Boundaries

Let me start off by saying that, generally, I like Leonard Sweet. I think he's a very smart guy. I think he's an eloquent guy. He also might be insane. The problem with reading Leonard Sweet for me was always the over abundance of culture-watch that seems to go on in his life. The dude's trying to make great spiritual applications from a story about an ice-cream truck or stating weird things like the broadcast volume of network television is a symptom of a large-scale psychological problem with regard to the American ego.

Okay, I made up the broadcast volume thing. But I do remember something about ice-cream trucks.

Nevertheless, every once in awhile, I have my Leonard Sweet moments. These are times when I observe something that is relatively unimportant to the world-at-large, yet feel like I'm witnessing something really profound. Lately, I've been drawn to the idea of boundaries and the disappearance thereof.

1. BOUNDARIES, THE GAME
I have been so interested in seeing the idea of boundaries in the last couple of years. And it all started with the popular game show, Deal or No Deal.

Let's think about this - for decades game shows were "set." Contestants sat in the proper chair behind the proper booth/desk/table and stayed put until they won the super fantastic fabulous prize or embarrassed themselves in front of the nation by losing it all. Once either of those things happened, contestants finally got to stand up and casually converse with the host and/or the beautiful assistants that truly give a show it's top-notch level of professionalism. Even shows where people stood (Price Is Right, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy,) we didn't see folks move from their spot.

Then comes Howie Mandel and suddenly, there are no boundaries - there's no set location for the contestant. If you want to sit on the plexiglass steps and run your fingers through your hair while deciding which case to pick, you can. If you need to pace and mumble until you decided on the Banker's offer, that's cool too.

And within months, game shows started following suit. (National Bingo Night, where you walk around and shout out numbers; 1 Vs. 100, where you can girate around that long rail as you attempt to outsmart the mob; some new show w/ Jimmy Kimmell where people are throwing things on the floor - haven't seen this one, yet.)

I don't find this upsetting or anything, but I do think its interesting that American Media is now rethinking the role of boundaries. Leonard Sweet might point to relativism or something grand like that, but I'm not sure. I just wonder what other "forms" are going to start disappearing...and whether or not that's a good idea.

2. I'M LOVIN' IT
I don't eat McDonalds very much, although I'm a sucker for a couple of sausage biscuits w/ cheese now and again. I'm not sure if you've been to McDonald's lately, but they're getting very hip - plasma screen TVs all over, wi-fi, coffee-shop style seating, larger seating areas that look like high-end sunrooms, you know the deal.

But the most interesting thing to me is the fountain drink machine. In these hip McDonald's, you can not only pick from thirty different drinks, you can also add shots of Vanilla, Cherry, Chocolate and some other flavor. (I think the other one might be Vodka.) Now anybody who knows Todd Wright knows that a Diet Coke is a non-entity without a shot of vanilla, but this little syrup additive thing seems a bit weird.

Why is McDonald's so desperate that I'm able to create the exact flavor combination to my preference. Do think I'm going to go to Sonic instead if McD's doesn't have the vanilla-shooter-machine? Is this organization afraid of boundaries? Are they afraid to say, "Hey, man, there's some stuff you can't do here."

(I wrote this joke once that Clay Walker often passes off as his own. It's about this very idea - this have-it-your-way/no-rules-just-right/thousand-drink-combination concept. It's a good joke. You should hear him tell it.)

I'm not trying to overthink game shows or breakfast, I assure you. But the heart of culture - what we really value as a nation - often reveals itself in the most unexpected ways. Sometimes it's a nice revelation, but most of the time, it reminds us of how petty and selfish we are.

Anybody else noticing the giant boundary shift? Are slowly stepping away from the idea of "form?" How? Where? What's it look like? Anybody hungry?