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Thursday. April I, 1999 - Page 6 COMMENTARY ~taff Peeling off the labels A call for Editors-In-Chief Megan Martin '01 Emily Stamathis '00 Lisa Dale- VanAuken looks at the Sublime and Tori, while favoring Doc Mar- student Managing EdUor fashion industry s designs for tens and JNCO. Laura Kclley '01 advertising to our generation. Perhaps I fall into a category they forgot political about. Why? Because I have an apparently News EdUors Erin Howard '00 novel idea that something is wrong with cat- leniferSirkis '01 When I look at someone, I judge them egorizing individuals into large generalized activity by how they look. Ido. The kind of clothes groups in order make money. Features Editor they wear, how they put their makeup on, Sarah Radice '01 Bear with me, as I try -to strip away the and the color of their teeth are all very im- designer labels and reveal the naked truth. Assistant Features Editor portant when I decide whether or not a The first thing I would like to expose is Andrew Ryan urges becoming Rich Simmons '99 stranger could become a friend. that it is possible to say, "She listens to rap," involved in political activism. Commentary Editor I also base most of all of my self-worth on or "He's into hard-core." But, classifying Kristen G. Fraser '00 the amount of money I spent on my sneak- people by the music they listen to is irratio- When I first came to Western Mary- Assistant Commentary Editor ers. nal. It is music, not a way of life. land College, one of the first things Idid Lisa Dale-Van Aukcn '02 Well, maybe I don't. But that's what the And while some people can exhibit con- was look for clubs and organizations to fashion industry would like me to do. Out of sistencies with the dogmas of music-labeled join. Sports Editor MikeYcstramski'OI their desperation to solicit money from teen- groups, it seems like there's something Being interested in politics and pub- agers, generation Y has been born. wrong in simplifying the complex nature of lic policy, I naturally wanted to join some Assistant Sports Editor Yes, that's right folks, if you haven't Matthew Thomas '01 a human being into a few uncomplicated sort of political organization. heard of it yet, commercial industries have a generalizations. This kind of categorizing is The only problem was there weren't Art Editor/Archivist/Layout catchy new name for people between the ages another step in the dehumanization of Ameri- any on campus. Michael Puskar '99 of 5 and 22. But the labeling doesn't stop can consumers. I quickly became immersed in the de- . Photographers there . Besides, if music has become a way of mands of college, and the desire to join a Trang Dam '00 As if it is not bad enough to be identified classifying people, it's probably the result of RobynHill '02 political organization faded from my Paul HImes '02 by a letter of the alphabet, (please tell me Y corporations' propaganda." Big companies mind as I tried to keep up with classes, Hussein Samater "02 they started at the end and not the beginning) are well practiced in introducing new fads. do my laundry, and still have lime to hang members of generation Y are also subdivided They are too smart to advertise their trendy, out with my friends. StafTWriters Claire Adams '02 into stereotypical sects for advertisers to ana- youthful products with old suits. Recently, a Republican organization Anne Butler '01 lyze. According to the Carroll County sec- Steve Madden and Mudd are two ex- started on campus. If this is something Sophie Boulet Ben Decker "00 tion of The Baltimore Sun, these new divi- amples of this underground advertising. that is news, here is more information. Julie Devclin 'Of sions identify people by the kind of clothes These companies wage a marketing war by They meet Monday nights in Hill Hail, ShaunaDominguez '02 they wear and the music they listen to. Want word of mouth, hoping to give purchasers a room 302 at 7:30 PM. Kate Esposito '01 to know how they designate you? Joan Faulkner '02 sense of discovery and individualism. So, Anyone who is at ail interested should Shannon Hess '02 "Conformers," the largest group, listen what consumers think is their originality is attend and see if the group is something Mike Jenkinson to groups such as the Backstreet Boys and Brooke Joseph '02 really just a marketing scheme delicately they wou-ld like to join. Mollie Land '02 dress in the very acceptable Gap and Old fashioned by 40-year-olds on the 28th floor Looking at the formation of this one Ron Mojica '02 Navy name