8 Comments
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Dámaris Danielle's avatar

You dropped so many bars here I don’t even know what quote to restack

A. R. Yngve's avatar

We can all make wry, witty comments referencing Zizek (I think he's funny)... and I do get some enjoyment out of it. And I'm an enthusiastic McLuhanite. -- But even so: There may be some stories -- a few -- that can transcend the form of the medium. What's the most ancient story that we tell to small children? The "ur-myth" that you can find in Fisher-Price toys, old Disney cartoons and the cheapest kiddie rides: The story of The Flood. About how a vengeful God wipes out all of humanity and only Noah's ark survives. We tell this story to children age 1 and up. I have often asked myself why. Perhaps that is the one story that media cannot quite master, where the content - the words, the story - still matter.

Anthony Lux's avatar

"...what it means for a company like Mattel to fund something with this kind of self-critical message." Lol had me in the first half. Relieved to see the next sentence. Anyway, another great essay.

Tom's avatar

Brilliant piece Stefan

Ben Zalkind's avatar

This is a very interesting analysis. Reminds me a bit of early 1990s Thomas Frank: https://thebaffler.com/salvos/dark-age