Box Vox

packaging as content

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May 13, 2011

Capitalist Box vs. Socialist Box

IMG_6369

I saw this a while back on Packaging UQAM:

Sophie Valentine’s project for Louis Gagnon’s “Design Graphique Introduction” course at Canada’s UQAM. The project is “3D Typographic Expression” and her solution is shown above.

Socialism and capitalism are two realities that clearly oppose. However, Winston Churchill did not consider one better than the other. He said: “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” To demonstrate this paradox, socialism is represented by eight small cubes attached to each other. While capitalism is represented by a cube equal to the size of eight.

Design Intro Blog

This interests me for a number of reasons.

A. The white “socialist” cube appears to be one of those hinged folding cube puzzles — sometimes called “magic cubes” — often used as an advertising promotion. I might be wrong. It may be hinged a little differently, but it would be ironic for “socialism” to be represented by an promotional object.

B. The Winston Churchill quote above seems to parallel the contrast that Chevron CEO, John Watson attempted (in his testimony to congress yesterday about oil company tax breaks) when he tried to suggest that the American people would rather share in Chevron’s prosperity than to have Chevron share in their sacrifice. (See also: Joe, The Plumber)

(More reasons, after the fold…)


C. Since we seem to be entering a new period of manufactured public hysteria, rivaling McCarthyism and red scares of the 1950, “socialism” has become a very bad word here in the U.S. Although art schools, in general, are probably more progressive and less conservative than most of America, Canadian art studunts, in particular, would naturally be more comfortable with the idea of “socialism.” (Having for years enjoyed the benefits of “socialized medicine”)

D. Likewise, the idea of monolithic capitalism (in the black hat) versus flexible and modular socialism (in the white hat) is interesting.

More about “magic cubes” next week. (See also: CCCP Energy Drink)

Randy Ludacer
Beach Packaging Design

No Responses to “Capitalist Box vs. Socialist Box”

  1. Darlene Hagen says:
    September 17, 2011 at 1:40 pm

    I have one of these. Alot better cond. than the one you have. Do you know values? Mine has green polish in it and the pad.