Above is a video for "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody of the Backstreet Boys' smash hit "I Want It That Way", entitled "Ebay". The song satirizes the societal need to never stop buying, no matter how strange or useless the product may be. Yankovic point to several fads of the past decades, such as collecting Beanie Babies (new with tag, of course), the Pet Rock, and obtaining items formerly owned by celebrities (such as Dr. Dre's used bath tissue).
The materialism that has invaded our culture has translated into a shopping compulsion, only made easier by the advent of online shopping. Advertisements are certainly effective in convincing consumers to spend, but are they even necessary when you can order an entire bulk case of oatmeal on eBay with the click of a button? People tend to spend more online because they don't view an exchange of money, just the modern miracle of online commerce. Much of what is purchased on sites like eBay and Amazon would certainly fit into the category of kitsch, since the explosion of the internet has allowed people from every background to be able to afford a computer and web access. Perhaps you'd feel ridiculous buying collectible bean bag animals in a real store? Not to worry, they sell those on eBay.
No comments:
Post a Comment