Computers and Writing

Chapter One: In this chapter, Rice gives a history of cool, and talks about its definitions. Cool is perceived as something dealing with rebellion or an independent nature. It then talks about how cool is used in different ways at different places on the internet.
Chapter Two: Talks about how the internet has changed cool from individuality to a tool for attracting potential customers. It shows how one site uses cool to attract teen concerned with music, gossip and fashion. Lastly it talks about writing cool on the internet, which adopts a broader meaning for cool as it pertains to writing hypertext online.
Chapter Three: This chapter addresses how cool is used in advertising. Cool is used to make a consumer feel like they are being rebellious by purchasing a product. Media represents cool by using icons, and different icons (celebrities) represent different elements of cool. Companies or icons (symbols) to represent their companies, and make their product identifiable. Apple, Adidas, Nike and Mercedes Benz are just a few examples. The chapter closes by talking about Nike and how it has used juxtaposition and other methods to sell its products.
Chapter 4: Cool is tied to consumerism by influencing the way that information is displayed, as well as consumer spending habits. Cool hunters inside of companies shadow teenagers and try to learn about their habits and what is cool at that certain time. This chapter mentions the video, and talks more about how music and consumerism are linked. Juxtaposition is what Sprite used when it linked itself (a soft drink company) with a music genre (hip-hop).
Chapter 5: Rice opens this chapter by talking about interpellation. Interpellation is the means by which an ideology addresses the individual. Rice talks about how teenage freedom, like the ‘obey your thirst’ sprite slogan, is a contradiction. He also talks about how certain groups try to resist advertising through appropriation. Cultural Jamming is a means by which consumers can voice alternative ideas against advertising which they might find as misleading or abusive. Subvertising is a method of culture jamming used by angry consumers to show the real intent of advertisers. Adbusters are another form of culture jamming specializing in parody ads.
Video: The video is very interesting. It showed how consumerism and cool are blended together via music and product line, i.e. Viacom (MTV) and Sprite. As the video shows, cool and consumerism are woven very tightly, I don’t believe that they could be separated. These companies are making their money off of the kids’ coolness, or what they tell them is cool, it is up to the kids to decide whether or not the two will be connected. The video also shows the extreme backlash against the cool/consumerism connection. The Insane Clown Posse is a group of foul-mouthed, confused males who make music about violence and disrespecting women. They are said to be at the height of this counter movement. I honestly believe if the teenagers knew everything that Rushkoff knew, they probably would have made their video, although their outlook might have been a little more cynical. If they had known all of these facts I believe they would have been angered, and feel like they had been taken advantage of.