2006-01-30 - 8:36 a.m.
Tie me to an old oak tree...
I saw a magnetic ribbon over the weekend that said "Some bastard stole my support ribbon". Bob and I also like the "Support the magnetic ribbon industry" support ribbon. It's a bit like those plastic bracelets that the Lance Armstrong Foundation started selling - they got trendy, people started making other support bracelets (doesn't the breast cancer society have enough knick-knacks? I'm having trouble keeping them all straight), then the smart-asses start in, and it's all over. I have trouble thinking up an emptier trend than wearing a flexible plastic bracelet that doesn't actually support anything, but I do admit that I've seen uglier trends (and yes, possibly worn them, but there are no photos to prove it). I *do* have a little yellow ribbon on my car; it's the only one I have (I think it's a requirement on an Army base). (Kidding.) (Sort of.) I don't mind people putting them on their cars (and even if I did, the nefarious plans that would make me ruler of the world have not *technically* succeeded, so I don't really have a say in the matter) (yet), and I think if you want to proclaim your support for something, then it's your car, and if you think beer is worth supporting, then proclaim your support proudly. When you get to the point that you can't actually tell what the original colour of your car was, then maybe it's a little too much, but hey, I'm not all-powerful ruler of the world (yet), so I'm not saying nuthin' to ya (and on some cars, a layer of multicouloured support ribbons could be an improvement - on a Scion, for example. Man, that's an ugly car). I sometimes wonder if the support goes beyond buying a $1.00 car magnet, but if it makes you happy, then revel in your warm fuzzies - I'm not stopping you. If the $1 actually goes to the charity/cause, bonus (there is no charity for supporting the troops, but there are many, many sites that sponsor care packages to soldiers). It's all good with me. No, really. It's your money and your car, do what you want. No skin off my nose. Nope. Oh, okay, I admit it. I *hate* the million and one ribbons, dammit, but maybe not for the same reasons as other people. I really *miss* the days when each cause had its own cool logo/doo-dad. I hate the "they have a ribbon, we must have one, too!" mentality, because it's sheep-like - the "Livestrong" bracelets were cool, but then they were co-opted by every other cause, including ones that *already* had a symbol. (By the way, NASA has forbidden the wearing of the plastic/rubber bracelets in the clean rooms; apparently they outgas chemicals. I fully expect to see a "support bracelet sufferers support group" pop up any time now for people who suffered severe respiratory distress from wearing too many support bracelets.) (They'll probably have their own ribbon within the year; I think it should be the colour of a diseased lung.) Logos and symbols originally were designed so that you knew at a glance what product/cause/idea/group they represented (the Communist hammer and sickle was one of the greatest logo designs ever - someone in the politburo had an artistic bent). (It was probably Trotsky.) If the symbol you choose looks so much like every other cause symbol out there that people need a cheat sheet to tell what you're in support of, I think it loses some of its impact. So far I've seen: Yellow - Soldiers (that Tony Orlando and Dawn song about tying a yellow ribbon around a poor unsuspecting oak got completely turned around, and you know, during the first Gulf war, you couldn't get yellow ribbon for weeks, then suddenly there was so much yellow ribbon everywhere the government was using it to tie up the free cheese it gave to poor people, but yellow is okay - recognizable, and punchy.) Pink - Breast cancer (the Capo di Tutti Capo of support causes - they were always big on the ribbon thing - though tying a pink ribbon around your boobs was frowned on, for some reason.) Teal - Ovarian Cancer (The silent killer is chic, and goes well with many complexions. I guess they wanted a colour they could accessorize.) (All obnoxious sterotyping complaints can be directed to my lawyers, Hangem & Laff, esq.) Jigsaw - Autism awareness (this is the ugliest one; done to look like a jigsaw because autistics are such a *puzzle*. Apparently, nobody actually asked any autistics if they liked their choice - I have seen more than one autism site run by an autist ("autistic" denotes a condition; not all autistics agree that there is something "broken" about them, thankyouverymuch) who dislikes the idea with a *passion*.) Black and White - confusingly, I've seen this used both for POW-MIA and Spay and Neuter All Pets (the only real difference is the SNAP one has paw prints on it. I think the POW-MIA one is silly - they already have a great design that's moving and instantly recognizable; they shouldn't go to one that's interchangeable with bunches of others.) Green - Legalize Marijuana (okay, I *think* that one was a joke, but there are a number of people who would put it on their car in complete seriousness.) Red - Heart disease in Women (and they *already* have the great "Red Dress" campaign logo - they should leave the red ribbon to MADD, who had the red ribbon idea years ago, resulting in many broken car antennas as the huge clusters of red ribbon got caught in the wind and ripped off the top two thirds of the antenna. It was hell around prom time, I tell you - flying antenna bits *everywhere*.) ...And I'm sure there are many more. I liked it when everyone had something different - it at least gave me something interesting to contemplate while sitting at a red light. More than that, though - the identical nature of the ribbons/bracelets leads to logo fatigue - when people see a catchy logo, they want to look closer, and it has the same effect that a funny ad campaign can have - people remember the logo, and think of the charity/cause. These days, you see a row of ribbons, and you go "huh". A lot of people won't feel they need to take a closer look, because there's nothing there to intrigue or catch the eye. As an artist, I take great pride in my designs; I want you to look at what I have made, and I want it to draw you in and identify the cool design with the thing it represents - making that thing slightly cooler by association. ...or at least worth a moment's consideration. Post in my guestbook, and tell me what colour ribbons you've seen!
Dorsal - Ventral
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