The atom was split followed directly by the nucleus of the family. The atomic age ushered in changes in every aspect of our lives, which Rockwell unknowingly painted in tribute as a reminder of what was and would never be again. The nostalgic image preserved by the Franklin Mint still hangs dust covered over the mantle of our minds. We smile at the representation blatantly ignoring what it since has been replaced with – the new painting of the close nit family in the shadow of a nuclear cooling tower with the TV as a baby sitter and cable and video games as the visiting grandparents who spoil the kids rotten.
We’re no longer families, we’re no longer people – we’ve become consumers and our solo purpose is exactly that – to consume. To consume, to buy, to upgrade and to compete with the Jones’s who we can’t even see anymore across the yard covered with cheap plastic decorations all stamped with “made anywhere but here” on them.
We’re bombarded with the message every day – Not happy? Then buy and consume. The promise isn’t that it will make us happy but at least distract us for a while. Long gone are the days of find a niche and fill it – welcome to the world of create a niche and convince people they can’t live with out it.
We do what the billboards, the flashing images on the TV and the neon signs tell us and at the end of the day we wonder why we’re still not happy. Welcome to the world of tomorrow – punch your ticket at the door. The rocket car you were promised isn’t here but will be if we all prostitute ourselves enough. Don’t worry thought, we will because we’re all consumer whores.
