Nydia Ywalmoriel
12-08-2008, 03:46 PM
(with apologies to Victor Hugo)
I was procrastinating writing a final exam this afternoon (shocking, I know ;) ) and scanning CNN, when I came across a little teaser link to an article on the front news page entitled "Unusual ways to make money". Clicking the link, thinking I was going to be reading another story about oddball occupations, what I encountered instead could have come straight out of Les Miserables - the bits were about a woman selling her hair, a man hiring himself out as a full-time lab rat for medical experiments, and a gold scavenging/selling party where the highlight was someone's uncle's bridge that 'weighed almost two ounces'.
I have to think that this was some sly reporter deliberately sliding in these tales of modern-day Fantines (and the way it was done being a deliberate reference, for in the novel she first sells her hair, then her front teeth, and finally becomes a prostitute) for hand-wringing pathos via the bait/switch; but regardless, you know that a threshhold has been passed with regard to the American dream and her self image with they're writing stories about people collectively scouring out couch cushions and dumpsters and being elated at their findings and (arguably) trying to put a positive spin on it...
Link here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/12/08/weird.ways.to.make.money/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Regards,
Nydia
I was procrastinating writing a final exam this afternoon (shocking, I know ;) ) and scanning CNN, when I came across a little teaser link to an article on the front news page entitled "Unusual ways to make money". Clicking the link, thinking I was going to be reading another story about oddball occupations, what I encountered instead could have come straight out of Les Miserables - the bits were about a woman selling her hair, a man hiring himself out as a full-time lab rat for medical experiments, and a gold scavenging/selling party where the highlight was someone's uncle's bridge that 'weighed almost two ounces'.
I have to think that this was some sly reporter deliberately sliding in these tales of modern-day Fantines (and the way it was done being a deliberate reference, for in the novel she first sells her hair, then her front teeth, and finally becomes a prostitute) for hand-wringing pathos via the bait/switch; but regardless, you know that a threshhold has been passed with regard to the American dream and her self image with they're writing stories about people collectively scouring out couch cushions and dumpsters and being elated at their findings and (arguably) trying to put a positive spin on it...
Link here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/12/08/weird.ways.to.make.money/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Regards,
Nydia