Lux in the Eco-Age

Recently I’ve been dwelling in airport lounges. It seems in this eco-age of conservative spending and reduced carbon footprint, the luxury of travel remains one escape portal.

The need or want to go somewhere else prevails. We can scrimp and save by web hopping deal sites for good prices but we still want certain luxuries to sweeten the experience.

Our package deal includes meals or quality snacks and access to movies, music and games via our in-flight personal entertainment systems. I wonder why we kid ourselves when our personal entertainment system is merely a touch screen, the concept itself - a pacifier.
Aren’t we still in cattle class, with limited leg room in close proximity to other self-serving passengers? The fact that we can be satisfied and subdued by food, visuals and sound is sad in itself.

I can’t help but be tempted by the consumerism of airport retail. Isn’t that the whole point? There are copious amounts of things to buy, half pointless and fleeting but tempting none the less.
Maybe that is part of the romance of travel, we have saved and daydreamed about a holiday, we have been frugal in our search for a bargain and now we are here, the airport or transition room. We have money in foreign currency, how about a souvenir, giftware or chocolate bar to enjoy the experience a little more? Shame the token in itself is easily forgotten and misplaced.

For all the luxury and opulence of travel, there is the structure and procedure of security and due process. Post 9/11, the world will never be the same, for better or for worse. We still want to travel and experience the sights and sounds of different cultures despite our fears and potential threats.

The power of decoration and distraction!

Corporate Identity

Another day and another product is released. The latest is the iPhone, dripping with contract strings and add-on costs.

In line at the Queen Street Vodafone store is Jonny Gladwell, typical student camped out for 60 hours to be the first in the world to buy one.
Media coverage was overkill due to the lack of political blunders and overseas disasters.

We could all celebrate or relate to this guy then it turns out he's been paid to do it, wearing sponsored clothing and is the latest in sheep in wolves clothing marketing plant.

What a surprise that blatant logo placement is not reaching consumers so now honesty and creditability are for sale in this urban wasteland.
You can sell your soul on trademe, pretend to have a disability to sell airbags, make a "homemade" video on your cellphone of your workmates and be the latest video diarist on utube.

It does take the gloss off when everything is a hoax and set up by corporate identities. Though outraged, we can't kid ourselves that we would never sell what was truly important to us.

Bribery is the daily bread of corporates and we are only a twig in a storm.
Is it possible to fight the corporate machine and maintain individuality in modern culture.
Or are we so far gone that when a branded t-shirt is offered, we actually believe we are buying popularity and acceptance.

We are but branded calves in the herd.