relationships are, I think the saddest aspect is these women's expectations of themselves and other women. They assume that feminists are villains because they assume feminists are women - and as their world view clearly indicates - women/feminists who criticize their superficial and money driven "romances" are clearly jealous and unable to relate because they don't have boyfriends or husbands supporting them (like they should, apparently).

For starters - not all feminists are women. I wish all women were feminists, but that's not the case either. I'm a man (penis and all!) and I strongly believe and support the notion that women are fully capable of supporting themselves (and their male counter-parts, if they so wish/need to) because they are just as good at doing the things that other humans do, regardless of gender. And no, it's not just women who should show some chagrin at the misguided outrage these women show towards their men for being emotionally vulnerable, especially at a time of financial instability that directly effects their professional lives.

I'd hope that a man married to a woman banker would be quick to respond to his wife's fears of coming job-cuts, and financial set-backs as I wish these women would be of their husbands/boyfriends. Not because the woman banker would be expected to vulnerable as a woman - but because life sucks when you don't know if you're going to be able to stay afloat and a little sensitivity to your loved one's plight shouldn't be too much to ask.

It is interesting, though, to watch a lot of these social undertones being exposed for what they are. I just think it's a shame that it all has to be so petty and based on money.

-CB

** Update **

I felt the urge to read DABA; a little more, just to see if there was anything redeeming - or maybe just something I missed in the initial skim-reading.  I found these nuggets of insight:
*sigh*

So the newest craze amongst the "super rich" (whatever the hell that is... rich is rich is rich) is apparently to appear to cut-back on spending while making it look like other people are spending on you. In "The Wealthy Turn Stealthy" in the WaPost today we are told about how unfashionable it is to "throw your money around". While I am inclined to agree that rabid consumption is both mindless and tacky, I can't help but take a bit of offense at the fact that it's now fashionable to appear as though you've had to cut back on spending as opposed to actually doing just that. To me, this seems like a step towards that ever-so-prevalent fad of becoming more authentic by either feigning or over-hyping some sort of perceived damage. Just, now we've gone from celebrating daddy-issues, and Cutting, to celebrating what is called "Luxury Shame". How do we celebrate "Luxury Shame"? you ask... easy:

I figure the next step in this is going to a be resurgence of extremely visible spending with the added bonus of these same stealth-wealthers claiming that they had to once deprive themselves due to the recession. They'll be more authentic because they looked like they weren't able to spend in these hard times... get it?

Fuckers.

In other news: Last week Joey, Liz and I all had the pleasure of hanging out with Serge (of The Goons) who is nothing if not funny. We met his cat Lumpy, a persian with the best demeanor I've ever seen in a cat, and the flatest face you could possibly imagine... I'd love to hang out with the puss, but it would kill me because I'm allergic. Which is bull shit... but I don't like many cats anyway so I guess it's not that much of a problem.

We went to see Deep Sleep - a local band out of Towson that sounds like Black Flag meets the Descendents, with a Jason Bateman stand-in for a singer - and every time I see them they're even more amazing than the last time. They hadn't practiced in about a month and a half b/c of sickness and work, but they seriously brought it to the Talking Head. They were followed byVincent Black Shadow - a band of D&D nerds who looked excited to get the attention they were missing in high school. Needless to say, they have a type.

Fucked Up closed the night out - and while I wasn't a fan of their CD they really kick ass live. I dunno, I kinda felt like their songs didn't go anywhere (which is stupid of me, because I liked Andrew WK's first album and that was the definition of going nowhere) and told Joey to turn it the hell off... but I'll have to give it another listen just because I really enjoyed watching them. Then again, it's never bad to see a band kick ass live when you didn't like their recorded material. If all bands worked that way we wouldn't need an RIAA, would we?

This weekend, it looks like we'll be going to the Mexican Cultural Institute to see an exhibit of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, amongst others. I'm pretty psyched because we don't get to go out much what with the little man (our dog Ulster) not being one we like to lock up and just leave - and because we're not stealth wealthers, we actually have bills and shit to pay before we can pretend to be poor.

If anyone sees anymore shows (as if someone's reading this) or anymore kick ass exhibits coming up in the DC/Baltimore area, please let me know. It'd be nice to try and make it some as fun as the last one was.

-CB

If you want an indication of the state of America, I suggest you look no further than your employer-provided health care plan... if you even have one. As if it's not bad enough that 16% of the "world's lone super power" doesn't experience the "privilege" of health care/insurance, the salt in the wound can clearly be found in the number of outs health care providers write in to the plans they sell you with the promise that your future is safe so long as you pay.

Take for instance the case of Debbie Shank (a link will be provided below).( Read more... )

Alright...

Well I seriously doubt many people are going to read this, but I hope that any who do will be kind enough to respond and refer others here to do the same.

Please read and respond to the following questions in the comment section:

Do you own a record player? If so how often do you use it?

Do you own a CD player?

Would you be more or less inclined to purchase a record release if you knew it would never be released on CD?

Would you purchase a record even if you knew it might (some day) be released via either digital distribution (such as itunes, or free online download), or via CD?


Thanks!
Corky Berlin

My head is killing me.

