"Fire is motion / Work is repetition / This is my document / We are all all we've done / We are all all we've done / We are all all we've done / We are all all defenses."

- Cap'N Jazz, "Oh Messy Life," Analphabetapolothology

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

magic*

a video, this time from Beijing.

to be more specific, from the basement of a Beijing super mega mall/ food court.

i consider my careful/ auspicious placement/ capture of the reflections to be a compelling critique/ comment on globalization in China, and a plea for cultural conservation.



the green light's right here!
-stef

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

There still seems to be difficulty with some activists on the subject of brand and logo. Personally, I cannot have a discussion without placing corporate logo in my work - this after I strictly control such brands in my workspace.

Anyways, really just wanted to share with you that my on-line label is back up:
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php?op=program-info&program_id=23842&nav=&session=anonymous

Still no skype...

stephanie lee said...

it wasn't a comment so much on the label (i'm proud of my kentucky fellows!) but what that brand represents: that something so uniquely American as KY FRIED chicken is popular among the Chinese (and Japanese too) is fascinating to me, in that it indicates a romanticism the East has for America, an idea totally lost on me, someone who actually lives here.

and the link worked this time.

-stef

Anonymous said...

The other aspect of this Steph, is due to the lax safety standards in China, a Western restaurant may be perceived as safer.

How's your time back going? Much culture shock?

stephanie lee said...

mm, i highly doubt safety is the issue here. hi trans fat and sodium, plus low level of vitamins vs. drug-enhanced meat, i'd still take the latter.

after all, let me remind you that America and other nations too have had issues with their meat. haven't animal rights groups proved time and time again that chickens in the good ol' USA are basically barely alive chicken morsels due to cramped inhumane time in the cage?

i'm all for healthy food. that's why i think China should ban OUR imports (= KFC)

-stef

stephanie lee said...

mm, sorry, by "KFC" i meant "fast food (in general)"

again, got nothing against my kentucky fellows. but i have to say, fried chicken (esp. of the fast variety) = so so bad for you!

Anonymous said...

Just got off my long labour shift.

Looking at it again - the euphoric narrative is really quite accurate and poiniant, if not completely unintentional (usually the best reason, eh?).

The power of short video clips is really and truly unfolding for me, even with my boring and techy shit. It captures a moment of thought - that moment that propels us past our hatred of corporate dominance to buy their softdrink, grab the fast meal, take the cheaper option.

It is truly amazing that the only other options in life require a fair bit of clear thought, lacking euphoria, along with stuff like things being utterly free and highly imaginative or extremely utilitarian and helpful but grotesquely expensive in this time of happy faces selling us ever cheaper goods from the hands of millions of Chinese slaves.

Well, rad!ically writing at least...
remaerdyaD

my captcha = "zjufq"

stephanie lee said...

"The power of short video clips is really and truly unfolding for me"

i know what you mean, R. i was talking to a guy about starting a small media collective in LA, and i realized that i was less interested in writing a feature-length film, and more interested in smaller projects. power punches. karate kicks.

hiya!
-stef

Anonymous said...

CHUKL

Anonymous said...

Daydreamer ducks under the kick, plans to headbutt stef's foot... gets distracted by
http://www.tv.com/code-monkeys/show/74222/summary.html?q=monkeys&tag=search_results;title;4