brands. of an office building. Pretty clever. group, Isee a lot of potential for the cam- Cathy Pendorf'02 "Passives" have no interest in the trendi- Francesca Saylor '00 Secondly, judging someone by the labels pus besides the furthering of Republican Shawn Sprague '01 est music or clothes. As they drape them- on their clothes is as bad as judging some- causes. Michael Stokes '00 selves in Lee Jeans and Reeboks, they are one by the color of their eyes, hair, or skin. Hopefully the activities of the College Chris Taugher '02 said to listen to Celine Dion, LeAnn Rimes, Defining members of our age group by the Emily Wilson '02 Republicans will cause someone who Ted Witiak '02 and Mariah Carey. clothes they wear only encourages the su- does not agree with them to form their Kevin Worley '00 "Influences," who are in the most cultur- perficiality that many of us are trying to get own group. Raini Wright '00 ally diverse group, wear a mix of clothes, away from. A College Democrats organization Distribution and spend the most money per week of all If we as consumers start believing that would give the two groups a chance to Rich Suchoski '00 the groups. They are said to listen to Mase, who we are is based on what we wear, or get together and discuss their ideas. Pro- Subscriptions and wear Hilfiger, Fubu, and Nike. what we listen to, we will be succumbing to ductive dialogue will be beneficial to ev- Anne Butler '01 Finally there the pierced anti-mainstream, the shallow, skin-deep, ideals of an multi- eryone. predominately white, music-obsessed, million dollar industry that considers our Graduate Assistant rebels, or "the edge." These people listen to By sponsoring speakers, by spreading Vince Chesney paychecks, not our individuality. pamphlets, and by organizing other ac- tivities, the political awareness of the en- Adviser Terry Dalton Amalgamation tire campus would be increased. resent those of The Phoenix staff, the fac- Eve 6 exhibit reflects Well don't fret, because that's not the only in party politics? Not really interested The Phoenix is published biweekly. The involved. every- Almost way to become opinions expressed do not necessarily rep- one has at least one issue they care about. ulty, or me administrators ofWMC. real life rights? Do you strongly believe in abortion with special guest Start a pro-choice group. The paper welcomes free-lance submis- Do you think government sionson Macintoshdisks in most word pr0- BY ABIGAIL ENGEL regulate industry so that it pollutes should StajfWrirer less? cessor formats. The editor reserves the right Start an environmental group. to edit for clarity, length, and libel and to How do we express "the dying time?" Ihave already talked with one student publish as space permits. All submissions who is interested in starting an organiza- (excluding self-addressed diskettes) become April 18, 1999 The moment of first realization that tion to work for the reform of our nation's the property of The Phoenix and cannot be inside seJfis an unknown soul that seeks much misguided drug laws. identity. returned. 6 pm doors Some of use are fortunate enough to Anyone of these ways impacts the Please include a name and phone num- 7 pm show campus and community and shows po- ber for verification. Names will be withheld discover the stranger within ourselves litical power. Students simply need to get and begin to blend the unknown with the onJy by thediscretion of the Editors-in-Chief known creating high chroma rainbows involved. that reveal the hope and closure that al- I see much potential in the political 171£ Phoenix does not discriminate based will now. But nothing at WMC on age, race, religion, gender, sexual orien- $12 w/WMC ID lows us to convey true impressions of climate if the people who truly care don't reality. happen tation, national origin, condition of handi- limit 4 This is the song that my soul sang, as get something started and convince other cap, or marital status. I visited the Amalgamation collection of people to become more involved. art and poetry in Decker hall. Kudos to Ben Decker for starting the Mail to: The Phoenix tickets on sale It is my hope that every person that College Republicans at WMC. WMC, 2 College HiU enters Decker Hall will take a moment Ican only hope others, even those who Westminster,MD21l57 NOW to explore the worlds of these artists and hold different beliefs, will do the same. and diver- This can only bring progress (410)751-8600 hopefully discover something new about FAX, (410)857-2729 themselves. sityto WMC. E-Mail: phoenix@wmdc.edu