I hope you can see this because I'm doing it as hard as I can
I'm sure most readers will have heard about the recent panic in Boston caused by ads for Aqua Teen Hunger Force, one of the cartoon shows on the Adult Swim block on the Cartoon Network. The ads, which were LED images, similar to a Lite Brite, were of Ignignokt, one of two Mooninites (see image, left).
It is very tempting to draw some very broad conclusions from this incident. On the one hand, you can take it as an indictment of how paranoid and frightened people have become in this country, where an ad (not a hoax - there was no intent to make these things look like bombs) can provoke such a response. On the other, you could conclude that it shows that many people are still naive about how the world really is now: they could have been bombs, the threats are real, etc., and the advertiser should know better. I think both conclusions are faintly ridiculous, and the whole thing overblown. I don't think any reasonably intelligent person would have thought these things were a threat. Meanwhile, making grand pronouncements about how this demonstrates the effect of fearmongering is similarly unfounded. People were dumb, and that's not news.
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3 comments:
I forgot to mention this news to you yesterday, but no matter - you're on top of things.
It should be noted that this ad campaign / art installation occurred in several other cities, whom did not panic. Even in Boston the authorities did not take notice of it for two weeks.
The argument was made by the prosecutor yesterday - with a straight face, no less - that 'if they had been explosive they could have damaged infrastructure and transportation in the city.' Is he serious? That's like saying, "If some random guy on the street had a cream pie in his hand, he could throw it at me and ruin my suit!" Nuts to that.
Oh, and he threw in another "in the wake of 9/11" reference as well. The idea that was so prevalent at the end of 2001, that if we change our society then the terrorists win...I feel hopeless when I think of that. We're still suffering from a 9/11 psychosis.
Meanwhile the "culprits" in the Mooninite ads are rather entertaining - they cooperated with the authorities, but in their dealings with the media yesterday these 2 slackers refused to take any questions about the devices or the ads, instead focusing on another topic they felt was important. Just look at the photo caption on the left of this article!
And today, we've got DHS Secretary Skeletor complimenting the city of Boston on their panic. Yuck.
My Fellow 'Mericans. I am terrified at the incidents that have taken place in Boston, Massachussetts but realize that everyone is drawing the wrong conclusions. The police are not to blame for panicking, nor are these two artists. The fault lies squarely with our celestial neighbors from the Moon.
Who knows when these...moonies? Moononians? Mooninites? Will be coming to destroy us all. This incident in our cherished city of Boston is a Godsend; a warning through LED shinyness.
The facts are straight: these Mooninites have infiltrated multiple major metropolitan areas in our great land. They have Weapons of Shiny Distraction. This threat cannot be ignored. WSDs cannot be developed in any nation, or even the Moon.
Our course of action is clear: we must blow up our lunar satellite. While many will miss the Moon, its destruction is a necessary loss in these troubled times. My number one priority is the safety of the 'Merican people. We must stay vigilant and preserve our ideals. Thank you.
What?!? Awww, come on! I just bought ten acres up there!
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