Bad B'game Branding

Here at the Voice we celebrate the good, and call out the bad and the ugly of B'game.  Now that Black Friday is over, let me be the first to hope that NOBODY bought this piece of trash that is for sale on the Avenew.  I won't deign to mention the shop because it doesn't deserve the attention.  If you are a retail enthusiast and happen to go in there, tell them to get their act together and behave like they belong here, not like they are doing now.

Comments

[Fugit All]

I think this is hilarious and I sport mine proudly when I shop at the farmer's market or Safeway or Mollie Stones. Be sure to say hey if you see me! :)

Honest question: what does "behaving like they belong here" look like, Joe? I've lived here for decades, since birth actually, and have no idea what you mean by it except it sounds a little like Get Off My Lawn Kids and is exactly the reason why this bag is funny.

Lighten up.

[It Don't Come Easy]

There's an increasingly coarseness in our society. I understand that courtesy and manners change with the times, but it would be nice to keep expletives as private as possible.
Some people crave to be noticed and I'm afraid this bag caters to that type.

[Jennifer PFaff]

In fact, this bag's "message" was mentioned (and not in a good way) last week at the Preservation Trust's "Past Forward" event. Most of the participants were from out of town, many from out of state, and the few who noticed it, found it offensive. I guess they are not accustomed to the "attitude". As a big Burlingame booster, it was frankly pretty embarrassing to hear. I hadn't seen it yet, or I would have said something to the merchandising folks in that shop. Looks like from the reflection, it is at, or near Therapy, a store I do frequent...

I'm having trouble seeing how this is much different than the offensive Tee shirts being sold a decade ago up the street at Abercrombie & Fitch--instead of race, it's (misguided) status in this case, or do I not "get" the message.

[Becca]

Yep agree with you Joe, this bag has no place in our society.

[Fugit All]

"... or do I not "get" the message."

All this pearl clutching is the basis of the joke. Because the phrase is street, but the street is B'game Avenue. It's, like, ironic. ;)

If you really want to be offended, check out our POTUS on twitter.

[Sign me up]

Why is it the ones who are "born here" don't appreciate it like the ones who came by choice????????

[Jennifer Pfaff]

The "bad bag" (s) seems to have either been purchased, or pulled out of store circulation, as it was not there as of late this afternoon.

[Hollyroller]

Dear Sign me up.
Maybe you should change your "Tag" to HH.

[Bruce Dickinson]

Babies, please, why are you taking life so seriously? I've seen that bag there for a few months already, and it's clearly an inexpensive satirical gag gift intended for local consumption, that people from out of town would not "get" whatsoever.

Bruce Dickinson had to laugh at this when I first saw it. The fact that it says Burlingame and not Hillsborough is also an artistic statement, in that the community that should express the most snobbiness doesn't, but the next best community, where the aspiring newer, younger, ascending money is, is totally focused on climbing up the socio economic status ladder (whereas the older money in Hillsborough doesn't care). Then again, you don't get to where I am by not noticing nuance!

It reminds me of a quote from the book by the famous Burlingame novelist, Shirley Jackson, "The Road Through the Wall" where she describes Burlingame (renamed Cabrillo in the novel), as a community where everyone loved living there and said it was one of the best places in the Bay Area, however, the same people, if they had more money, would actually probably live somewhere else more prestigious.

That my friends, as well as the concept of what is on that bag, is exactly what captures the essence of Burlingame in a satirical sense!

Lighten up folks, it's really the secret to longevity!

[HMB]

Bruce, you beat me to it! I was going to comment similarly on the point that the bag said Burlingame, not Hillsborough. What he said!

[Ted]

This reminds of my recent conversations that I am having with my 11 year old son. He's the type of person that will do anything or say anything to get a laugh. He equates attention to respect. Currently, we are trying to get him to reflect on his impulsive behavior and his tendency to act like a goofball to get attention. He seems to savor being the class clown because his actions make people laugh.

We are trying to teach him to distinguish good attention from bad attention. For example, you can get attention from the class by earning recognition from the teachers and the students by going the extra mile and volunteering outside of class to try to lift others' spirits. This is especially important as we start the holiday season.

Or, you can just sit in class and start screaming out expletives.

In one circumstance, it is good attention, and in the other it is bad attention. The question we ask of him is, with which does he want to be associated?

I get the whole idea of being edgy and irreverent, especially for the sake of art. But in this case, does associating the word "B!TCH" with "Burlingame" bring good attention or bad attention? And which do we want the city to be associated?

[Joe]

@BruceD - Hey! I thought the secret to longevity was to not bottle up one's concerns, dislikes or disapprovals! Silly me :-)

[Bruce Dickinon]

@Joe, I hear ya, but talk to me when you're 80 years old and alive and kickin' like yours truly *wink*.

@Ted think the bag is neutral to positive attention, as shown by some of our astute readers who completely got the irony of the gag bag. Bruce Dickinson likes to think that Burlingame residents are very smart, very witty, very caustic, and very self-aware. You have to look no further than the BV to realise this! Obviously, for a kid who is 11 years old, they are still far from mastering the shades of grey as everything is black and white to them.

If people think exposing this type of bag is bad for kids, then better get your censorship game on, because there are a lot worse things that kids are exposed to..and guess what you have no control over it!

If it were me, I would actually use the opportunity to explain the irony to the kid if they saw the bag, even if they might not completely "get it".

Most may not know this, but in addition to making gold-plated records, I have raised kids and grandkids and my advice is: use EVERYTHING as a teaching moment! Notice a pattern? *wink*

[Joe]

I'll bet you a Ferrari ride out to the coast (even if I have to rent it) and a drink at Sam's fire pit that I am more ornery at 80 than I am now.... :-0

[Hollyroller]

80 years old!
You have taken could care of yourself.
Thanks for all your comments.
Have you done a book yet?