Taking a stand: What culture jamming really means
Kayla Hillier and Christine Cucciniello
Issue date: 11/29/05 Section: News
Culture jamming is designed to be an activist tool.
It uses existing mass media to comment on itself and its uses. This idea was spurred by books and magazines like Adbusters
There is much argument about whether or not culture jamming is worth the effort and if these organized events affect the economy and consumerism in general.
Buy Nothing Day is just one of the globally recognized events by culture jammers who take part in this process.
It is known as an informal annual day of celebration against consumerism observed by social activists around the globe. It's a day when people choose to refrain from purchasing anything for one day.
In the United States and Canada this event is celebrated on the day after American Thanksgiving, as this is one of the busiest times of the year for shoppers.
This social marketing campaign was founded by Vancouver artist Ted Dave and later promoted by Kalle Lasn, publisher of Canadian Adbusters magazine and founder of the anti-corporate Adbusters Media Foundation. Lasn is also the author of the 1999 book, Culture Jam: How to Reverse America's Suicidal Binge- and Why We Must.
Beginning in the early '90s, the main focus of Buy Nothing Day is to draw attention to the plight of the world's poor and wasteful consumption patterns of high income countries such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.
"For an enormous number of people, the idea that they should set limits on themselves is unthinkable: 'Why should I cut back? This is my paycheck, this is my life'. Any restriction on this unfettered freedom to consume just does not square with the American dream. Our current economic system cannot tolerate any reduction in consumption," said Lasn.
Another concerned citizen who understands the consequences of uncontrolled consumerism and over consumption is Professor Zafar Iqbal, who teaches in the department of Sociology and Labour Studies at Brock University.
"Our survival depends on the environment. One of the major reasons that our environment is being destroyed is because of our patterns of consumption," said Iqbal. Our patterns of consumption have lead to gross inequality and disparity. He adds that our choices and our actions not only affect us, but affect those living across the globe. It is clear that we cannot continue to abuse the biosphere and perpetuate inequitable sharing of the globe's natural resources as this will lead to further disparity and poverty.
It uses existing mass media to comment on itself and its uses. This idea was spurred by books and magazines like Adbusters
There is much argument about whether or not culture jamming is worth the effort and if these organized events affect the economy and consumerism in general.
Buy Nothing Day is just one of the globally recognized events by culture jammers who take part in this process.
It is known as an informal annual day of celebration against consumerism observed by social activists around the globe. It's a day when people choose to refrain from purchasing anything for one day.
In the United States and Canada this event is celebrated on the day after American Thanksgiving, as this is one of the busiest times of the year for shoppers.
This social marketing campaign was founded by Vancouver artist Ted Dave and later promoted by Kalle Lasn, publisher of Canadian Adbusters magazine and founder of the anti-corporate Adbusters Media Foundation. Lasn is also the author of the 1999 book, Culture Jam: How to Reverse America's Suicidal Binge- and Why We Must.
Beginning in the early '90s, the main focus of Buy Nothing Day is to draw attention to the plight of the world's poor and wasteful consumption patterns of high income countries such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.
"For an enormous number of people, the idea that they should set limits on themselves is unthinkable: 'Why should I cut back? This is my paycheck, this is my life'. Any restriction on this unfettered freedom to consume just does not square with the American dream. Our current economic system cannot tolerate any reduction in consumption," said Lasn.
Another concerned citizen who understands the consequences of uncontrolled consumerism and over consumption is Professor Zafar Iqbal, who teaches in the department of Sociology and Labour Studies at Brock University.
"Our survival depends on the environment. One of the major reasons that our environment is being destroyed is because of our patterns of consumption," said Iqbal. Our patterns of consumption have lead to gross inequality and disparity. He adds that our choices and our actions not only affect us, but affect those living across the globe. It is clear that we cannot continue to abuse the biosphere and perpetuate inequitable sharing of the globe's natural resources as this will lead to further disparity and poverty.
