Funny and thought-provoking Salon story on Current Situation-related spam and merchandising.
But does that mean that wartime entrepreneurs are all snake oil salesmen, or that they should be tried for treason — an idea favored by Tom Geller, executive director of the anti-spam SpamCon Foundation? Or are they actually a vital part of the post-Sept. 11 mosaic, a clue to understanding our collective psyche? Every popup ad pushing American flags or e-mail spam offering an anthrax antidote is another piece of the picture. One could even argue that the rush to capitalize on terror’s aftermath and the corresponding rush by consumers to purchase goods are quintessentially American: This is how we grieve, how we connect amid catastrophe.