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Cultural Artifact

Cultural Artifact. By Tim Ventura, November 6 th , 2005. Cultural Artifact. By Tim Ventura, November 6 th , 2005.

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Cultural Artifact

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  1. Cultural Artifact By Tim Ventura, November 6th, 2005

  2. Cultural Artifact By Tim Ventura, November 6th, 2005 Life imitates Art Bell – at least according to Mega Blocks, who released this 2004 “Alien Agency: Hangar 18” play-set. Marketed to children 6 to 12 years old, this unique product demonstrates just how deeply ingrained the popular mythology of UFO’s and government cover-ups really is. The Hangar 18 set comes complete with all the essentials of contemporary UFO-mythology, including an alien-scout ship, 50-gallon drums leaking mysterious blue goop, a fully-stocked research lab, and a dumpster for leftover alien “refuse” – all packaged conveniently in a foldout hangar-turned-research-lab that no child can refuse. Want to learn the truth about ET? Look no further than the complete collection of EBE’s, including aliens in storage tanks, lying on dissection tables, and frozen in cryogenic tanks. Don’t worry: if they make it out of the lab, there’s a fully-armed squad of business-attire G-Men with heavy weapons just waiting to take care of business (and of course, lots of white-coated lab-techs to ensure that it’s done properly). In our technologically-literate society, ET has replaced ghosts & angels as a metaphor to express our deepest fears & anxieties about the unknown – as witnessed by the “The Threat is Building” tag-line stamped in bold letters at the bottom of the box. All this begs the question of “what reality really is”, which over 50% of all Americans believe includes UFO’s & ET. This play-set isn’t trying to capture reality, though – but it’s nonetheless putting some complex views & ideas into our children’s minds, which they’ll carry with them into adulthood. One thing is certain: ignoring this mythology devalues our shared cultural values, and may ultimately cast a negative light on issues that have yet to be fully explored or resolved.

  3. Cultural Artifact By Tim Ventura, November 6th, 2005

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