151 Comments
Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I've complained about this art forever. It's a bit of a throwback to the Soviet agitprop but not entirely. It's the kind of art that depersonalizes you while giving you an illusion of an identity. In other words, it's the rat of arts!

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

It also reminds me of Sixties/Yellow Submarine-era type art, with the ridiculously exaggerated limbs and colors.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Peter Max throwback for sure. A little goes a long way. The pinheads are the worst.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

The transhumanist ideal: humans with tiny heads that they do not use and long limbs for perpetual labor. Mostly for creating battery power to power the penthouses of the statist overlords, I'm guessing.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

a lot of the loudest privileged wokesters are proud to be in service of the corporatist overlords. they fantasize that they will find positions of power and control that they deserve, as part of the new world order - they dream of imaginary perches.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I like the way your mind operates!

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Saved me a bit of typing...it's not just me...

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

like

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Apr 28, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Yes, exactly what I was thinking. I love the Beatles but I never liked the style and still don’t because it’s ugly.

And yes I resent the use of these cartoons as I can tell they are trying to manipulate

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time to have a closer look at the Beatles...

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

It also gives quite the window into the way the managerial class views the rest of the species: this is art made for retarded children. It's no accident that this contempt seeps through in their every interaction with us.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

No, low IQ children often are spiritually awakened and imaginative. This is an overmedicated, brainwashed human being.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

The Soviet agitprop emphasized strength and the power to overcome. This stuff is intended to create the feeling of anything but.

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Alegria: Be happy about your powerlessness!

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

The psychiatrist Ian McGilchrist noted that, if you look at the history of art going back a few thousand years, you can see a sort of oscillation between flat, disproportionate art lacking in detail (think Medieval art), and realistic, detailed art (think Classical sculpture or Renaissance art). He further noted that this seemed to correlate to very distinct traits of the dominant society. His hypothesis is that it comes down to whether a given society is encouraging dominance of the left or the right hemisphere of the brain: the left not having any sense of the whole, and therefore missing entirely things like perspective or proportionality; the right by contrast having an immediate grasp of the whole and the relationship of the parts to that whole.

McGilchrist's theory can explain a remarkable amount about our current social pathologies, many of which are precisely what one would expect if the left hemisphere has run riot over the right. I've written up a quick introduction to his ideas here:

https://barsoom.substack.com/p/left-and-right-brains-and-politics

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

You’ve reminded me, I’m halfway through listening to a McGilchrist interview about left/right hemisphere, quite possibly on your recommendation. I must finish it, intriguing listen so far.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

There are a lot of good interviews with him on YouTube. He doesn't repeat himself a lot, either; guy has interesting things to say on a number of subjects.

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Apr 28, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

“you can see a sort of oscillation between flat, disproportionate art lacking in detail (think Medieval art), and realistic, detailed art (think Classical sculpture or Renaissance art).”

Hmmm . . . are we sure it’s not a matter of where one’s WHOLE head is at and how it’s mediated?

In Medieval times, why would you look at the whole when you’re looking up to heaven?

In Classical/Renaissance times, when you’re looking at your wondrous self and all that surrounds you , of course you’re going to have a better picture of the whole down here.

Now, everything is ugly. Give me Meta!

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Apr 28, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

If I recall correctly, the suggestion came from looking at pictures made by people with right hemisphere damage vs left hemisphere damage; the former tended to be flatter, more distorted, and more disorganized - Picasso-esque.

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hmm.... I'm not sure I want a psychiatrist doing my art history for me. In fact, "perspective" in the visual arts - the illusion of depth on a flat surface - was a distinct, and unique in historic time discovery of western art - associated, as you say, with the Renaissance. - so, that was the whole "thing" about "modern art" - it dispensed with that illusion - and was duly hated by conservative critics. The style discussed here is therefore, in an important way - anti-western in that it distorts that illusion of reality that was entirely unique in western European painting.

