American Way of Life Magazine

Beloved AWOL Readers: We're currently renovating our website. Until the new one is up, here's an online version of our Winter 2008 issue, Sold. Follow the links below or at right to access the articles.

SOLD
This issue we've decided to examine commercialism, consumer culture, and brand psychology. US retail sales have taken an unprecedented plunge in recent months, sparked by an economy in turmoil--a product of unrestrained, unregulated market capitalism. Still, advertising commercial culture permeates every part of our lives, even when consumers don't have expendable capital. The ubiquity of advertisements on billboards, television, the internet, and on our campus confirm its presence as more than bordered designs that garner cursory glances; it seems as if everyone has become a mechanical drone, following the commands, both consciously and unconsciously, of advertising agents who seek to propagandize and make huge profits. We've tried to unpack the underlying assumptions and question the ideology of profit-driven social trends. We hope this issue will change the way you shop and provide you with a different lens to view environmentally-conscious products, religious seminars, PBR, and so much more.

Obituaries
is dedicated to topics that headlines but deserve attention. Keeping it succinct yet hard-hitting, this section captures the issues we want you to know about, offering news bytes with an editorial twist.

EDITORIAL, by the AWOL editors.
SENSUAL ADVERTISING, by Jacob Locke. (duloque@gmail.com)
Progressive Opinions Column: EARMARK EXAMINATION, by Richard Phillips. (rp7282a@american.edu)
SOLD ON PBR, by Bobby Allyn. (bobby.allyn@gmail.com)
SELLING OUT THE ENVIRONMENT, by Randall Coleman. (r_coleman@yahoo.com)

Classifieds
digs deep into stories, tracking down witnesses, victims, activists, and experts to find the truth behind the sound bytes and emotion behind the ledes.

THE DISTRICT SLEEPS ALONE TONIGHT, by Ian Valentine. (iancvalentine@gmail.com)
CONSUMED, by Jess Kantor. (duloque@gmail.com)
HOW MUCH IS MY WRITTEN ANSWER WORTH, by Chris Lewis. (cl8843a@american.edu)
SAVING IT UP FOR GOD, by Jeff Lambert. (jeffmlambert@gmail.com)

Casual Encounters
is a place for innovation, new creations, and the arts. Whether comical, satirical, playful, or weird, Casual Encounters delivers a smorgasbord of expressive pieces that are quirky yet thematic.

BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS: HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS STILL WALK DAILY, by Suzanne Monsivais. (sm4847a@student.american.edu)
THRIFT STORES, by Elizabeth Tseng (et3882a@american.edu) and Jessica Taich.

Editor-in-chief: Bobby Allyn (bobby.allyn@gmail.com)
Managing Editor: Jeff Lambert (jeffmlambert@gmail.com)
Layout Editor: Jessica Taich (jessica_taich@yahoo.com)
Chief Copy Editor: Maeg Keane (maeg.keane@american.edu)
Section Editor: Chris Lewis (cl8843a@american.edu)
Photographers: Jess Kantor (duloque@gmail.com) and Emily Crevling (ec2081a@american.edu)
Copy Editors: Jacob Locke (duloque@gmail.com) and Kate Litvin (klitvin@comcast.net)