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April 06, 2004

The cleverest New Yorker cartoon I've seen this year

chebart.jpg

The juxtaposition here cracked me up, especially after having just traveled in Latin America. This image of Che Guevara (the head part, that is -- not the Bart Simpson part) is so ubiquitous on the t-shirts and knick-knacks of backpacker ghettos that it has become as recognizable a "brand" as anything generated by corporate America. Indeed, it would appear that Che -- through his dramatic good looks as much as his idealogy -- has become the revolutionary equivalent of McDonald's.

As Paul Theroux wrote in The Old Patagonian Express:

"Guevara's fate was worse than Bolivar's. Guevara's collapse was complete; his intentions were forgotten, but his style was taken up by boutique owners. There is no faster way of destroying a man, or mocking his ideas, than making him fashionable."

Posted by Rolf on April 6, 2004 12:52 PM
Comments

Branding is the buzzword of a corporate culture that walks the streets with blank faces. . . I actually had the honor of hearing Paul Theroux tonight in Oakland CA discuss his new book "Dark Star Safari." His book is an ode to freedom in a modern world, and his overall message about travel is that travel is not for having a good time or seeking the comforts we expect at home. Instead, make travel a pilgrimage of personal discovery through struggle and a willingness to adapt.

Posted by: Adam on April 6, 2004 01:52 AM

Branding is much maligned - although it can be misused. Ultimately brands aren't owned by corporations, but by individuals. Check out www.lovemarks.com for the future of brands.

Branding is integrally tied to identity. Who are we? Who do we think we are? It's natural to respond to larger-than-life icons such as Che. Maybe something of the archetypal hero calls to us. The archetypal rebel. We see the archetypes in ourselves. And Bart? He's a bit of a rebel too. Bart is pretty popular with the 11-year-old boy in the Quetzalteco family (Guatemala) I resided with last December. One evening we did a Simpsons marathon (I saw more episodes in one evening than I have in last 5 years). It was quite a bonding experience.

Adam - thanks for the recommendation for Dark Star Safari. I've long lost the urge to travel for escape. "Struggle" is only one's perception. Is comfort really what anyone is truly seeking on a journey? Or to be stretched, expanded, and to grow from the experience? (BTW, this is very FUN! -- so yes you can travel for fun, although it may or may not be necessarily comfortable.)

Posted by: Evelyn Rodriguez on April 7, 2004 12:40 PM
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