Are M&Ms Politically Incorrect?
Somewhere recently in the blogosphere I ran across one of those oh so sincere (only not really) types who asked oh so sincerely (only not really) whether the Golden Rule— "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"— applies to masochists. The bizarrely rationalistic idea in this feverish person's mind being that if you can find any exception, however far-fetched, to a rule, then that rule is somehow dynamited by remote control.
This reminded me of a true story I once read, of someone who sent a letter to the makers of M&Ms, accusing them of having a politically incorrect slogan: "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands." This person wrote, "How dare you have such an insensitive slogan, which discriminates against people who, by birth or through tragic accident, have no hands? I think you should revise your slogan to read, 'Melts in your mouth, not in your hands, if you have any hands.'"
Turns out this person was just kidding, had been sending all sorts of letters like this out to various outfits and celebrities, just to see what kind of a response he could get out of them. Problem with the rationalists of the world is, they ain't kidding. Though they're about as ludicrous.
posted by paul @ 7:22 AM
6 Comments:
My god, that's crazy.
"If you have any hands". Haha.
Kaushik
Yes, and that new slogan could actually be just as politically incorrect. I mean, imagine Chancellor Palpatine egging Anakin Skywalker on: "Go ahead, Anakin, offer Count Dukoo some M&Ms... 'Melts in your mouth, not in your hands... if you have any hands.'"
That's very well observed. :)
I've found your blog via my website tracker; I have to say you seem to be one of the few people who has written something interesting on the subject of 2nd-person writing. ;)
Well, thank you!
The reference, of course, is to this post in which I wrote about second person narrative in general, and my second-person short story Yellowstripes in particular.
BTW, the M&Ms slogan reminds me of yet another movie: the scene in The Matrix where the Agents are interrogating Neo.
"Mr. Anderson... I'd offer you some M&Ms, but you know their slogan... 'Melts in your mouth, not in your hands... if you have any mouth.'"
Yep, that's the one. I've rarely come across someone who writes something on the subject, let alone something that makes sense. :)
The Matrix M&M slogan is very, very disturbing. :)
Post a Comment
<< Home