FADBUSTERS

Most eco-friendly, self-aware, free thinkers are generously acquainted with the ultra-left, anti-consumerist magazine based out of Vancouver.

Adbusters is a collection of thoughts, stories, one-liners, bad design and infamous mock-ads that advocate contemporary, 'revolutionary' ideals. Its articles range from Pro-Palestinian tirades to royal proclamations of BNDs (Buy-Nothing-Days). Essentially it is the Reader's Digest for those who have even the slightest inquiring itch of what goes down in our proto-Capitalist machine.

However, as we have seen in the past, a lot of great ideas are destroyed by fanaticism. (Aphorisms, verses, Dan Brown, ... whatever your poison). The masses consume these ideas and pervert them beyond reparation. Instead of discussing and thinking about the issues we have read, we accept the opinions as our own. The ideas in the magazine go with our outfit of forward thinking and damning the man. Having a years subscription of Adbusters has become the new accessory that sits right next to our all-natural, organic roll of toilet paper.

How did I deduce this? The other night I decided to read the issue called "A New Aesthetic", [#83]. What I found were articles that looked, smelled, tasted, and read the same as the controversial stuff of yester-year. It's boring and irrelevant because it's one-sided and extremist.

Not only does it drone on about information that has already been figured out, Adbusters is becoming just another 24K-brick in the wall. Although it is supposed to bust advertisers' balls, it has spreads selling their uber-edgey Red-Dot Sneakers, (Chuck Ts). Personally, Adbusters has become no different than the 'healthy options' provided by the McDonald's around the corner from my apartment.

Instead of consuming the image of being globally conscious and agreeing with everything the magazine spits out, we should question it. Don't take what the zine recommends as a personal proverb.

Open your eyes, open your mind, and your gut will follow.