Seabrook, John. Nobrow: The Culture of Marketing, the Marking of Culture. New York: Vintage Books, 2001. Will Ferrall
aegis 2008 86
“I had reached Nobrow, ground zero, the exact midpoint at which culture and marketing converged.” Such is the prose of “Nobrow”, an analysis of American culture by John Seabrook. In his work Seabrook, a staff writer at The New Yorker, examines marketingthe Buzz-and the ways it has affected his life and the American culture as a whole. According to Seabrook, American culture was once defined in terms of High and Low brow. Things considered Highbrow were unique and expensive; for the American elite. Lowbrow was for the general population; cheap, mass-produced, and commercial. However, as Seabrook sees it, such distinctions are terms of the past. Today there is only Nobrow; where marketing and popculture have merged to create the American culture we know so well. In order to prove his thesis, that American culture is purely Nobrow, Seabrook divided his work into three areas of study. In the first portion of “Nobrow”, Seabrook discusses his relationship with his father (and his father’s handmade suits). This section presents American culture how it once was; where there was a meaningful distinction between Highbrow and Lowbrow. “Nobrow” also focuses on the celebrities and media sources that have done so much to create a cultureless America. As a writer with The New Yorker, Seabrook had access to the gods of pop-culture. MTV, George Lucas and David Geffen (etc.) were examined and interviewed to illustrate their connections and substantial contributions to the Nobrow phenomenon. The final illustration of American Nobrow was the transformation of The New Yorker from Highbrow literature into what it is today; another Nobrow pop-organ like Vogue and Seventeen. Using these sources and invaluable experiences, Seabrook created a revealing look at American culture; or lack thereof. “Nobrow” is a sadly revealing look at the commercialization of American culture. I hadn’t really thought much about this culture (I never figured we had one), but Seabrook proves that we at least have a burgeoning culture of pop. As a member of The New Yorker writing staff, Seabrook was given access to many celebrities and intriguing cultural events. The biggest draw of the work, besides its overall lesson, is the large amount of celebrity-oriented information and revealing facts Seabrook provides. I learned that Ben Kweller was touted as the next Kurt Cobain (Ben Kweller!), but was unfortunately overshadowed by Hanson. I also found out that the SKG (as in Dreamworks SKG) is an acronym for Spielberg (Steven), Katzenberg (Jeff) and Geffen (David, of Geffen Records fame). And my thoughts on George Lucas, who was interviewed in the shadows of the Skywalker Ranch’s basement, were confirmed. Lucas noted that he focused on editing and light, rather than plot and characters, in his filmmaking ventures (this becomes apparent when one views Star Wars: Episode II). Such factoids aside, I enjoyed “Nobrow”. It was written in an easy to read journalistic yet casual style, and his research was quite compelling. Upon completion, I’m convinced that the Nobrow pop-culture of America is our culture; and, unfortunately, the world around me doesn’t suggest a cultural shift any time soon. I would definitely recommend this work.
