Saturday, January 24, 2015

To Market, To Market: Je Suis Charlie Watches



 
Today’s watch dial is not a sacred space, but I find  the use of  the Je Suis Charlie sentiment on it as yet another convenient, commercial product design in poor taste.  Yes, I support freedom of speech, press and expression. It's near and dear to me in this blog space and everywhere else in the things I read and see either directly or virtually.
 
However, along with freedom of speech, I uphold freedom of taste and my right to object to what I see to be on the poorer side of the spectrum.  That's why I find the commercial appropriation of the Je Suis Charlie slogan as the ground zero focal point on some watch dials as unduly sensationalizing, though sadly not surprising.

Yes, the French satirical periodical, Charlie Hebdo has suffered editorial decimation and by it paradoxically realized extraordinarily high demand, along with high revenues. But do we need to tastelessly add to the indirect capitalization of  acts of terrorism through further commodification? In this case, incorporating Je Suis Charlie on our watch faces.

We have a choice. In my case, Je me suis pas Charlie.

 So what do you think?




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