“Essential”, says the Macquarie Dictionary (Fourth Edition), means “absolutely necessary; indispensable: discipline is essential in an army“. But the new Thursday supplement in the Sydney Morning Herald, entitled essential: Style + Home + Health (not online), must work to a different definition.
Here’s what I thought might have been “essential”: oxygen; clean drinking water; food; shelter from the elements; basic medical care. Perhaps in our urbanised society I should add: cash; photo ID; a bank account; literacy and numeracy skills; a home address; access to a telephone.
Here’s what essential thinks is essential: Tiffany jewelry designed by architect Frank Gehry; chocolate pudding moulds shaped like the Buddha (yes, really); for her, a yellow silk blouse that costs $399; for him, a Ralph Lauren jacket that costs $1895; a male nanny.
That’s editorial, not advertising. This is what the “journalists” think is “essential”. Look at the ads and it gets worse.
Now I have none of this things which essential says are essential. Will I now wither and die? I am afraid…
Possibly related posts
No related posts.


ABC The Drum
Crikey
CSO Online
Delicious
Dopplr
Flickr
LinkedIn
newmatilda.com
Patch Monday
Posterous
Qik
Stilgherrian Live (Ustream)
Technology Spectator
Twitter
Viddler
No comments
Comments feed for this article
Trackback link: http://stilgherrian.com/media/essential_perspective/trackback/