Trading Junk

Eustace Tilley, the smug fop who has been adorning covers of The New Yorker for more than eighty years, hardly seems a symbol to be embraced by today’s anti-globalists. Yet the editorial thrust of last week’s issue suggests that readers may want to learn more about the implications of unfettered worldwide shipping and sourcing than meets the (monicled) eye.

First, there is a profile of one of America’s most successful exporters of  trash culture – motion picture director James Cameron. His crass and vulgar “Titanic” was quickly pirated by Chinese distributors as soon as it was commercially released. This is also the genius who gave the world the “Terminator” movies.

But the demand for bad art goes in both directions, as another feature demonstrates. This one, “Chinese Barbizon” by Peter Hessler, details how U.S. consumers of mass-produced landscapes are fueling China’s picture-painting industry, and flooding the market with truly cringe-worthy imports.

When it comes to exchanging commodities of this type, one might sympathize with those wishing to place limits on world trade. Eustace would most certainly concur.