Confusion over complacency

by Jennifer Bissell

A group of pranksters called the Yes Men bring their satirical flare to the UI's Shambaugh Auditorium.


Mise en scene

What was I doing there? On a whim, I went to see the Yes Men on Aug. 24 at Shambaugh Auditorium in the Main Library. I had no idea who they were or what their message was, but as I pushed my way through the sea of seated students on my way to one of the few remaining seats, it dawned on me...this may be legit. I figured any lecture that could attract a full audience during the first week of school couldn't be that bad.

I understood exactly why these men were so popular only minutes after the speakers stepped on stage. They use satire and what they call "identity correction" to point out the flaws in society.

Clip after clip depicted these men falsely imposing themselves in highly visible arenas -- as leading officials from the DOW chemical company, Bush campaign contributors, and even as World Trade Center Organization figureheads. And thousands of people believed them.

Recounting the hoax

As the rest of the audience laughed at the anti-mainstreatm messages the Yes Men portrayed through their antics, I just couldn't get past one thing: How in the world have these men not been caught?

Web-based whitewashing

As everyone filed out of the auditorium and headed to their various activities -- a quiet night at home, an evening at the library, or perhaps even more likely, a night at the bars -- I left even more out of place than I was when the night began. I can't even tell a white lie to my parents, and they get away with lying daily. Unbelievable.



Watch BBC video on YouTube