the ridgerunner • Wednesday, february 23, 1972
Dissatisfaction
Breeds Dollars
It has recently become, for columnist and news
commentators, quite fashionable to latch onto one or
another cleverly chosen objects as a symbol for some
unique phenomenon of contemporary culture. A symbol
of which, by its very nature, will reduce the complexi
ties, and subleties of a subject to infantile simplicity.
In keeping with this, allow us to offer the feminine hy
giene deodorant spray as a symbol of American market
ing genius. The advent of this product marks the high-
water mark of American culture, especially as it is
reflected by the advertising agency. Not only does it
enable us to indulge in our apparent need for self doubt
and self consciousness, it enables us to purchase yet a-
nother completely absurd and useless product.
It is neither a profoundly surprising nor original
observation that the capitalist economic system in which
we function is necessarily dependent upon dissat
isfaction and with it unhappiness for its existence. Not
only must we be supplied with what we now commonly
regard as necessities (food, shelter, electric can open
er, water pics, etc.), but are constantly being persuaded
that we need include on our list an ever growing assort
ment of new and ingenious products. In fact there is
NEW YORK, N. Y. (CPS) “Love
Story,” that classic tear jerker
written by Harvard Medieval
English Professor Eric Segal has
earned $50 million for its dis
tributor since it was released in
December 1970, enough to make
it the third highest money-raker
of all time.
The figures were disclosed last
week in Variety, the show busi
ness weekly, in its annual compila
tion of such grisly statistics.
“Gone With the Wind” (how
many times have you seen it?)
tops the list of money makers
with $74.2 million in revenue
while “Sound of Music” runs a
rich second with $72 million in
boxi office receipts.
Other 1971 film and their
earnings, according to Variety,
were: “Summer of ‘42,” >$14
million, and “The Aristocats,”
$10,1 million.
If you know a girl
considering an
ABORTION
this message might
even save her life!
PHrSICIANS WITH A GENUINE
AND HUMANE INTEREST
Phone:(213)
464.4177
NATIONAL ABORTION COUNCIL
for Therapeutic Abortions and
Family Planning
1717 North Highland Avenue
Hollywood, California 90028
/
always present the subtle innuendo that we are somehow
inferior, failures in the American Dream, if we do not
possess these wonders. In effect, the latent product and
necessary condition of capitalism is universal unhap
piness caused by perpetual dissatisfaction. For, should
we all suddenly become satisfied with what we have,
and only require what are truly necessities, the economy
would stagnate.
But to return to our symbol. It is the perfect product
of our culture. It speaks eloquently to the nobel ethos of
our majectic Puritan heritage, a sincere and abiding
belief that the body, and things carnal are somehow sin
ful, unclean and ugly. In answer to this sacred trust,
American industry has given us aalvation from the body.
(We are now divinely antiseptic beings). We are given
potent deodorant soaps to hide its identity and mask its
evil fumes. For our foul breath we have mouthwash.
We have aftershaves, colognes, deodorant powders,
perfumes, etc.; everything to dull the sense and preserve
the anonymity. Our whole bodies, with special emphasis
on certain aforementioned areas are completely insulted
and obscured, but this was not enough. American industry
with its remarkable ingenuity was determined to'find
something else which needed to be cleaned and deodo
rized. We needed some other defect to be worried about,
some other dissatisfaction bo be conscious of. Of course
no one would doubt the necessity of cleanliness and
hygiene. What is absurd is the paranoia with which , we
are taught to regard our bodies.
Now many of us have thought that the vagina was a
rather innocuous and pleasant place, quite acceptable o
its own terms, but industry knew better. There was an
odor there somewhere to be exploited, a new uncer
tainty there to be reinforced. This then was a perfect
place to exploit American’s fear of offensiveness, their
disgust with their bodies, and their need to buy. Suddenly
plain washing with one of its miracle soaps was not suf
ficient, a new product, a product with this important
social function had to be developed. All it took was one
unctuous woman to appear on television to sound the
warning, and before the glow had disappeared from
the magic tube, millions of women were stampeding to
the market to purchase this new form of social security.
This new rung in the ladder to happiness.
Therein lies the genius in American merchan-
izing, not in producing the product, (which is not univer
sally needed, of questionable effectiveness and actually
may be quite harmful), but in convincing so many
people that they actually need it.
—by Doctor Pangloss
HARTFORD, Conn. (CPS) —
A total of 1,257 students at Yale
University have elected to sign
contracts under the new Tuition
Postponement Option which
permits them to finance the cost
of their education against future
lifetime earnings.
The Yale Plan, announced a
year ago, went into effect this fall.
Students in Yale College choosing
the option can defer Yale College
choosing the option can defer
up to $800 each academic year out
of the total annual charge for tui
tion, board and room. With more
than 1,200 students—including
undergraduate, graduate and pro
fessional students—now signed up,
Yale officials feel the Tuition
Postponement Option Plan is off
to a successful start and that
enrollment in future years will
continue at a similar if not greater
rate.
The unique features of the
Yale plan are that 1.) each in
dividual’s obligation rises and falls
with his income after graduate
rather than being a fixed indebted
ness, and 2.) each group of stu
dents leaving Yale will have their
obligations terminated when the
group as a whole has repaid its
amount postponed with interest.
The administrative official
responsible for the plan, Albert
1 'lesking, ''c'rciate Treasurer
and Comptroller of Yale Univer
sity, stated that there is wide
spread interest in the educational
community. “One hundred and
twenty-two colleges and univer
sities have contacted Yale since
last winter to learn about the plan.
Yale has applied to the Depart
ment of Health, Education and
Welfare for a grant to finance
assistance to these universities,
and is committed to sharing
Yale’s experience with the entire
educational community. If this
interest continues to grow and our
experience continues to be suc
cessful, development of a second
ary money market and student ac
cess to that market may become a
reality.”
^abttumab, JIth,
J^7, 9 Eitchin Place
A»hevii*e, North Caeolina 28803
lot unC'ft sixrifenis' or^fff
I 1hur5.liri.,!m4 sat.
I feb.;&).,25,a>«A2fe
Get the best
name in the
business.
Don't fool around
when it comes to
buying beer. Buy
the beer named
after the city
that means beer.
Old Milwaukee.
It tastes as great
as its name.
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WHOLESALERS
PHONE: 704 292.3513
Foods
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79 Patton Ave.
Asheville, N. C. 28801
Phone (704) 252-9583
NORGE CLEANING
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713 MERRIMON AVE.
SELF-SERVICE LAUNDRY
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OPEN 8 A.M. TO 10 P.M.
MON-SAT 12:30-7:30 P.M
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PHONE 252-9579