THE UNBEARABLE EASE OF DEPOLITICIZATION

   In the article "The unbearable ease of depoliticization" Sonja Leboš excellently detects a problem in how companies approach and even exploit Yugoslavian monuments just because of their aesthetics and ultimately the ability to make money from them. The social and national value that the monuments have is overlooked or not even mentioned and observed, which we can only describe as problematic at least. 

  

  We can see multiple strategies from the Marxist theory in the instances Sonja Leboš mentions. The first one we can see is called logic of safety. There is a book by Jan Kempenaers called "Spomenik", which incited two more (very similar, almost identical books) authors: Willem Jan Neutelings and his book "Spomeniks: The Monuments of Former Yugoslavia. Introduction to the work of Jan Kempenaers"  and Jonathan Jimenez's "Spomeniks". All three of these depict very meaningful, influential and symbolic Yugoslavian monuments as nothing more than a notion of "picturesque". The first one was a smashing and very profitable hit, so why not use the same idea and notion for two more books when we know they'll make us money? Sigh. Logic of safety 101.

Next we can see the notion of spectacle being used. An Australian company “Valley Eyewear” used the picture of Bogdan Bogdanovic’s monument in their advertisement, which ended in understandable backlash for the company. However, did they gain profit by this publicity? Of course they did, the controversy earned them website views. No loss for them, only marketing and profiting. Shocker.

An online company called "Yunicorns" profits by selling sculptures, T-shirts and pins of the Yugoslavian monuments. Not one, not two, but three objects that guarantee money! Use it as much as you can, maximize your profit! And how to they advertise this spectacle? "Yunicorns is a story about giant concrete shapes built once upon a time in the non-existing country of Yugoslavia. These phantasmic creatures can be found in forests, hills and along the countryside of former Yugoslav provinces. " Dare I say anything more? Yugoslavia is non-existing apparently, I don't think many people from these regions would agree. These monuments are being called "shapes" and "phantasmic", but I don't see their history and cultural importance mentioned anywhere. They are "futuristic", "retrofuturistic", "eerie", "amazing", "mysterious", "surreal", "theatrical", but the history, the suffering, death, loss and so much more is nowhere to be seen on their website. 

We see books, advertisements, pictures, pins. All of the before mentioned are being used as a profit making machine and all of them exist because of Yugoslavian monuments. Synergy is strong in this one.

  Exploitation of the Yugoslavian monuments, disregarding their historical and cultural heritage as a means of maximizing profit, can only happen in the capitalist society we live in. We cannot change the society,  however, we can be mindful and aware of things surrounding us.