The Gift of Capitalism

I wasn't like this back in Iran. My mom literally dragged me to buy some clothes for the forthcoming occasions. I thought it was a waste of time to wander in malls and trying on various things that had no apparent distinctions with eachother (My belief at the time).
However, since I came to Canada I found shopping an escape from the absurdities of life, a refuge from morbid obsessions and, last but not least, a good way to spend time and money. You don't have to think long term, it's just something to wear at a party next week and maybe if it fits well for a couple of times more. You don't have to think about your future, your ambitions and what you are gonna do in next ten or twenty years. All that is important is if they have the medium size of this shirt or the blue one of that trouser, the most complicated problem is whether they match together. Another good part is the artificial respect you get from those working there (what are they called by the way?). With their mannered smile they make suggestions. You know all they care is that you buy something and they know that you know and you know that they know that you know. But that doesn't matter. At these occasions, where we are cut off from the obscure reality waiting for us outside, we enjoy each other. We enjoy hypocrisy.

Censorship and double standards

I might not be the right person to comment on such things. After all, I'm coming from a country where sword of damocles hovers over artists' and journalists' head, where cutting scissors of censorship are sharper than Hattori Hanzo's sword. Despite these, let me just write this anecdote:
Recently, the poster of "The Road to Guantanamo" was rejected by MPAA on the ground that the sack over the man's head depicts torture, which wasn't appropriate for children to see. The film tells the true story of three inmates that are being held in Guantanamo Bay jail with no particular charges. After a mild dispute, the film was released with the new poster without the head and only with the handcuffed arms.


As is apparent, the picture is not violent (let alone shocking) compared to the certain merchandises in the market which are easily accessible to children. I can simply think of many movie posters clearly more provocative than this, rendering MPAA's decision a pure political one.
Let's remember publishing Mohammed's cartoons in Danish newspaper which was backed by other media under the gesture of freedom of speech. I'm neither an Arab lover nor a practicing muslim and I've always struggled to keep my distance and remain as an objective observer. But does distributing this poster make more irritation than those cartoons? Are today's children more susceptible to see a man's head in the sack (which is merely illustrating a true event) than 2 billion muslims see their prophet as a suicide bomber?

Ageing

The process of ageing is like losing virginity, you might be able to undo it. You can cover it up from outside but you helplessly feel it inside.