Nadia and Cami, Samurai
The exclusive Sister Wolf Samurai Award is only for heroes, so you won’t be surprised that the newest recipients are the partners of DI$COUNT.
Cami and Nadia are fashion designers but much more. They had the courage to move to Thailand from their home in Australia, only to find themselves in the middle of a violent political clash. They were forced to flee to safer ground but their spirits are unbroken.
Last week, they posted a sharp and gleeful parody of Luxirare, an internet sensation known for striking but relentless branding.
They’ve replied congenially to people who scolded them for being “negative” and/or jealous. They’ve explained that they were blocked (and thus essentailly banned) from Luxirare’s website.
Here are two issues that won’t go away:
1. If you accept comments, should you censor them?
2. Is it bad etiquette to mock another blogger?
Personally, I think the answers are obvious: NO and NO, respectively.
As for parody, it is an art form. Nadia and Cami executed their parody with wit and style. It’s hard to see how it could be improved upon. If you don’t understand parody or satire, go see Spinal Tap again. Many years ago, The New Yorker ran a parody of Time Magazine, mocking their formulaic, awkward syntax. No one in those days would be so idiotic as to deem this effort “negative.” Why are people today such big babies??
Nadia and Cami are talented, passionate, funny, warm and as an added bonus, beautiful. They are Challenging the Paradigm, as Faux Fuchsia would say. They are Samurai and they rule.
May 31st, 2010 at 11:40 pm
They are a pair of funny cool chicks, this is for sure.
Meanwhile I don’t even know what to make of Luxirare and all that – I always just thought poor little rich girl filling the empty spaces with truffle oil and filling her empty days with projects. Also, more posturing perversity – seems fashionable amongst the sheltered pampered youthful elite.
May 31st, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Go Nadia and Cami! I saw those posts- fucking brilliant is what they were. A little old-fashioned mockery of one over-sensitive branding machine/’webzine’ , doesn’t hurt to read. I think it’s cool that Ji/Luxirare makes stuff, and a lot of what she makes is meticulously done and photographed- but she does need to get herself a little bit of a sense of humour about it.
PS: The Samurai title is well-deserved! Does it come with a wicked sword for whacking off heads too?
May 31st, 2010 at 11:48 pm
As for comment-censoring, it’s one thing to get rid of pointless rudeness (e.g. racist insults, attempting to call someone a slut/fat/skinny/whatever), quite another not to allow legitimate constructive criticism or feedback at all. I once had a problem with a troll and blocked comments on the entry she was trying to flame because she was trying to do it almost a year after I posted it. That still doesn’t mean I’ll block every negative comment that comes my way, though- I’m not as much of a pansy as that.
Re: the second question, I think most people in the blog-world do consider it bad etiquette to mock the popular ones (this is so high school), but Nadia and Cami’s post wasn’t ill-spirited or mean. And I, for one, would love to see more parody blogs- The Catorialist and P et P are so much fun to read. I know we bloggers think of ourselves as the individual behind the blog, but most personal style blogs have some kind of persona attached to them (like Sea and Mom), and frankly, I think that’s fair game. I mean, it’s ridiculous to think of supposed adults having tantrums because (horror) the whole of the Internet doesn’t love them.
May 31st, 2010 at 11:53 pm
i think the issue was with luxirare, her wanky statement about talking about having a feedback system (re: her manifesto) yet blocks/deletes anything that questions her.
I think its necessary to sensor some comments that are ridiculously negative. Uncalled for, personal attacks on people are unnecessary. But I think the line in the sand is blurred, is questioning something negative? I dont think so. I once commented on gala darling when she had just launched her (overpriced) podcast series that i was a student and I going to save my money and spend it on furthering my travels + experiences. that was deleted. was it supportive? no, but was it negative??
June 1st, 2010 at 2:14 am
Life get – always springs to mind. If someone calls you a downright nasty name (but even then in context it’s probably okay), or is sexist/racist etc then there are grounds for rebuke. But discourse/analysis/parody or disagreeing with your view is not negative. Why does any point that isn’t your own, or different to what you think become negative. Agh!
June 1st, 2010 at 2:14 am
I ruthlessly censor any comment saying that I am too old for “trend based nailpolish”.
June 1st, 2010 at 3:14 am
Oh dear FF, did some gen y maniac actually say that to you?
June 1st, 2010 at 4:15 am
I found their blog the other day (before your link today) and it was the alpacas that got me. Are they the cutest things ever?
June 1st, 2010 at 5:23 am
The only comments I do not publish are those that my husband leaves that are just too pornographic. I keep moderation on to limit the Japanese porn spam…sounds like I have a thing against porn…I really don’t. It’s just that my blog only likes to watch it alone.
