Living Life Lustfully

[kokopelle]

This past week I've been seeing a soda commercial on TV. In the commercial, an "average Joe" does extreme things like driving a convertible, top down, in freezing weather, break-dancing on his head, riding a bull during the 'running of the bulls", and so on. All of this improbable action is accompanied by the tune "My Way by Frank Sinatra.

On the surface the commercial is just another attempt to appeal to the "extreme" audience. The Mountain Dew spots used this approach. Young people, doing extreme improbable "sporting" things, would quest after Mountain Dews. The new commercial seems to break from this mold, attempting to reach a larger audience with the "average Joe" character doing the extreme things. While the things he does are extreme, they are not feats that the normal person would want to attempt. Driving in freezing weather with a convertible roof down is not fun. Break dancing on the head, if possible, would be painful and dangerous. Riding a bull is also a bit much. Interesting to watch? Sure. But none of the "I did it my way" feats are things that normal people would want to attempt.

So what's the point of the commercial? The ad appeals to both the funny bone and the sense that average people COULD do more if they really wanted to. Of course the soda company wants them to buy their product as part of this "lust for life" reaction. That's the individual consumer's choice. I am more interested in the deviance from the old message of "youth pursuing extreme living" to a humorous look at the older people doing the same. Shoot, the selection of the song indicates a shift in age focus. Could it be that the younger generation has tired of the EXTREME message and the older generations are now targeted by advertisers? The cynic in me thinks this.

Here's where my philosophical question comes in. The commercial challenges "average" and "older" people to live extremely. The examples given are over-the-top, showing the far edge of living. The individual can pick something safer and more practical. Life can be lived in the mode of "my way" if we desire.

Does this message appeal to you? Do you live life with a some amount of extremeness? Is this not really practical for the "responsible" person or is some amount of extremeness absolutely necessary to really feeling alive? Your opinions please!

Comments

[anchasta.livejournal.com]

All of my extremeness is my own decision, I suppose. We don't do the TV thing anymore, and since we don't, when I see commercials these days, I am astounded by how, well, GOOFY they are. Now, when I say goofy, I must also say that I recognize their genius in marketing.

This message appeals to me, sure! MY WAY. That would be great...bend reality to do stupid and dangerous things that are not easily done by most people! But the commerical is the exact opposite of that, in essence. The commercial is prompting you to feel too busy, too rushed, too controlled, too laid back. The commerical is saying that YOU are boring, and that if you do what they insinuate, then you will no longer be boring. And I resent the passive-agressive mind control advertisements have on people who don't pay attention to them.

What is extreme, then? How do YOU define it so that I can answer your question?

Is dancing barefoot around a bonfire, screaming out the names of gods and lovers to the beat of a mess of drums extreme? Cause at this point, well, that's just religion...my definitions have gotten really lax as far as "extreme" goes!

[greensh.livejournal.com]

"What is extreme, then? How do YOU define it so that I can answer your question"

Good question. For the individual, I think 99.9% of life is extreme. We are constantly challenge by own existence to survive and thrive. You made a great analysis when you noted the passive-aggressive message of the commercial. The advertising firms have figured out a malaise that grows out of our society. The malaise is the perception that life is over for the target consumer. Some gimmick is needed to wake themselves up. The advertisers hope that their nudge towards soda will make the buyer think it is the answer.

The answer could also be fire walking, worshipping naked under the stars, or group orgies. IMO all of these are gimmicks in themselves. They may remind us that there is desire to truly LIVE, but each extreme experience is merely the path to living and not the ultimate destination we all seek.

What is that destination? What is the point to living an extreme life while we strive to survive? There are some that say it is all about the experience. We are here to learn lessons that we take back to some astral plane. Others say we’re just rats in the maze. Nowadays I am split between these two viewpoints. What’s your opinion on this?

Rambling ecstatic eclectic

[anchasta.livejournal.com]

I agree that 99.9% of life is extreme, which is why I hate the commercial culture so very much. We are alive, constantly living. If we struggle to afford the decadence and luxuries that the industry says we need to have to enjoy our lives, we end up working, running, slaving to the entire machine to get to that carrot on a stick.

Which brings up to the idea of destination. I don't have a destination, which is the problem Jesus and I ran into when we used to have our quiet talks in the chapel alone when I was a kid. I have never really believed in hell, or heaven, in the ways that are taught in Christianity. So when my mom and I discussed her beliefs when I was 9, I learned about reincarnation and was relieved to find out there are other ideas about "The Way Things Are."

I don't think that this earth and our lives on it is more real than the astral plane or any other level of perception and vice versa. I know that in this incarnation, I am a reactionary creature. I don't like to sit down and give deep thought to certain ideas, or put certain deep concepts into words, because it cements parts of my mental framework that I'd rather have loose and malleable.

I don't know why we are here, other than the grains in my memory that tell me why "I" am here and what "I" can do to help folks out. And I have to admit, I have a hard time caring about much beyond that. I am more interested in doing than thinking in this lifetime, much to my hubby's consternation. He is a great thinker, and a philosopher of sorts, and I just smile and cook his dinner to bestow health and blessings in the most obvious and practical way I know how.

