The modern consumerism-centric world (i.e., eTrade, eBay) makes the marketing of lifestyle-accentuation products very easy and profitable.
Maybe it is the multi-cultural flavor of America that makes experience-themed activities so celebrated. Festivals such as Halloween, Arbor Day, and Black Friday not only hype the fun of shopping but they also promote products that highlight the marketing of perception and recognition itself (i.e., disguise masks, eco-toys, coupon clubs, etc.).
In the world of Batman (DC Comics), we find that two strange villains, the Condiment King and Mr. Freeze, carry guns very symbolic of these trends of our era. The Condiment King carries guns that squirt condiment sauces (ketchup, mustard, etc.) very powerfully, while Mr. Freeze carries a cold nitrogen modeled gun that freezes anything in its deadly path. These two villains typify our anxieties and excitement about our modern world of 'perception poignancy' and 'toy terrorism.'
Therefore, this consumerism-centric, toy-idealized modern world is primed for a major totem dialogue about water-guns.
A water-gun is a hand-held fake toy gun that shoots water instead of bullets. The water-gun has become popular and can be found in most American toy stores. Sales of water-guns go up during times of hot weather and are high and steady in areas (i.e., southern California) that are warm year-round.
Get your kid a water-gun this summer and teach him about the social value of using toys and totems to think about the human contemplation of 'violence vertigo.'
Water Warfare
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