Wednesday, May 2, 2012

it's selling fear?

The NYC metro transit subway system is glutted this summer with an ad campaign courtesy of the MTA itself. Ubiquitous on trains and in stations is a poster that carries the bold caption "What's Wrong With This Picture?" The accompanying illustration is the interior of a subway car. In the foreground is a seated rider. He is latino. His collar, literally blue. A goodly, hard-working man of integrity, there can be no doubt. The seats next to him are unoccupied. Under the bench, two seats away, a (gasp) unattended package sits.
What's wrong with this picture, indeed.
The man stares ahead, oblivious to the symbolism threatening to explode all over him.
I've taken to carrying a small post-it pad, and writing over and over the words "It's selling fear?" I'm sure i can't recall what i'm doing with these notes, and what i'll keep on doing until the pad runs out. I'm sure i'm not doing anything that could be construed as illegal graffiti.
Is it even legally possible to deface public property with a product guaranteed to leave no sign it was ever there?
How about with invisible ink?
Well, somebody's got to give the lawyers something to do...

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