Why not? Social in-activists have made it a cottage industry, funded by the same people the protestors are protesting against, it has created a resurgence in the Camouflage clothing industry and it has given purpose to the lives of those attending university majoring in the liberal arts.........
I've completely missed my calling. When I grow up I want to be one of the Yes Men.
This group of "culture jamming" political activists, led by Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonnano, pulled one of my all-time favourite satire-in-cheek stunts.
They created a fake website posing as ExxonMobil developers of a groundbreaking petroleum product called "Vivoleum." From their site they garnered an invitation to be keynote speakers at Go-Expo, Canada's biggest petroleum conference held last month in Calgary.
They explained in gushing oil-speak that as a result of the probability of global calamities the oil industry could "keep fuel flowing" by transforming the millions of people who will inevitably die into – um, oil.
The audience was then asked to light their commemorative "Vivoleum" candles. They elaborated that these particular candles were made from the flesh of an "Exxon janitor" who died as a result of cleaning up a toxic spill.
It was only when a video was shown of the supposed "dead janitor" professing his wish to be rendered into candles after his death that the penny dropped. Security escorted both men out.
Still in character, they enlightened reporters, "We're not talking about killing anyone. We're talking about using them after nature has done the hard work."
These guys are like an Escher poster of protest. Their zany theatrical satire in action is my definition of what effective new millennium protest should look like – creative, outrageous, thought-provoking, and most of all – new.
1 comment:
oh my. good one. I think what they did was hilarious, and I'm so not surprised you didn't get it.
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