Speaking of smashing my cell phone, back when I first wrote about that subject, I got a cryptic email from someone (who shall remain nameless) suggesting that I was “in danger” for, as far as I understood them, talking about such things. I mostly dismissed this person at the time, as I wasn’t quite sure where they were coming from and filed such concerns away. Time to put them back into circulation though…

I’ve been thinking about the subject again, and wondering if the symbolic act of violence against consumer products isn’t perhaps a wonderfully powerful act of protest in a time when protest has mostly been channeled into corporate-driven social movements and contained within “free speech zones.”

Violent acts against a product - especially a product which you yourself bought and own (I’m not advocating doing anything illegal, whatsoever here - you should have the right to destroy what you own) - seem like a strong social statement: one in which you’re effectively saying, “The goals I’m supposed to be striving for are totally bullshit. I don’t need or want these products to have a fulfilling and joyous life.”

I’m not talking about destroying things that are useful like food or tools or clothing. I’m especially thinking of things like iPods and plasma TV’s and cell phones: things which tend to replace or mediate real human interactions with electronic alternatives. I’m not, of course, saying that people *should* go out and do these things so much as I’m asking the question, “what if?” Is it really, in fact, dangerous to talk about this subject - nevermind actually act on it? This is probably how people get blacklisted…