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Apr 27, 2022·edited Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

My hubs is an illustrator. Decades ago he illustrated a book for a well-known political speechwriter. Topic was related to the successful expansion of technology into all industries - with one caveat -ART. While a computer can be a tool of artists, it cannot "create" art. As a result the writer proposed that artists would be increasingly valuable in generations to come.

Alegria Art looks like a typical computer program attempt at art. It's proliferation is reminiscent of recent unsuccessful movies that relied to heavily on special effects (programming) and not enough on the storyline (art).

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author

Interesting, I was wondering whether this was a stop towards AI created artwork.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Grotesque. Turn two generations into spermless infantilized fearful pansies and you have the accelerated destruction of western civilization. The Cambridge Analytica thing really encapsulates the elites. 2008 Obama's campaign and FB openly brag about getting him elected. 2012 it's even worse. 2016 Trump steals their magic and it's a horrific scandal.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

"Hideous" is a good word for it. But any society that accepted an architectural style called "Brutalist" has long been well-down the road to hell.

But the infantilization of the creative impulse has permeated everything. I do a lot of crochet and am always searching for naturalistic patterns, and most of what one finds is this dreadful, dreadful stuff in the "kawaii" style which is Japanese for "cuteness." Abominations like plump grinning carrots.

Everything possible to distance us from even recognizing what real things look like.

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Some Brutalism is ok but generally I agree with you!

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

the people who make it and like it need some brutalism, if it can get through their blubber

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Which of it should I not recoil from? (Honest question--no scornful inflection in my cybervoice.)

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They Geisel Library is interesting. Interesting is maybe the most generous adjective.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Recoiling uninterrupted...

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Apr 27, 2022·edited Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

For some nice brutalism, check out Stockholm's main art exhibit: Liljevalchs.

Do a picture search for "Liljevalchs Konsthall". You'll probably see both the old (an artful brick building) and the new (a greyish concrete monstrosity).

You might also check out this site:

[https://www.arkitekturupproret.se/om-au/about-english/]

It is a bunch of architects and others with common sense fighting against the fascist esthetics commonly called brutalism. They have several example-pictures with english text in the link.

Edit: did a quick Duck-search for "naturalistic crochet patterns", not something in my regular browser history, and I see what you mean. "Adorable", "cute", "amigurumi" (sounds like something you get sectioned for...), "kawai" (which spelled kavaj and is pronounced the same means dinner jacket in my language), and so on.

Does these people not know what naturalistic means?

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Apr 27, 2022·edited Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Funny how Art Deco led to this, really...

If I can't have that lakeside estate, I'd settle for a tiny little bungalow with a nice '50s kitchen. Zero upgrades desired.

My edit to yours: They want cuddly and they obliterate the power, strength, elegance and perfect proportions of the real.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

But its not cuddly at all! It's like first it was regression back to pre-puberty concerning styles, knowledge, etc, then duing the noughties it was back to toddler age mentally speaking what with the tantrums and wokeisms, and now it's all the way back to the fetal stage?

It's like all aesthetes, artsy-fartsy, writers - all creatives - are trying to unbirth civilisation itself.

(Why did I write this when going to bed? "Unbirth... here comes the crazy train to Nightmaresville!)

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Exactly.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

how about 'tacky'?

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Not nearly strong enough.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

depressingly pathetic?

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

That'll do, but still a little watery for me...

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

pure shite?

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Getting warmer...

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

This style of art is irksome, condescending, and creepy. The fact that I have not consciously registered it until now is probably by design. The mind-controllers truly are using everything in their bag of tricks to implement the mass psychosis. Thank you NE (and Spartacus) for raising our awareness levels!

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I’m with you. I guess (until now) I have looked beyond the ‘art’ and gone straight to the written message.

