This Time Is Different
Design by Karl Spurzem
Having just watched the season finale of Mad Men, it's hard not to think of that show's opening credit sequence when looking at this cover for an examination of financial crises.
As series creator Matthew Weiner states (at about 2:15) when talking about the sequence, "American businessman jumps out the window, that is a statement...it's part of our iconography."
9 comments:
The only example "american businessman jumps out the window" I can think of is 200 people jumping out of two burning skyscrapers on 9/11/01. Not a great reference for any kind of book. If this is on purpose, kind of sick. If it's by accident, kind of ignorant.
jd051572: 9/11 is certainly not the only example I can think of. Black Tuesday comes to mind.
@Joseph I guess 9/11 was the first and most visceral example that came to mind. I get the point of the cover; it's in poor taste, is all. Maybe someone from an older generation would pick up on the "correct" example first, but 9/11/01 comes to my mind more quickly than 10/29/1929.
Most jokes about suicide (visual or otherwise) are probably in poor taste. But the joke here is the point of the book-- the title on his piece of paper floating from the briefcase... of course it's not different this time. It's never different. And the tragedy isn't always with the jumper, but shoulda-been-foreseen collateral damage.
Another image that comes to mind are the three million Three Stooges episodes with bankers on ledges. And the hudsucker proxy.
I love this cover.
What Mrs. Pete said:-)
Also, you shoulda waited for Mrs. BDR.
MrsPete: Shhhhhhh :-)
I'm not 60 yet, but I immediately thought of the businessmen jumping out of the window back in the Great Depression (to differentiate it from this depression, which is anything but great).
It's not sick, it's an icon from that era, appropriately used to show that it's all happening again.
I love this cover also.
P.S. Great job, Karl.
Post a Comment