September 15, 2011
Meditations on a Scandal
It has been a complicated, crazy week in the world of Anthro-blogging. When the story broke on Get Off My Internets, then trickled to other blogs and websites, eventually leading Roxy to issue a very useful list of best practices to avoid being scammed on Effortless Anthropologie, I (frankly) was busy with non-blog responsibilities. The very stuff that enables my consumption by providing me with stable employ was making it hard for me to keep up with this rapidly unfolding situation. What was probably for the best as a little distance was really helpful.
But I look forward to participating in Roxy's upcoming post about financial circumstances and consumerism/blogging. I believe this entire ordeal has the makings of a teachable moment: To make sure we don't get in over our heads. To try to avoid getting carried away or defining ourselves by material goods. To make sure we think through out consumerism. I think many of us are guilty of substituting shopping for therapy, or shopping for reward, or shopping for hobbies. Don't get me wrong. Fashion is a legitimate interest. Style is a worthwhile hobby. Those who say otherwise perpetuate misogynist ideas inadvertently when they accept without thought other "spectator" sports. But when interests in style and fashion couple with gratuitous consumerism and materialism, sacrificing time spent with loved ones, forging meaningful connections, spending and saving in a balanced way, etc... when it gets harder to find ways to bond digitally that are less about fawning compliments or closet curation and more about deep intellectual exchanges... THAT's when we reach dangerous territory.
This is not an accusation. I do not mean to sound like I am speaking about any individual who is involved in this scandal. On the contrary, I think many of us are left reflecting about meaning. What is the meaning of our things? Why do we gravitate toward those things? Where is the line drawn and when have we gone too far? If anything this moment can be one where we take more seriously and less for granted our desires to consume and the roots of our desires. The ideology of consumerism and the promise of the consumer fix are powerful drugs. I think anyone who blogs their shopping habits and enjoys living vicariously can empathize with the potential for getting carried away, for going overboard, for letting things own us rather than the other way around. Why not use these moments of reflection to step back from unthinking consumption and evaluation the mechanisms, culturally, socially, personally, financially, etc. that perpetuate a nagging drive for more.
When there are scandals and when someone is caught red handed many will respond with self-righteousness and indignance or worse (as Roxy has hinted) the unscathed will still seek vengeance like an angry mob. The concerns of those scammed are legitimate and they should be handled by professionals and authorities. For those of us who are mere spectators dealing with the aftershock, why not seize this moment for contemplation and self-critique? After all much like the ideology of consumerism, self righteousness can be a hell of a drug.
Thank you to the people who have emailed and direct messaged me offering their appreciation for the comment I made in response to Kim's apology on Effortless Anthropologie. I still believe in the transformative power of the truth and the potential for forgiveness. And I hope this situation doesn't jade us, but rather make us smarter, more cautious, and more learned.
22 comments:
Thank you for sharing, Jess. I'm still trying to process all of this. I was one of the victims myself, and I'm feeling some extreme guilt for not making my voice heard before. I feel stupid, guilty, hurt, and betrayed. If I had spoken up about it last year, many women could have avoided this altogether. There was something in me telling me to just SAY something, somewhere, about what was going on. For some reason I couldn't. I guess it's a hard lesson that I'm learning right now.
Thank you for posting this and your comments provoke thought. This is not merely a person who made a mistake nor a shopaholic out of control, however. I only just read about this today as I have been too busy at work to even look into the Anthro blogs lately.I am sad to hear this as I got to know Kim through e-mails. For two and a half years.She always seemed kind, friendly, helpful. Now I am upset because what she has done is outright criminal, she lied many times, and then denied it. Really pathological behavior.I once tried her shopping service almost two years ago and had a bad experience (didn't think much of it at the time - until I read similar stories here today), so for her to say things got beyond her is a ridiculous lie. Not for two years of continuing to take thousands of dollars from people.I hope that people press charges. This is definitely criminal, and it seems Kim has a problem with telling the truth and is always blaming others.I heard in about 5 different e-mails from her about how “some problem she used to have on a fashion forum” was due to people who were jealous of her. I then heard her talk about some guy who was stalking her and “was just crazy.”, so she said. Lots of grandiose stories that portray others as against her and her as the victim. Really?Now all the true stories of her stealing thousands of dollars and lying that she never received people’s e-mails, UPS lost at least 50 packages, etc.Everything is one big grandiose lie. I think this lady needs serious help and to be prosecuted too. I am not trying to be harsh, but just how many years can someone get away with all this?
Please correct me if I am wrong, but you seem to insinuate that people who did not solicit Kim's services should not vocalize their disappointment, frustration or anger. And if we do stand up for the rights of the countless victims, our actions are defined as self-righteous. I completely disagree with you.
It doesn't matter that I was not directly scammed by Kim. Unfortunately her scam was offered to every member of the Anthro community. Each and every one of us had the potential to be a victim of her fraud.
If a dealer offered drugs to children in your neighborhood, and your child did not buy the drugs, but your neighbor's kid did, wouldn't you still be angry with the dealer's actions?? I know this isn't the perfect analogy, but can you imagine a community or a society that doesn't band together in times of crisis? I certainly can't.
Hear, hear - so eloquently said Jess. I appreciate your thoughtful response to this sad situation, and I agree - let's use this as an opportunity to reflect and grow.
also self-righteousness with collective action can yield great things. But if it devolves into jadedness and schadenfreude I fear that an opportunity will be lost. I hope this makes sense.
