Trapnest, 2/15

The “cult of the new” stuck with me after this week’s class. I was reminded of it when I went into the CSS café for some lunch and I saw their normal assortment of crackers and cookies. One of them, I don’t remember the brand, your generic cellophane wrapped cookies, had printed on it in a bold yellow star, “NEW LOOK: Same Great Taste!” This leads me to assume that they must have recently revised their marketing and packaging. Long after I had finished my sandwich from the café I was still thinking. How many brands re-invent themselves with a new logo, some brighter coloring, and a new slogan and suddenly they have a new wealth of profit gained. All the while these brands are claiming “Don’t worry! It’s still the same “classic” taste.” These marketers are playing to the cult of the new in that the product must be better because the packaging has been refreshed. But, they’re also playing the field to those who feel they must stick with the classic, in that even though the packaging is different, they promise the product hasn’t really changed.

This also makes me think back to Benjamin’s work, “…the presence of the original is the precursor to the authentic.” Perhaps this is an incorrect analogy but it makes me think about how people feel that they need to create something original, and when enough people put stock in it then it becomes authentic. This relates back to my original example because people want the “classic” they want the “authentic.” But at the same time people also want the “original” or the “new.”

Despite what Habermas argues, I feel that the Cults of the new and old don’t necessary have to be in contrast, but in many was are dependant upon each other for their existence and progress.