Racist vs. Humbug; Acquired vs. Innate

The 'racist brouhaha' over Lorde's 'Royals' reminds of times when I encounter creative nonsense parading as advertising on TV. I can't for the life of me decipher what the commercial is about until its explained to me by a smarter mortal. What follows quickly is a hit on self-esteem and a question, am I not smart enough?


Who cares. I bet its the duhs masquerading as creative at agencies who are responsible for indecipherable communiques.

Listening to Showbiz Tonight's AJ Hammer helps me know Lorde (Ella Maria) isn't being racist, when she drops words like 'gold teeth', 'cristal', and 'cadillacs'. In fact what Lorde's really railing against is 'consumerism'. How do you know that? Listen to the lyrics and you'll hear Lorde referring to 'jet planes', 'tigers', and 'islands on a gold leash'. At least that's the AJ thesis.

Wow. I get it.

Just the way consumers do when marketers prompt them to recognize what is otherwise not innately recognized and understood. You see, innate needs are biological; not so, psychogenic needs. The latter are acquired, mostly from the socio-cultural environment, and at times via marketers. Its like the way realization dawns on me, prompted from the outside. When it comes to consumers, marketers have to the do the baiting and explaining. Consumers are numbed into recognizing, for example, the 'need' to be size zero by having Kareeena strut her rickety self on screen. I know its dumb, but it's also marketing's moment of triumph. After all, they've gotten consumers to recognize what they otherwise may not have bought into on their own.

When it comes to racism, I have to admit many times its so subtle you don't even notice it until someone points it out. Then there are those times when all the noise over racism is much ado about nothing.

Like its with 'Royals'.