From: barnes@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu (Joshua Edward Barnes)
Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead
Subject: Revolutionary Karma and Nike Shoes
Summary: Where's your sense of values?
Date: 9 Apr 92 22:18:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1992Apr9.221836.1519
Distribution: usa
Organization: Institute for Astronomy, Hawaii


    I am one who finds Nike's use of _Revolution_ a sufficient reason
not to buy their shoes.  Rico (eroth@apple.com) feels that my position
reflects "a mis-guided respect for a dead artist" or a "sanctimonious
attempt at political correctness", which he also characterizes as
"hypocritical highmindedness".  Michael Wallis (mwallis@clubzen.
fidonet.org) agrees and adds "obviously the original poster has never
bothered to listen to the words of _Revolution_".
 
    The fact is that I've little sense of political correctness and
perhaps even less respect for dead artists.  However, I think there is
a point of view Rico and Wallis have not considered.  In chosing the
words for _Revolution_, John Lennon was drawing on images and values
created by an entire generation of open-minded people.  _Revolution_
pointed up the basic tension between political activism and spiritual
growth which was one of the mainsprings of the '60s.  We trusted
Lennon with such material, and the sensitivity he displayed showed
that our trust was not misplaced.
 
    So although the legal rights to _Revolution_ may indeed be sold to
the highest bidder, the meaning of this song came from the collective
hopes and dreams of millions of folks, and these things are not for
sale (at least, I don't remember putting *my* dreams up for sale).
When Nike used _Revolution_, they stripped the song of the meaning we
had given it.  _Revolution_ once had millions of *different* cultural
referents -- it's cold comfort that it's now associated with even a
very good brand of running shoes.
 
    In sum, *I* as an individual feel ripped off because my cultural
horizons have been narrowed by the insensitive decisions of some
faceless advertising executives.  "Political correctness" and "mis-
guided respect" do not enter in; on the contrary, I'm reacting to a
direct threat to things which I value.  If I see something on TV which
threatens to impoverish my culture and offend my values, I will turn it
off, and I'll make a note of the company or organization responsible.
That's my right, just as you have the right to adopt different values.
 
    To work in some ODC, I might add that I'm pretty uncomfortable
with the ads featuring Jerry or other band members that I've heard
described on the net.  It seems a bad idea for an artist to compromise
their work in this way.  I don't see how it's possible to reclaim a
song once it's been made into an advertising jingle; the only thing
left to do is strike it from the repertory, perhaps forever.

    And one final thought: in _Revolution_, Lennon said "You'd better
free your mind instead".  I think that was his answer to the political
vs. spiritual debate of the '60s.  Now to free your mind you must
learn to recognize when your attitudes are being manipulated.  The
Nike ads are an example of such manipulation.  So I think my refusal
to buy Nike shoes, however trivial a gesture, is entirely consistent
with the literal words and underlying meaning of _Revolution_.


					Thank you for reading this.

						Josh Barnes

					barnes@zeno.ifa.hawaii.edu
Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead