Embrace, Extend, Extinguish

A poem about individuality, identity through consumerism... a play on the strategy used by Microsoft: Embrace, Extend, Extinguish

‘Individuality’:
The demand of masses
for individual freedom,
accommodated, 

embraced
by the system
to appease the crowd.
Slowly appropriated
to fit existing structure; 
the demands

for individual
freedom guided
down acceptable paths,
... losing all meaning

 

The concept extended
to align with

Capitalist interests:
Where companies dictate
willing individuals
how to be 
an individual;
transforming

individuality
into a brand,
a commodity,
we happily buy into.
Uniqueness celebrated,
consumed without thought
by the many people,
the individuals,
who dare defy
mediocrity of a crowd.

 

Busy being

individuals,
absent-minded

no one notices,
the mediocrity of crowds
of individuals

travelling
along parallel paths;
The paths that feeds,
not the victory
of individuality,
but the purses
of companies;
Companies

that shape and sell
a selection

of identities;
a selection of paths
to meet the demands

of the crowd

of individuality;
to maintain the cycle
of controlled freedom,

profit and customer
satisfaction.
Determined we walk,
in all our glorious

individuality,
towards the city’s cul-de-sac’s;
Where all individuality
is extinguished.

(Old news, I know, but we still do it...)
Mai L. Nissen, 24th of February 2015

Author's Note

Art by Ditte Løfgren
ditteloefgren.com

A poem about individuality, identity through consumerism - a play on the strategy used by Microsoft:
Embrace: Development of software substantially compatible with a competing product, or implementing a public standard.
Extend: Addition and promotion of features not supported by the competing product or part of the standard, creating interoperability problems for customers who try to use the 'simple' standard.
Extinguish: When extensions become a de facto standard because of their dominant market share, they marginalize competitors that do not or cannot support the new extensions.

Any constructive criticism and suggestions are well received.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Easy to be controlled. Hard to walk a lonely path. The poem open the door to a wide open topic. Government want a uneducated people who follow the rules. They are afraid of a utopia of free minds and thinkers. If you kill off the need for self-thinking. What are we?
'Where all individuality
is extinguished."
What did we become? Just cattle walking to the slaughter house. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for your kind review! It is much appreciated... I can hear that you can relate :)

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome.

[Relic]

I have to agree with you here. Put simply, it's all about money and demographics. Even the pizzaria has something to do with it if you think about it. The norm is utilized to make a profit. Good poem.

[Mai L Nissen]

Yes, though not just the norm. Even those who try to swim against the current often become a part of it, as new market strategies are created all the time to target the people with alternative views... No matter what, we are all caught up in this cycle. It's kind of sad...

[Rachelle]

Lemmings led right off a cliff and we hardly realize it ....

[Mai L Nissen]

No, often we don't realize! Which is sad and - to some extend - it makes of a pitiful lot...

[Sameer]

Stunning piece of work and a truth, the bigger sharks will not allow small fishes to live. This happens everywhere the so called growth is only connected with creating monopoly. Well written and conceived. Great work

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for your kind review! It is much appreciated :)

[Satan]

Thank you for sharing your truthful and enlightening message :)

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you, Satan (that feels a bit strange writing that :)) Thank you for taking the time to read and comment :)

[nazia]

First of all I would applaud the choice of the topic.. it may be an old news but its also an ignored news and its great that someone is taking heed. Individuality as I feel is very important to a person but as long as it is not causing any harm or shutting you down completely from the world. Being busy and minding one's own business is a bit of the demand of the time but yes it should never come in the way of greater good. We were given intellect simply so that we would never follow things blindly be it anything..
thanks for sharing the work.. great job :)

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for taking the time to read it and share your thoughts, Nazia. I am glad that other people can see the problem in blindly following others. Your comments are much appreciated :)

[Jamestown]

Well I could go on for days about this but I won't, as you know this world is
big business that worships money, so to anyone with half a brain knows that
businesses will do whatever it takes to pocket that mighty
dollar, even if that means selling there souls, lying, cheating, or stealing!
If they spot a weakness in certain type of individuals it's game on! This is
so well written friend, thanks for sharing and b-blessed

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for reading it, Jamestown! I am glad you liked it :)
Do you go by anything else then 'Jamestown' in here?

[Jamestown]

Your welcome, and JT if that's easier, lol

[Mai L Nissen]

Haha... It's not that I cannot be bothered to write Jamestown, it just seem strange to address someone like that. So JT it is :)

[MoriartyMesa]

If you want my two cents, this is what a lot of people feel.

[Mai L Nissen]

Thanks for checking it out! Yeah, I think so too.

[ANTO]

I don' think there's a thing wrong with this Mai. It is an astute and well executed observational piece which I really enjoyed reading from start to finish. I agree completely that any sparx of individuality are quickly either doused or made into a world-wide contained conflagration that has the same effect - makes it cool for a day or two then totally 'un-cool' whatever that is - to even mention the original.
Its a huge conveyor belt and Im kind of minded of the war on drugs argument - without users there would be no dealers - you know what I mean? We could go round and round on that kind of merry-go-round with individuality too.
This is really really good.
Thanks for posting this Mai. :)

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for your wonderful review, Anto.
Yes, you are right - this also applies to other areas such as the war on drugs, as you mention. Individuals, as we like to call ourselves, are so willing to just follow... Oh, the irony...
Your thoughts are much appreciated!
- Mai

[Sophy Freebirds]

I haven't studied much on this topic.But i must say i am well aware of the companies who very slyly persuade the willing distracted individuals.Your poem nakes us aware that in the futile search of individuality we are drowning in our own ignorance.These companies are greedy wolves in coats of sherp.If only the crowd had enough brains to perceive the cunningness of it all.Tank you so much for bringing into light this topic.It boosted me up to know more about this subject :)

~Sophy

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you, Sophy. I am really glad you liked it! Your reviews are always appreciated :) I have difficulty keeping up with people's writing, but feel free to send me a read request know and then...
- Mai

[Sophy Freebirds]

It was a pleasure.. but hey i don't send RRs or receive them.I read what my heart wants and i appreciate when people drop by my page by their freewill :) thank you