Thank you for researching such an interesting topic.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I’d say the mouthless NHS ad is actually deviously clever. It reinforces the dehumanising purpose of masks without either of the characters actually wearing one.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Part of it feels like the intent is to be deviant disguised as quirkiness. It makes it look different and somewhat childish and playful, which allows it to introduce crass, more abrasive intentions (as in the final image you posted). And so in some sense it downplays a lot of the seriousness, and I think for many people they may notice a sense of belittlement that comes from trying to portray quirky, colorful images when trying to get a message across that should be otherwise taken seriously. I guess more people are speaking out because there are a lot of underlying intents that are veiled by using such imagery.

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Apr 27, 2022·edited Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Right, that deviant element is baked into the original use of the style in Adventure Time, as mentioned in my comment above - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M57Ce5ZjOVA

Is this meant to Trojan Horse the deviant? I think it's more like a purified form of horror art, rather than an attempt to disguise horror art as cutesyness. It gets right to the work of reminding the viewer of the monsters humans have lived with for all time.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Yes, it's why such a happy, candy-riddled land can be so dystopian. It hides a lot of nihilistic, depressing tones with a large gloss of unicorn-vomitted rainbows and bright aesthetics.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I was wondering if this styleless style had an actual name. Sound a little like "Alexis" to you?

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Alexis the helper. Helping to eavesdrop on your conversations.

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Apr 27, 2022·edited Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Speaking of which my husband and I recently bought a string of led backlights for our tv. Altho the maker wants you to use Alexa or download their app to operate the lights, we just turn them on and off manually.

Then the other day our WiFi was down and when I went to my iPhone WiFi settings I saw the light strand had its very own WiFi signal listed on my networks! Even though the lights were turned off. Now we unplug them. 🤯

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I get Internet through a cable provider and also rent the Wifi device from them. I gave it my own name and password and made it public, but apparently the box also has a secret Wifi name and devices that know it can connect.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Makes me want a log cabin!

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Is it through Xfinity? This is one reason I only use my own equipment.

https://www.reviews.org/internet-service/xfinity-wifi-home-hotspot-guide/

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Yes, Xfinity. I had always thought having WiFi in my lamp wouldn't matter because I wouldn't connect it, but then I found out what they were doing. Even if I were to use my own equipment, I'm in an apartment building and I'm sure my neighbors are using the rented boxes.

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Yup. Our only provider up here, but you more cautious folk are def the wise ones.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

That's creepy.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I was flabbergasted to be honest.

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deletedApr 27, 2022·edited Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com
Comment deleted
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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I agree with not using some "smart" things. I have turned off anything controlled by voice and would never get an Alexa device or whatever the Google equivalent is. And while using ethernet is a better option, it's rarely doable for every device, every residence, and every use case.

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USB networking is my solution for portable devices without ethernet port.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Thanks!

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Microcephalic humanoids is telling.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I’m not up to date on such things but wife and I noticed ads on YouTube for Google-fi with idiotic animation and even stupider songs and immediately hated it, but had to ask ourselves why. It’s because it’s infantilizing, condescending, and degrading. What kind of morons find this effective?

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

The kind of morons who still wear masks, have been 3+ jabbed & want more of the same, but harder, faster & for longer

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

That's kinky...and inappropriate!

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Er…faster & harder lockdowns, mandates & lasting forever, if morons had their way

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

See the 2005 (or 2006) movie “Idiocracy”. It’s not just this ugly “art”; it is dumbed down language too. There is a bank in my town called Washington Federal, which is proudly displayed on signs as “WaFD”.

WTF???

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Apr 28, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

ICWYDT

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Apr 27, 2022·edited Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Fun article. Seems weird that the origin story leaves out Adventure Time, which predated Buck / Facebook by years. Adventure Time took the the horrible, dour, geometric NickTunes style and subverted in all sorts of ways, getting back to original animation experimentalism. But it was brilliant thanks to being brilliant (literally, in the color pallet). But it also added the saturation of material objects into every medium and wide shot (*edit: I should say, in the more geometric, Symbolism-esque way that is replicated in Alegria, unlike in the 90s when heavy ink lines were still dominate). Buck discarded with this element, but it made its way back into the broader use, either as an unconscious Adventure Time influence or a repurposing of the out-of-fashion CGI Hieronymus Bosch trend of the late 00s (I miss Windows 7 wallpapers, they were actually really great).