June 1st, 2010 at 6:30 am
Satire and parody are great literary genres, duh. And I put up comment moderation recently just because I was getting Japanese carpet-spammed, but no, if you allow comments, I don’t think they should be deleted. Unless it’s annoying spam.
June 1st, 2010 at 7:06 am
Thanks for the link SW, i like them already
June 1st, 2010 at 9:54 am
Sister, I suggest unleashing some deletion on the spam….bloody kaftans can go burn.
June 1st, 2010 at 9:55 am
I found it very funny, surprised no one would have don eit before. Great parody.
June 1st, 2010 at 11:52 am
I love those two.
I don’t know when it became the norm to brand any form of critique as negativity. The way “you’re a hater” and “you’re hating” are thrown around when anyone doesn’t give out glowing, lemming-like praise makes me nauseous. Comment deletion is even worse.
I’m with Dru. There should be more parody blogs for those blogs that are more like brands; especially those who expect all of the internet to love them. People are far too serious these days. Bluh.
June 1st, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Discount did it with such a charm a great sense of humor, I would be proud to be mocked by them.
June 1st, 2010 at 2:30 pm
aww that is cute. I wouldn’t call what they did art but definitely a parody. I like those gals a lot because the stupid blogger “dramaz” bullshit doesn’t ruin their day but they are still aware that it is a problem.
June 1st, 2010 at 2:30 pm
*and sense of…. sorry, tired…
June 1st, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Love those ladies of Discount! Thanks for the link, SW. They’ve been added to my daily must-read roll.
And one should only remove blatantly racist/sexist/trolling comments. If you can’t handle people providing constructive criticism or calling you on your obvious B.S. then maybe you shouldn’t have a blog, especially a blog the main goal of which is to sell yourself and your “brand”. Just MHO.
June 2nd, 2010 at 6:29 am
Dear Sister Wolf,
We were so excited when we saw this post! We admire you dearly not just as a blogger, but also as a strong, intelligent woman, so this award is a compliment like no other! Thanks so much, we’re very proud to accept the Sister Wolf Samurai Award!
To be honest, we got a bit of a scolding from some friends and family, as well as a couple of commenters about the post. Most used the argument that our time could have been better spent ‘making stuff’ and worrying about our own business. This pissses me off a bit, as I can’t seem to understand why it’s GREAT to use our time sitting behind a sewing machine (although we clearly do love it) but deemed ‘a waste of time’ when we sit behind our computer and write something we feel strongly about!
It’s no bloody secret that none of us could exist in a vacuum, so I don’t understand the whole ‘put your head down, don’t worry about what anyone else is doing, don’t piss anyone off, and climb your OWN ladder of success’ shit. Everyone’s work – no matter what it is – exists in, and depends on a greater context that is bigger than just them. I wouldn’t do this if it was just about making clothes and keeping my mouth shut, waiting to be successful… don’t understand how someone like Luxirare can be all business and have such little integrity for what they do or preach.
Thank you so much for the support xoxo
Luxirare preaches a whole load of bullshit in her manifesto. If any of the stuff
June 2nd, 2010 at 6:30 am
Ignore the little last bit!
June 2nd, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Absolutely agreed! I do have comment moderation but I decided to enable it a couple years ago when some psycho stalker left relentless personal attacks on my blog and even had a hate blog dedicated to me. I’d say 99% of comments people leave for me get through, only the personal attacks get deleted.
June 5th, 2010 at 1:28 am
Shucks Sister, what an honour!! For some reason, it means even more because I am in Japan… I feel more at home here now I have this title. Perhaps I should print the stamp and stick it to my shirt. I’m with Dru, the sword will be necessary, along with Tabi’s (although fuck that Margiela shit, you can get them for $20 in the hardware shop here!)
Thank you so much, as Nadia mentioned, it was very exciting logging into your blog and seeing our little name’s up there – very surprising and very exciting. We both read G-dammit avidly, and love your honesty and integrity. Funny chicks, as I’ve mentioned before are very difficult to come by and you might just be ten all bundled into one!! You have made my cheek bones hurt and will again and again I’m sure.
RESPECT!
x
June 6th, 2010 at 6:10 am
Awsome shit sister wolf! your spot on…. DI$COUNT fuckin rule!
June 10th, 2010 at 7:47 am
yes yes yes. these girls are daring and totally awesome.
June 11th, 2010 at 1:00 am
If you havnt been here yet go at once! Everyone needs to see their genius pisstaking:
http://p-et-p.blogspot.com/
love it