Materialism in Pink
So, I was reading in the paper about an art exhibition whose theme is materialism: JeongMee Yoon, one of the featured artists, has done a Pink Project and a Blue Project, photographs of little girls and little boys with their pink or blue items respectively. This isn't the picture that was in the paper, but it's close to it:
http://www.artnet.com/Galleries/Artwork_Detail.asp?G=&gid=424670535&cid=113128&which=&aid=424791604&wid=425001855&source=exhibitions&rta=http://www.artnet.com
(Some background info/other pictures: http://afonline.artistsspace.org/view_artist.php?aid=4910 )
That little girl looks so cheerful and happy.
I suppose I'm meant to think that her possessions are excessive, that if we distributed them amongst seven penniless children the world would be better off. Maybe. But, for various reasons not entirely clear even to myself, I'm not as antimaterialistic as would seem to fit with the general tenor of my politics; sometimes I look at my full bookcases with a distinct feeling of contentment, and I adore WD's romance with his sexy German car. I understand that things alone can't make people happy, the problems with "keeping up with the Joneses" etc, but I think it's possible to want something and own it and enjoy it for itself, not to impress anyone else, and that this is not necessarily a bad thing.
This little girl looks so happy, and the one in the paper looked even happier. How can I begrudge them one roomful of pink things? I want to buy them both pink hair ribbons.
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I get a feeling of warm contentment from some material things, too. I lurve my writin' chair, and my laptop.
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