Is Alegria good or bad? For me it depends on the use. Because of the reincorporation of the cluttered Adventure Time / Hieronymus Bosch motif, it has transcended the depressing, "human in a vacuum" version used by Facebook, though that version is still employed. And so when it depicts physical activity, I think it is subversive of the cancel culture / Great Reset agendas (even if not meant to be), and when it depicts inertia or sloth, I think it advances the cancel culture / Great Reset agendas. In the former case it emphasis the living, the fit, the not-online. In the latter case it emphasis the not-able-to-living, the disfigured, the online. And unlike with photographic "forced diversity" marketing, this has much less of a "here's what you are supposed to think" propaganda feel to me. But most of Zuby's curation is in the bad use category.

The style is a weapon, and like any other can be used for multiple ends.

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Apr 28, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

‘And unlike with photographic "forced diversity" marketing, this has much less of a "here's what you are supposed to think" propaganda feel to me.’

Bingo!

I don’t use an Alegria style, but I do choose icons over disproportionate representation.

When I do use photographs, I make sure the humans are unrecognizable—or that they’re not in the picture at all.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

i see good signs of common sense and sanity in many of the younger young people i speak with these days, the younger the moreso. but i'm afraid we have a lost generation of upper middle class, college-educated people in their 20s on our hands whose voluble presence is vastly out of proportion to their numbers.

i think this 'art' is purposely insulting to the kind of people who like it - infantile adults with pinhead brains due to woke ideology-induced intellectual encephilitis, who think they are much bigger (does that explain the pride so many of them take in being obese?) and more powerful than they are, or will ever be.

like young people of every previous generation they believe that they know everything there is to be known, but the university of hard knocks known as life has always taken care of that problem, over time.

but this generation is different, with so many of the cohort believing that the artificial world of the devices they grew up with is as real as their facebook 'friends' and the absurdities of the cultural marxism their brains have been marinated in. it is at once a pampered and neglected personality disordered generation whose parents were happy to be replaced by devices in their children's lives.

the 'art' portrays them exactly as they are - but happy, which this generation is not - the moreso the more socially and privileged they are. they are young, but too old to be living with their parents because they're 'above' the only work they might be fit for, given the ludicrously worthless academic credentials so many of them have 'earned'; and careers in fact-checking don't appear to be promising.

it's not their fault that they did not have the parental love and care they needed as children, and that they are therefore perpetual adolescents. they are tragic, and like the human dinosaur figures with the tiny pinheads in the 'artwork', many of them are doomed to unhappy and empty and chaotic lives - bitter, humorless, loveless, sexless, and broken.

we've all seen them in action. so fragile are their minds that anything that threatens their belief system is a mortal insult that enrages them, sending them into rants and tears and tantrums.

but like the useless and insulting masks they will continue to wear as a badge of honor, they are incapable of feeling a genuine insult to their personal integrity - because they have been deprived of it.

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Apr 27, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I hate it. Thank you for providing me with reasons why I cringe whenever I see these illustrations. The English vaccination poster is very disturbing.

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Apr 28, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

I hate the infantalising and condescension. It was creeping into society in the 1990s but I felt the first "slap in the face" from it when I visited the Millenium Dome in 2000. The whole exhibit was infantalised and dumbed down.

The one that really gets to me is the instructional video that communicates with you as if you are 7 years old but you are forced to watch it as there is some information you require. Grrrrr.

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Apr 28, 2022Liked by NE - nakedemperor.substack.com

Don’t even get me started in “interactive” exhibits!

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