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March 21, 2006
Faked Out in East Asia
"It's all fake," said the young man who lived in town.
We were looking at acres of a bazaar, that was, well, bazaar bizarre. Rolex, North Face, Mont Blanc, DVDs as far as the eye could see.
None of it was real.
There was a 'new' word that swept thru elite American campuses a few years ago: Authentic. Professors liked the word because it had three syllables instead of the single syllable 'real.'
Inauthentic for the academy was even better -- it has four syllables instead of single syllable 'fake.'
So.
In this (new) age of exploring our feelings, few ask any questions about the emotion of fake goods; stolen brand names.
How does the fake North Face make you feel?
Your Business Blogger owns a real Armani suit, purchased some time ago from a reputable establishment. (Yes, only one.) Every time I slip the coat on, I stand a bit taller.
Tragically, few people have ever recognized or identified the brand name suit on its smug owner. No one knows it's an Armani.
But I do.
And that is the difference. The suit is real. The emotion is real. Ergo I am real.
The feeling is authentic.
Not everyone is as shallow as Yours Truly. A fake brand, a fake suit would make me feel like... a fake.
And feelings are the only things that count.
Full Disclosure: Your Business Blogger did a little shopping in East Asia. And bought a North Face duffle bag to haul all the loot home. I was assured that it was real. A sign, in English!, said so.
The Carnival of the Capitalists is up at CaseySoftware.
Posted by Jack Yoest at March 21, 2006 06:25 PM
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