Corporate whoring

This is a direct appeal to anyone who is considering using their new-found celebrity status to help sell products for monetary gain. Please don’t.

You may be able to justify this act to yourself by citing that the practice has been around for a long time, that it’s just like any other transaction, that it doesn’t harm anyone, or that everyone knows it’s not really real (i.e., everyone knows you don’t really care about the product). Yet if you were to stay around this theme for a little while then perhaps you might see your own small contribution to the enhancement of a profoundly sick society.

What are the effects of blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s not? Do you know? Do you think there are no consequences to this action? Or do you think that since truth and trust has already been tampered with, no one cares about duality anymore? Or do you simply not care?

What are the effects of people watching as you merge your persona with that of a brand of goods? Do you think deceit is a useful tool for a society? Or are you okay with the false promises your advertising will generate? Do you think your part in the world of marketing makes for happy consumers? Or do you just not care?

This is what Bill Hicks had to say on the matter: "Here's the deal, folks: You do a commercial, you're off the artistic roll call, forever. End of story. Okay? You're a corporate f••••• shill, you're another whore at the capitalist gang-bang... everything you say is suspect, and every word that comes out of your mouth is now like a turd falling into my drink."

This might not seem like the most obvious target to aid collective wellness, but it all adds up. What do you think? And while we’re on the subject, have you every danced to these lyrics by The Pop Group?!...

“We are all prostitutes /Everyone has their price /And you too will learn to live the lie /Aggression /Competition /Ambition /Consumer fascism /Capitalism is the most barbaric of all religions /Department stores are our new cathedrals /Our cars are martyrs to the cause /Our children shall rise up against us /Because we are the ones to blame /They will give us a new name /We shall be /Hypocrites /Hypocrites /Hypocrites.”