So, I don't strive for the same cheese as most of the mice around me...but I think we all have our own ideals that we want in our lifetimes, certainly. I do tend to believe that we have a certain amount of choice when we go into life, but I really don't remember.

Life IS extreme. Our cells slamming into each other, tingling with electricity...how much more extreme can it be? I love laying back in the sunbeam and watching dust circle and cycle, knowing that it is just ugly old skin cells, but seeing fairies dancing before me. I am pretty sure I came here for experiences like that, and making love. That's a good one. ;)

[iskender.livejournal.com]

The commercial doesn't challenge anyone to do anything beyon drink some more soda, get fat and diabetic. It's associating drinking of some caffeinated sugar-water with actually getting out there and doing something.

Does it appeal to me? Hardly. But then again, I'm not the type to be placated by placebos like the rest of this sedentary slave people.

At least I hope I'm not. I do happen to sit by the computer all day. Oh shit.

[greensh.livejournal.com]

I like to view my LJ fixation as an addiction instead of a placation. I am an extreme cyber rebel who sits by the computer all day and... oh yeah, that does sound sad.

[apocalypsegrrl.livejournal.com]

I actually stopped and thought about all my favorite activities and whether or not they could be called 'extreme'...

Let's see...eating pizza (or just eating in general)- nope (sorry, eating small slimy creatures or ice-cold raw junk doesn't appeal to me).
Sleeping/sprawling/lying in any cushy spot...nope.
Hanging out with friends...not really, we're all a pretty mellow bunch.
Getting obscenley drunk and talking philosophy...well if you factor in the cursing and snarking, I guess it could be extreme.

Nope, guess I'm too lazy to live a physically extreme lifestyle. But in my brain at least, I'm charged dyanamo. :)

[iskender.livejournal.com]

By the way, a great Onion article on the same note. "Extreme" is such a relative term these days.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/radical_islamic_extremists

[valkyriur.livejournal.com]

I think everybody has something they're extreme about. If a person recognizes that doing the extreme thing is their choice, then they are being responsible. Sometimes we just need to do something strange to feel like we're alive, I guess.

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

What is 'extreme'? I wonder about that sometimes. To the advertizing world, it's all the overt, attention getting and sometimes dangerous stuff enjoyed by youth and people who would like to revisit their youth.

I consider different extremes of the philosophical and sometimes physical sort. For instance, I like to examine and poke holes (and fun) at True Believers™. And I'm not above pointing out fraudulent and potentially dangerous trends in religion and politics.

Physically, I was born 'extreme', but didn't really understand or accept a lot of it until recently (I just found out last summer that I have a form of albinism). I'm just glad that my genetic mutations are relatively minor and untroublesome for the most part.

For the most part, I am a practical and responsible person- always have been. I am not going to do the things that the ads think are 'extreme'. No tattoos, orgies, top-down convertible rides in blizzards, none of that. My extremism- if you want to call it that- is much more geeky, subtle- and productive. That is the way I like it.

[elegy-of-flames.livejournal.com]

Dammit, you're drawing me out of my Internet Silence for this! Stop throwing out questions dear to my heart! The younger age range responds to the poll, in a hurry *grin*

Remember the way I once described my reaction to Buddhism? I like accommodating as many of my desires as possible, inasmuch as is healthy. Some of my "extreme" actions are simply born out of the fact that they appeal to my sense of aesthetics (the piercings); others simply make me feel more alive (protracted partying, impulsive plans). My moderation with regards to these desires seems to have something to do with planning for the future. This is in part related to the way I was raised, and in part due to decisions I have made for myself; but in any case, "living life lustfully" and burning the candle at both ends can be extremely enjoyable, but, like anything else I enjoy, I want to keep doing it, and that means acting "responsibly" inasmuch as I am always cautions regarding future consequences. The "it will not last the night" part of the Edna St Vincent Millay poem never really did appeal to me....

[greensh.livejournal.com]

I am always glad to have your posting, even if it does mean a breaking of self-imposed internet silence.

A previous blog (http://greensh.livejournal.com/54364.html) about the clothes fashion analogy of "do my own thing" was in response to our dialog about why people, "young" and "old" generations seem to act differently. I think those comments are pertinent to what you just said now.

I write this as I listen to The Cure. OMG. The rawness. Hope the trip is going well!

[elegy-of-flames.livejournal.com]

First, Headbanger's Ball the year I was born, now the Cure *grin* If it's any comfort, my generation has not entirely forgotten these things :)

[greensh.livejournal.com]

Forget the Cure? I would hope not! Ok... how's this... I am now listening to the Dresden Dolls (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden_Dolls). Is that current enough?

[elegy-of-flames.livejournal.com]

I wasn't actually accusing of fossilization, a rather large chunk of my music taste originates from before I was born *sheepish grin* I've heard one song of theirs, "Coin-Operated Boy", and it didn't really do it for me. Too...minimalist, somehow (and this is ironic coming from me given how much EBM & Industrial I'm listening to these days). But yes, it's current *grin* Then again, I'm not surprised - it's not like you've ever seemed "out of touch with the times" or some similar cliched expression ^^