Culture Jamming Defined

Here’s a workable definition of Culture Jamming from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -JS


Culture jamming is the act of transforming existing mass media to produce commentary about itself, using the original medium’s communication method. It is a form of public activism which is generally in opposition to commercialism, and the vectors of corporate image. The aim of culture jamming is to create a contrast between corporate or mass media images and the realities or perceived negative side of the corporation or media. This is done symbolically, with the “detournement” of pop iconography.

It is based on the idea that advertising is little more than propaganda for established interests, and that there is a lack of an available means for alternative expression in industrialized nations. Proponents see culture jamming as a resistance movement to the hegemony of popular culture, based on the ideas of “guerrilla communication”.

Culture jamming’s intent differs from that of artistic appropriation (which is done for art’s sake) and vandalism (where destruction or defacement is the primary goal), although its results are not always so easily distinguishable. See the rest at Wikipedia…

Prank You Very Much: The Etiquette of Hoaxing

Three generations of pranksters: Self portrait of Caroline Weber with Nancy and Rose

In my natal family, the holiest of holidays were April Fools, Valentine”s, Halloween, and the first night of Passover, in that order. To joke was to love was to entertain was to celebrate liberty. My friends were brought up to take praying seriously; my brother and I, to take playing seriously. Continue reading “Prank You Very Much: The Etiquette of Hoaxing”

It was a cold day in San Francisco…

Code Breakers

It was a cold day in San Francisco, the winter solstice 1983. The city by the bay was about to be attacked by a military force of 21 plaster snowman. What can I say, having grown up in New England I missed winter and it didn”t look like it was going to snow anytime soon so I sent out some press releases warning the city that “”¦you can”t escape!” Continue reading “It was a cold day in San Francisco…”

The Disneyland Memorial Orgy

The following is excerpted from Paul Krassner’s book, Sex, Drugs and the Twinkie Murders: -JS

In the midst of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration, DisneyLies.com claimed to be serving 50 to 100 gigabites a day of such online imagery as a couple of newlyweds caught on Tom Sawyer Island after dark, major nudity on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and a virtual orgy on Pirates of the Caribbean. There was also a steamy incident with a couple of cast members in the secret room at the top of the Matterhorn, too. Ah, but what about all those cartoon characters themselves? Continue reading “The Disneyland Memorial Orgy”