Book reviews, art, gaming, Objectivism and thoughts on other topics as they occur.

Jan 1, 2006

Finish the Slogan II

While driving around, I saw this bumper sticker:

STAND UP for America's working families . . .

The only thing I could come up with was:

. . . they are tired and would like to SIT DOWN.

I find this slogan particularly bothersome because it is completely contentless; literally, it could mean anything. I've noticed a rash of this lately, especially with the local ongoing "radio should be free" campaign on WMMX 107.7.

A proper slogan should be a brief call for a specific action, but if it doesn't specify the action the slogan is meaningless. What does it mean to stand up for working families? Are we talking about voting to lower taxes? More unions? More religious education? Cheaper gas? What? You could never figure it out just from the slogan.

I have a hunch that the "radio should be free" slogan is speaking out against satellite radio, but I could be completely incorrect. In any case, radio is NOT free and never HAS been. Either you pay money for satellite, or you pay with time by listening to commercials. The only difference is that you pay directly for one, and indirectly for the other when you spend more money with the advertisers.

I'm not certain whether the contentless slogan or the one that is patently untrue is worse.

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