Friday, October 21, 2005

maoist foodstuffs

If you're selling a repulsive foodstuff - such as dairy industry effluent processed into a synthetic goo that looks like it should be on its way to reprocessing at Sellafield rather than heading down your gullet - a good consumer-capitalist would give it a name that implies light, love and even holiness: Angel Delight.

However, if you are to adhere to the Maoist principle explained in the previous post - discourage someone from buying something in order to show you're not telling them about it because you'll profit from a purchase - a Maoist fast food outlet would have to demonstrate their impeccable credentials by naming themselves in Mao's language with words that denote revulsion in ours.

3 comments:

Twanna A. Hines | FUNKYBROWNCHICK.com said...

Just stumbled across your blog via the "Globe of Blogs" listing.

Judging from your "Previously Watching" list, you have great tastes in movies. :)

Anonymous said...

Loved this one! In fact, the Chinese characters are less repellent, saying something like 'beautiful jade'. You've read Poul and Kornbluth's *The Space Merchants* I take it? There's a whole counter advertising movement in that called the Consies (for Conservation) who tell the truth and nothing but the truth in their descriptions of food. There's a brilliant sequel *The Merchants' War* which is very relevant today, incidentally. I also recommend http://www.engrish.com for Japanese mistranslations into English (gakked from Fragiletender, who alerted me to your blog address, BTW)

merrick said...

Astvinr, I've not read either of the books you mention, thanks for the heads up.

I have come across engrish.com though, and it's in the 'daft quicklinks' section of the sidebar.