Please remember that you are choosing to read my opinions.

"Whatever you may be sure of, be sure of this: that you are dreadfully like other people"
-- James Russell Lowell

I was surfing the yahoo and aol member directories today and looking at all the colorful screen names that people were choosing. Over the years, one could map out various screen name trends, I think. But, overall, there is one major theme that has dominated the internet for a very long time: product placement screen names. That is to say that people, in their quest to find a screen name that they identify with, use their favorite clothing lines, band names (most of which mind as well be product the way they are sold), car manufactuers, etc.

I think this says a lot about people and society in general. I would like to say to the AbercrombieBabes and the HondaDudes out there that there is more to you (hopefully) than the brand names you buy. I find it sad that so many people have fallen into this category. I can understand the GuitarGuys, the PunkGirls, but when it comes to RoxyChick182 and such, I find myself staring into this dismal future where we abandon our last names of heritage and adopt company names instead.

Is advertising so influential that is makes something as insignificant as a product brand a point to which to anchor and identify ourselves with?  It sure must make company's happy to see this trend. Soon we'll have housewives with MatagMom and FridgadareFreak.

I think it certainly says something about people. Given the chance to choose anything to describe ourselves, we pick a clothing line. Why is this? What does this say about us? It'll take me a long time to understand this, methinks.