you've been exempted, too.
February 15, 2002 09:16 AM

If we were fascist regimes, I'd be out of luck. I would not see the flaws in the matrix. There might be little beep beep moments of "this isn't as it should be", but I would be blind to them.

This is, sometimes, as much as I value my ability to perceive.

I am vulnerable to influence. I am easily sold to.

I have done more desperately stupid things than I could count. Or even recall for the purpose of counting. For no reason other than the assumption of expectation. In other words. I heard that's what you wanted. So, here, here take it. But I didn't ask you. We, many of us, live in a sort of fascism of assumption, expectation, prediction.

Roughly.

Of course, I also have moments of startling clarity in which I know exactly what is needed, what I want. And assumptions, expectations be damned. These are good moments. I intend to have more of them.

To be less vague.

There is a set. Really, a vast compendium. Of things we are told via every possible medium. These are things we accept and assume we should expect because, well, that's what we expect to assume. Or something. It makes about as much sense as that.

For instance.

Recent advertisements point to some of the obvious, easily broken assumptions. Such as:

1. Women desire jewelry.
   
2. Men desire women.
   
3. Men are daft.

It's easy to see if you don't like jewelry, or at least like men or women more than jewelry, that you're the exception to these rules. Moreover, if you're male, you likely realize that you are not daft, and that none of these things, therefore, apply to you. You do not need to listen.

I suspect that's a key to men's lesser role as the target market: years of marketing men as daft has induced men to not listen.

I take exception. Yes, I am a target market. I am a collection of predicted opinions and behaviours, forming rules by which things, opinions and behaviours are sold to me. And here's the thing: I am the exception to the rules.

If I am the exception, it's reasonable to assume that none of the rules, none of the opinions or behaviours or things, apply to me.

Therefore.

I am absolutely free to be, think, buy and do whatever I please. It doesn't matter how easily I am sold to; none of the assumptions behind the selling are true. I'm exempted. I do not desire jewelry, therefore no well-sold beauty standard, no new car, no healthful cereal applies to me.

So, ha.

Surprisingly enough, this is an entry about valentines. Thanks, Ampersand.