[wordup] The Subversive ATM

[Adam Shand]

From: http://www.dnalounge.com/backstage/atm/
Via: http://adbusters.org/creativeresistance/jamgallery/index.html

We have an ATM inside the DNA Lounge, and when reading the manual for 
the machine, I was pleased to learn that one can customize many of the 
messages on it! There is a small area at the top of the screen (intended 
for saying the name of your business or something) plus a ``billboard'' 
area at the bottom of the screen that cycles through four settable messages.

The manual encourages you to sell advertising in these spaces. I chose 
somewhat different messages:

The top of the screen always displays

         SUBMIT - CONFORM - OBEY
           MARRY AND REPRODUCE
              NEVER QUESTION

The bottom of the screen cycles through these four messages:

              DRIVE THE COP
            OUT OF YOUR HEAD

           SURPRISE, SURPRISE:
           THE GOVERNMENT LIES.

          THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
             ISN'T PERFECT,
          BUT IT'S BETTER THAN
           WHAT WE HAVE TODAY

            DESTROY CAPITALISM
             SMASH THE STATE

Finally, the heading of the paper receipt begins with

         SHOPPING IS NOT CREATING
         YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU OWN

This last one is my favorite, because people will probably only notice 
it after they've gotten home and fish the receipt out of their pockets!

We occasionally get complaints from customers about these messages! A 
couple of examples:

Customer: What's up with the Unamerican shit on the ATM?
Manager: Unamerican?
Customer: Yeah, it says ``Surprise surprise, the Government lies!''
Manager: Uh... they do.
Customer: Yeah, but you're not supposed to say things like that! 
Especially not now!

But my favorite complaint was from the guy who was puzzled that the ATM 
says ``Destroy Capitalism'' but charges him a $3 service fee. Irony is 
hard, let's go shopping!