Gawker and the Times (sort of) twig fautisanal, or jade 'n' trade

Anchower, I know. Up to my proverbial ass in day job alligators this week. But, A) Gawker follows the Cod's suit in calling bullshit on fake artisanal, though they do not pick up on the Cod's fautisanal coinage. Elsewhere, the Times has a puzzling article that says the bobos are tired like Lilly Von Schtupp of "vintage" and "artisanal" items. However, in both cases, what the Inigo Montoya said.  (And speaking of people not knowing what a word means, click image at left.) It is a good trick. Folks get tired of mass marketed crap, food or furnishings, seek alternatives. Then, The Man gloms on, does a few Darjeeling Express tweaks for Anthropologie or Pottery Barn, saturates/fatigues market, announces that folks are tired of "vintage" (although not in the sense of an old object w/ a provenance story that connects it to the owner) or "artisanal" (although not in the sense of having been produced by, you know, an artisan), and announces a return to your regularly scheduled mass-marketed crap. 

It is, actually, a variation on the water that Bruni hauls for the man here. Let's call it jade 'n' trade. Somewhere, someone rethinks the mode and scale and production of a consumer good -- sofa pillows, or coffee, or whatever. Then, you can get your handcrafted, shade-grown, whatever it is. It's better than what you were getting from Starbucks or Target. You can maybe feel a little better about fewer Chinese toddlers participating in its production. And then suddenly, Bruni, or Rush, or that twerp from the jeans commercials, tells you that you can't get a plan cup of coffee any more, what with the baristae chasing you down the street, cloroforming you, and pouring estate-grown, shade-harvested Tanzanian Peaberry down your throat. (See also, hipster as enemy of late capitalism, tk.) Cue fake nostalgia for the good old days when America Ran on Dunkin, and repudiation of commodity produced with marginally more social concern. 

When and as, time permits, watch for the Cod to go ham on a particularly revolting twist on fautisanal. 

Tip of the fin to Sam Eagle PhD for the tip on the Times piece. 

Comments

[Marco]

I kinda like fauxartisanal. It looks better in the fight.

[Marco]

Edit, close to the edit and edit again. I meant fauxtisanal!