Reading Response 10/15

In this week readings The Philosophy of Andy Warhol and Excessivism by K. Silem Mohammed were written in first person narrative. Both pieces seem to be a satire to American culture and its obsession with “things” and the way we live life. In The Philosophy of Andy Warhol he talks about how time is spent, that people have a tendency to stress in preparation of events or situations but once it passes the most memorable things about it was everything but the event. He also writes about the effects time has had on his own life, he says “Whenever I’m interested in something, I know the timings off, because I’m always interested in the right thing at the wrong time.” I think he believed that his ultimate praise or success would come when he’s no longer here, so the put out whatever ideas or art came to him with the hopes of it making “a few million dollars” (pg. 144).

In Excessivism, K.Silem Mohammed, he also addresses American culture but obsesses about excessiveness.  He uses idioms about all things “AMERICAN” from Southwest Airlines, to LCD monitors. Mohammed indirectly addresses our need to keep up with the materialism and the ability it has to take us from reality. He writes, “While I was writing it I got to thinking about all of the Nintendo merchandise I had. I am guilty of spending money in Beijing (duh), I am increasingly annoyed with blatant excessivism“ (pg. 931). Both writers seem to contradict themselves, Warhol in his need for everything to be simplified with a city with one main street, one tall building, one elevator and one doorman but is excited about the idea of Holograms. K. Silem Mohammed justifies his non-excessivism (is that even a word) by saying “I’m not saying that I don’t have a few CDs in my iTunes library that I no longer own. I’m not saying that I don’t have an iPod, because I do. I just haven’t put anything on it yet. “, as if having an iPod with no songs on it means he is less indulging in American culture of  consumer goods and materialism.