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Brand name America
1 November, 2001

On 11 September, 2001, New York City was attacked in a very tangible way. Still, the symbolic nature of the attacked cannot be ignored. The name of the target was the “World Trade Center”; the name speaks volumes about why so many people are becoming disgruntled.

Every day, more people are realizing that America does not perceive the world as a planet filled with fragile living things, as the home of many diverse and beautiful cultures, or even as a wonderful thing to be admired and appreciated. Instead, America sees the world as a target market. To the United States, the planet outside America is simply an immense, fertile field to be fertilized with advertising which will yield a crop of consumers handing over hundreds of dollars in exchange for luxury objects which cost a dollar or two to manufacture.

Cultures who have never been consumer-oriented are letting their streets decay and their monuments rust as their countries are transformed at breakneck speeds into shrines dedicated to brand name clothing, shiny cars, and expensive gadgets.

If this sounds like outdated, paranoid hippie nonsense, chances are your brand-loyalty has been won by the world’s biggest brand name: America(tm). Still doubting? Visit San Francisco City Hall, where shopping bag handles have been added to an American flag under the header “America: Open for business”. What they’re saying is: do not doubt that America stands for shopping.

Here in Canada a new bill is being considered by the federal government. Bill C-36 (informally referred to as the “anti-terrorism bill”) would tighten security measures in Canada to prevent terrorism acts from achieving fruition. Many people are reacting with varying degrees of negativity to this bill, some saying that it could result in a police state much like the result of the implementation of the War Measures Act during the October Crisis.

Even the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has reservations about the bill (see here). Some claim that the bill is being rushed to please the White House, which is adopting similar measures. Personally, I don’t think that acting like the United States is a good way for Canada to avoid terrorist attack.

The presence of the United States in other countries is growing at an alarming, exponential rate. American multinational corporations do not stop at saturating foreign urban environments with advertising that is alien or even detrimental to the indigenous culture. They now target youth, who become enthusiastic internal promotional agents for America-brand non-culture. The decisions of these young people are becoming more and more influenced by the American consumer-urge and less by spirituality, sociality, or any moral or cultural code. This is causing the erosion of every culture heavily infiltrated by American media.

In order to avoid being seen by the world at large as a minion in America’s quest to harvest the world, Canada must refute the consumer-imperialism which drives America and invites the consternation of other countries.

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