This is nothing new: for the past few years I've been having problems with migraines. They had gone away for almost 6 months last year, when they kicked back in around July. Since then, they've been incessant (but for a few days here and there, and some times a solid week or two) but I hardly notice when they're gone because I've become so used to the hum and pounding. It's been suggested I see a doctor for them, but the last time I went to a doctor about it he just put me under some MRI and told me "I don't know." I've got an extra gland or something that possibly contributes to the problem, however they're not sure they want to remove it because they're not completely certain what it even does. So... I am to remain medical mystery, and my headaches are to persist indefinitely.

In other news: this morning sucks.
( Read more... )

I have decided that I shall no longer tolerate the insults of the lingually endowed for my malapropisms (I shall, however, continue to be "smeared" by those who refer to my communicative ineptitudes as "cute"). Instead, every time someone pipes in to tell me that the word I am using is "unexistent" (fuck you, I did that on purpose), or "inappropriate", I shall proclaim that I am in fact a NEOLOGIST!

For those of you who do not know what that is: go ask your mother.

For those of you who do know what that is: PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM!

Thank you, and that will be all.

Bitches.

I'm not allowed to watch the news much any more, and clearly this is for a number of good reasons. While I can't say I've had to go to the extremes of being advised by a doctor that my blood pressure resembles something of a nuclear-blast in a subway tunnel (*marketing aside: getting FBI attention with key phrases means more hits!*), the fact of the matter is, Katie Couric pisses me off. So! the morning "news" is off limits, and I am instead bound to rather tepid sources of news gathering like C-SPAN, and cnn.com. Such as life... I need less aggravation these days, anyway. I should probably avoid the outside world, in general, based on that notion... but I don't.

Some may argue that looking up the news on CNN or other internet sites will do nothing to alleviate my pissed-off tendencies when it comes to affairs of the world surrounding me, but I argue that's just not true. Things are so much easier to take when I don't have some vapid, over-paid, walking smile of a human being telling me "The apocalypse began today... and next on: 180 ways to enjoy shopping even more!" News releases, and things-written-in general allow a certain level of detachment that morning and evening news programs just don't allow. It feels a lot more like actual reporting as opposed to a sales-pitch, and I appreciate that. Plus, this way I'm amused by actual events as opposed to annoyed by the attempts at clever banter so damned prevalent to broadcast, these days.

For example: I was reading about Virginia Tech's recent loss of their Junior QB Marcus Vick on CNN today. This chode has taken to declaring that he's going to make a run for the NFL draft, which is pretty typical as far as college sports goes (I'm passed saying "YOU MEAN THEY DON'T GO TO COLLEGE FOR THE EDUCATION!?"), but he one-ups the traditional story of rising in the ranks by having actually gotten kicked out of college ball before aiming for the big leagues. It seems Marc has an attitude problem that ranges from basically being an asshole to stomping on people's legs after he tackles them... a problem so pervasive and obvious that the college is no longer willing to overlook it (that's bad, by the way) and they dumped his ass. What's Marc have to say on the subject?

"I have decided to enter the NFL draft," the junior quarterback said in a three-paragraph statement released through his lawyers. "I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to proving my athletic ability at the professional level. I believe I am ready for this challenge and the next chapter of my life."

*WHEW!* For a second there, I was kinda worried he would miss the point to being EXPELLED FROM THE FRIKKIN' LEAGUE. Seriously, if this guy is drafted by any team in the NFL (very likely), I'm not going to throw a shit-fit or anything... but I will take a long, deep, sigh and point out that this is highly indicative of how screwed up our society is these days. That will, of course, be rightly ignored by the people who have found this to be both typical of me, and somewhat obnoxious.

But I'm gonna do it... and I'm gonna be right... and then the world's gonna end and you know what? Katie Couric is gonna have even more tips about how to enjoy shopping EVEN MORE...

And then she can cram it.

*I shall begin with an "aside": It seems almost obligatory to point out that this is my first post, and that I am "so excited/bored/smothered-in-lameosity at the chance to write all sorts of pleasant things that I hope you enjoy!!!"... but I'm not going to. That's a tad too post-modern for me... so there.*

Today did not begin on what I think any of us would call a bright note... then again, I don't know exactly what kind of note one would call finding condoms in my younger brother's room at 7:30 in the $*%&ing morning.

My first reaction was along the lines of confusion, disgust, quintessential pissed-offedness. I mean, COME ON! What in the hell does a 14 year old hedonistic swim fanatic need with sex? I'm 21 years old, I have limited sexual experience (very little of which being what one might call "satisfying") and I just don't see the damn point in trying to get laid the first go-round in the realm of "modern dating". Hell, I don't even know how he can make an attempt at talking in the first go-round... Not to mention, I touched/saw my 14 (FOURTEEN) year old brother's condom stash...

Does anyone else wanna go take an isopropyl bath now?

My temptation in all of this is to slap him and scream "YOU'RE 14, YOU HAVE ACNE, AND YOU'RE AWKWARD. WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU THINKING!?" But I have an inkling that this would be deemed as less than tact. So... I'm just gonna slap him.

*Sigh* Or I'll suck it up and find a moment to spring it on him so he's so thrown off he has to answer honestly. Either way, this feels way too much like pseudo parenting and I don't think I like the idea of that. I don't even like the idea of genuine parenting, right now... how in the hell am I supposed to take the cheap imitation route?