What these WIRED product "reviews" remind me of are the reviews and ads in Playboy magazine in the late 60's/early 70's, the era of my maximum interest in the content (great interviews). They were an attempt to get the reader to imagine the kind of swinger he could be with the right clothes, car, stereo, alcohol. Even if you couldn't afford it on your allowance, you knew about it so you could speak authoratively to your friends about the Testarossa or McIntosh power anp for your stereo.
"Wait, it's all (consumerism)???" "Always has been"
What these WIRED product "reviews" remind me of are the reviews and ads in Playboy magazine in the late 60's/early 70's, the era of my maximum interest in the content (great interviews). They were an attempt to get the reader to imagine the kind of swinger he could be with the right clothes, car, stereo, alcohol. Even if you couldn't afford it on your allowance, you knew about it so you could speak authoratively to your friends about the Testarossa or McIntosh power anp for your stereo.