Comments on: Brand underground http://www.owlspotting.com/2006/07/31/brand-underground/ Writings and whereabouts Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:32:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Vanessa http://www.owlspotting.com/2006/07/31/brand-underground/comment-page-1/#comment-17953 Vanessa Wed, 07 Mar 2007 05:34:59 +0000 http://www.owlspotting.com/2006/07/31/255/#comment-17953 I found this piece fascinating. But in the end you see how contradicting it really is. It is kind of sad to think that most of these underground brands are created under good intentions. You know to make a statement about their lifestyle. But in the end, when they given the chance, may turn themselves into the very corporation they were rebelling against. I thought A-Ron summed it all up by stating, “My whole thing now is if you don’t sell out, you sell out on yourself…we’re here to do business.” That's exactly what it is "business." But good luck to those that at least try. I found this piece fascinating. But in the end you see how contradicting it really is. It is kind of sad to think that most of these underground brands are created under good intentions. You know to make a statement about their lifestyle. But in the end, when they given the chance, may turn themselves into the very corporation they were rebelling against. I thought A-Ron summed it all up by stating, “My whole thing now is if you don’t sell out, you sell out on yourself…we’re here to do business.” That’s exactly what it is “business.” But good luck to those that at least try.

]]> By: Matt http://www.owlspotting.com/2006/07/31/brand-underground/comment-page-1/#comment-756 Matt Mon, 31 Jul 2006 17:47:02 +0000 http://www.owlspotting.com/2006/07/31/255/#comment-756 Fascinating article. I think what we are getting at here is the difficulty of bucking the traditional capitalist system in a time when there exists no alternative option. I imagine that these sneaker and t-shirt "lifestyle" designers in an earlier time might have been communal/socialist types. Although the world is indeed not flat, it seems that the paradigm of capitalist consumerism is everywhere. If this has indeed become a universal truth, then such agitation perhaps is revolutionary. However, like the author, I'm left a bit empty. For my thesis I studied the subway graffiti artists 1970's and 1980's NYC. It seemed that it was the illegality of the act that made it so alluring. The rebellion had real consequences, such as jailtime, serious injury or even death. As I am pondering law school for myself, I had to chuckle at Ben and Bobby, who, although they had gotten into the T-shirt thing first year, ended up taking the bar, meaning that they had finished the standard 3 years of law school. Indeed, as this culture seems to revolve around cool-ness and exclusivity, I see little difference between it other more traditional deliniators thereof... But perhaps these kids are a more realistic follow up of our countercultural generation, realizing that in order to work for change, one has to understand the current system. Sure it's all contradiction, and so is life, but perhaps my ultimate coldness here is that, even after their abstract material-cool successes, they still could only articulate that they wanted to say something. Still we're listening. Fascinating article. I think what we are getting at here is the difficulty of bucking the traditional capitalist system in a time when there exists no alternative option. I imagine that these sneaker and t-shirt “lifestyle” designers in an earlier time might have been communal/socialist types. Although the world is indeed not flat, it seems that the paradigm of capitalist consumerism is everywhere. If this has indeed become a universal truth, then such agitation perhaps is revolutionary.

However, like the author, I’m left a bit empty. For my thesis I studied the subway graffiti artists 1970’s and 1980’s NYC. It seemed that it was the illegality of the act that made it so alluring. The rebellion had real consequences, such as jailtime, serious injury or even death.

As I am pondering law school for myself, I had to chuckle at Ben and Bobby, who, although they had gotten into the T-shirt thing first year, ended up taking the bar, meaning that they had finished the standard 3 years of law school.

Indeed, as this culture seems to revolve around cool-ness and exclusivity, I see little difference between it other more traditional deliniators thereof… But perhaps these kids are a more realistic follow up of our countercultural generation, realizing that in order to work for change, one has to understand the current system.

Sure it’s all contradiction, and so is life, but perhaps my ultimate coldness here is that, even after their abstract material-cool successes, they still could only articulate that they wanted to say something.

Still we’re listening.

]]> By: Romerican http://www.owlspotting.com/2006/07/31/brand-underground/comment-page-1/#comment-755 Romerican Mon, 31 Jul 2006 10:12:46 +0000 http://www.owlspotting.com/2006/07/31/255/#comment-755 <i>Excellent</i> piece. I'm off to read the lengthier one which gave rise to your post. In my humble experience, the majority of such t-shirt purchasers aren't necessarily those playing on satire or irony, but merely in fact people who wish to fantasize themselves as emulated the depicted scene. And then second most would be the cool for cool's sake "because someone said this was cool" crowd. Followed by the satire -n- irony crowd; namely, the original designer, the printer, and you. Excellent piece. I’m off to read the lengthier one which gave rise to your post.

In my humble experience, the majority of such t-shirt purchasers aren’t necessarily those playing on satire or irony, but merely in fact people who wish to fantasize themselves as emulated the depicted scene.

And then second most would be the cool for cool’s sake “because someone said this was cool” crowd. Followed by the satire -n- irony crowd; namely, the original designer, the printer, and you.

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