Ted Rall for November 27, 1997
Transcript:
Love and intimacy in the corporate world. In a time of dislocation and alienation, people invent cutesy nicknames for faceless corporate entities. (Man: Where would you rather eat- Ihop or KFC?) (Woman: Neither one... let's get a room at Hojo's instead!) Inevitably the corporations adopt the nicknames themselves, partly to cozy up to their customers, but also to restore a sense of distance and awe to their identities. (Man: Our contacts on the "street" report that they refer to us as "FedEx" -we have to take back our diminutive form!) Soon people come up with nicknames for coopted nicknames in a desperate attempt to find meaning in their lives. (Man: So, what will it be- the 'cakesters or the k?) (Woman: How about plan C? Let's hang at the ho!) Naturally the corporations try to keep up, but the people ultimately win in the end. (Man: Are you sure they really call us that?) (Man: We've got to keep up with the masses!)