American Bedwetter

Discussion

Some of the items on this site are mock-ups, but this one is an actual prop I made. I’ve worn around hoping to use it as a talking point for anti-consumerism, but stupid as it is, nobody pays the least attention to it. Occasionally a kid will read it and look at me weird, but adults never do.

We live in a world where we’re barraged with branding and signs and information. Perhaps if you’re wearing a shirt for your favorite band, someone who recognizes it will excitedly share their own approval of the group. Otherwise, it’s just another one of the hundreds (maybe thousands) of brands we see announced every day, and filter out.

And if you think those numbers are hyperbole, think again. Every can, package, or jug of foodstuffs in your kitchen; every bottle of non-prescription drugs in your medicine chest; ever car you see on the road and every business you pass is labeled. But when you see them, you’re thinking about the ingredients to make tacos; getting the toothpaste out to do your teeth; or focused on the road.

So it’s really not surprising that nobody notices my American Bedwetter™ shirt when I wear it out. Only at a Sci-Fi convention where witty T-shirts abound would anyone ever take time to look at it—and possibly a few kids who haven’t habituated to the advertising yet.

But this raises a question: If no one notices my shirt, why would they notice any other shirt? And why, then, would you pay big bucks for a pricy name-brand shirt (or blouse, or pants, or whatever)? Nobody notices; it is a waste of your money.

The lessons here:

• Don’t pay big bucks for some schlocky big-name shirt, because the name doesn’t matter.
• You are inundated with advertising every day, even if you don’t notice it.

Website tips

You’ve probably noticed the bright yellow and blue badge pronouncing this as a new item—it’s hard to miss. Why does that matter? That’s our way of pushing you keep up with the Joneses.

In America today, we’re told that if we want to be hip and show our individuality we need to keep up with the latest styles. How is buying into latest fashion craze expressing individuality? (Don’t miss out—all the trendy people are doing it!) This is contradictory, a strategy to keep you buying and spending. Your financial concerns are not shared by those who would take your money.

And when it comes down to it, are all the “new” fashions really that different from the previous ones? Bellbottoms look just like they did for the last 11 years while they were declared “stupid looking”, but this year the fashionistas approve of them in hopes of taking your money. Next year they’ll tell you the bell-bottoms are no good again, and you need boot-cut or relaxed fit jeans. It’s just marketing, just a scheme to keep you on the spend-debt-work treadmill and make their business rife with profit, profit, profit.

The lesson here:

• Fashion is an illusion or a game, not a science.
• Find your own sense of style, and avoid being drawn into their game.
• Follow the latest fashions at the peril of financial solvency.

TrueCost®

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