Maybe it's just our culture, but Americans seems to want want want, more more more. This year that gluttonous concept might be a little more difficult to pursue, as the economy is currently SOL. Sure gas prices are now under $2.00 in Seattle (AH-mazing!) but with the holidays fast approaching, wallets are growing emaciated and families are finding themselves hard-pressed to give their kids the kind of Christmas they hope for.On the inside, I'm rejoicing. For too long the holidays have revolved around commercialism, with the spirit of good cheer taking a backseat. Why would Americans care about things like friends and family when we can be at the mall watching a grandma spit in the face of minimum-wage employee because they don''t have Tickle-Me Elmo in stock. It's sickening how materialistic such a special day has become, despite honorable intentions. By gifting loved ones their material desires, we get to express our love in physical form. Hopefully though this year, necessity/scarcity will force us to be more creative with our expressions. Instead of saying I love you THIS much in dollar signs, we can pick one of a million ways to show we care without spending a cent.
So where was I going with all this? The extra extra/excess theme has even surfaced in music. When Coldplay released The Prospekt's March EP this week, I thought nothing less of another attempt at capitalizing on Viva La Vida's succcess. Then, when my MPR podcast free song arrived this morning, "Champagne in Paper Cups" from Death Cab's deluxe edition of Something About Airplanes, I found myself getting an odd twinge of irritation. DELUXE, SPECIAL, BONUS, COLLECTOR'S EDITION; these were labels that, as I scanned through my music library started to both amaze and frustrate me.
What's with the whole supersize mentality? When did we get so hungry for more more more? Particularily in art/music - wasn't it intended to be minimalist? Maybe we need to feel like we're getting more for our dollar, but in reality we're just getting more for more dollars.
- Number of LTK's songs with SPECIAL EDITION in the album title: 79
- Number of LTK's songs with BONUS in the album title: 106
- Number of LTK's songs with DELUXE in the album title: 186
Peace, Love, and Excess Excess (But Optimistic for Change),
LTK
LTK
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