Saturday, June 5, 2010

Friskies Adventureland

We forget, awash as we are in praise, we forget that we are not the only beings on this earth deserving of adoration. The sense we have of ourselves—that we alone could inspire loyalty, reverence, even worship—is rarely challenged.

Cows and pigs and sheep and fish and chickens and all their lowly brethren march across battlefields, endure the obscenest of treatment, all for the joy of bidding farewell to this planet of miracles from the portal of our stomachs.

But no! It is not to Man alone the willing sacrifices aspire to offer themselves. Dogs also enjoy pride of place, and now we know we can add cats to the list. (And, as time may yet reveal, pet snakes and all other domesticated carnivores.)

Friskies brand cat food reminds us of this blessed fact, that there are consumable slaves for all. In the television commercial from which these stills were extracted, a cat receives the royal treatment from turkeys, from fish, and from baby chicks. All are pleased to fulfill their destiny as food for humans' pets.

The food welcomes the cat to the realm of the Omni-edible, a wonderland wherein everything exists for, and is assembled for the benefit of, the dominant beings. The ambassadors of this world—the seafood and the poultry—live (briefly) to serve and be served.

3 comments:

Erika said...

I was hoping you'd blog on this ad!

I addition to it being a good example of suicide food, I think this goes right up there with some of the most ridiculous commercials ever. The breathy little song that goes with it describes unlocking mystery and never-ending discoveries, as if feeding Friskies to your cat is a religious experience.

jaymoh said...

Guys, I love this ad. I think it's pretty progressive to add 'shrooms to cat food.

And I love the song. I really can't stop thinking about it.

Meg said...

I thought of this blog instantly when I first saw that ad!

That ad is seriously twisted.