Great post Jess. The victims should report what happened to the authorities. The rest of us can be angry and disappointed, but legally there is nothing you can do if you were not affected. I know I'm disappointed...but then again, I don't personally know her so why should I be? I think this is a good time to think about consumerism and also the world of blogging: we feel like we know these people but we only see a certain part of their world. And people who blog only blog about a certain part of their world. As for the consumerism...I fell into that trap of buying things full priced because it seemed like it would sell out before it got to sale. The great thing about Anthropologie is that if a silhouette is selling well, there will be another one similar. There will always be another dress if I can't afford the one I want now.
Gabby, thank you for the comment. I think I was misunderstood. I am upset even though I wasnt scammed. I think it is an example of abuse of power of criminal proportions. I should have included what I wrote in support of Anjali's comment because I think my own upset comes through better there. This is more about contemplating what now. I wasn't directly effected so I am not a part of the story of seeking justice personally. But I feel like many of us are reflecting on big questions in the wake of a scandal and I wanted to share my thoughts.
great post, jess. i've stepped back from my blog a month or so ago for several reasons, one being that i was starting to drown in my own consumerism. i've barely looked at any blogs until recently. i look forward to reading your thoughtful input on the matter.
Jess, you should know that I've never posted a comment on your blog, but have always looked forward to reading what you write. I really, truly appreciate your insightful reflection on this topic; you raise very valuable questions to consider. As a fellow Academic, I'll look forward to your contributions to the upcoming Special Edition EA post. I don't know about you, but this past week has had me itchin' to take my Thorstein Veblen off the bookshelf. ;)
Well said, Jess, both here and on EA. I am one of the many people affected by Kim's actions and even I am becoming a little uncomfortable with the tone of some of the comments I have seen posted over there (through absolutely no fault of Roxy's). Especially those focused on speculation and internet 'research' into the state of Kim's finances. Am I angry? Sure. Do I feel betrayed by someone I trusted? Yes. Should she be held accountable? Absolutely. But we need to avoid acting like a vengeful mob and let the proper authorities handle this.
This is a great post Jess.
Agreed, and I know I have a few comments left to delete that stray too far into that latter category.
Thanks for all you are doing to moderate the discussion, Roxy. I cannot even express how sorry I am that all of this has been thrust onto your (albeit capable) shoulders. Thank you for keeping the discussion civil and topical.
Great post Jess. I also felt inspired this week to think about my own spending habits and the influence I can have as a blogger. I have learned several valuable lessons from this. Perceived enemies can be your allies! (GOMI) Maybe talking about buying stuff all the time should be redirected towards using what I have (my blog!) Dogs and cats living together! Etc.
Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion and thoughts on this whole ordeal. It certainly leaves us all with a lot to think about no doubt.
I'm still kind of in shock and feel disheartened and angry like many of the rest of you. I hope this doesn't discourage people from still enjoying this little blog community we have here.
Thanks for a great post, Jess. A lot of food for thought...
J.--I will say this. I have never been into an Anthro store. I followed you for a long time, but rarely left a comment because I didn't quite "get" the Anthro allure, but I wanted to establish a relationship with another academic. It has only been since you've been in Kate Spade ...that I've begun to leave comments more often.
"Why not use these moments of reflection to step back from unthinking consumption and evaluation the mechanisms, culturally, socially, personally, financially, etc. that perpetuate a nagging drive for more."
"For those of us who are mere spectators dealing with the aftershock, why not seize this moment for contemplation and self-critique? After all much like the ideology of consumerism, self righteousness can be a hell of a drug."
Incredible gems here. I agree with you 100% that we should grab the teachable moment here and really get something out of it. Your suggested curriculum is excellent.
As I've put together what happened with Anthroholic I'm most saddened by the fact that members of the Anthro-blogging community who had been scammed felt that they either had to keep quiet about it or shouldn't treat it like any other scam.
I look forward to your thoughts, Jess, especially concerning consumption, style blogging, and style blogging devoted to specific brands/stores. When I was away from blogging for a few months I started reflecting on the unintentional but always unacknowledged commodity fetishism that gets produced while we post our outfit photos, review new dresses, and post our objects of desire that we will get as an eventual reward (that's me!) But it makes me uneasy because it's usually an avoided topic of discussion. Perhaps, one of the reasons it is ignored is my hesitation for even writing this comment: critical observation is so often rejected as bitchy judgmental-ness rather than an opportunity for further critical assessment. There's a lot of talk about budgeting and finances: We shouldn't consume so much that we hinder the ability to save, pay bills, be independent, etc, but we don't talk much in the style blogging community about, say, the politics of our consumption or even the long term effects on our brains and ourselves of continually desiring clothing and accessories. Obviously, this is why I like your blog.
This: "difficult to jive my academic interests with that nagging drive for more." As a fashion-obsessed grad student, I wholly identify with this, and I'm so glad you're writing about it. I think you have it spot-on when you say that for many the blogosphere is escapism akin to reality TV. When I'm done with my reading and off the clock, I essentially want to check out, even though my brain is nagging me with "you really could be doing something more useful with your time."
I often struggle with the perceived dichotomy of being an "intellectual" while also being completely enchanted by shiny jewelry and ruffled skirts. I have not come to any conclusions or solutions, but I think this open dialogue among bloggers and commenters about why we do what we do is a good start.
Thank you for writing this thought-provoking post.
Also, sorry, meant to sign my post. And I am very saddened by all of this, but the lying for years bothers me the most. (as well as the lack of Kim acknowledging that any lying has been taking place).
Sad.Caralie
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