Spite Magazine: Who Is 'The Man'?

Published: September 13, 1997

Who Is 'The Man'?
by Bradford Contemporary
Play Stick It To The Man!
Read how Will Hines Stuck It To The Man!

Who is 'The Man'?
The Man is the establishment, or anyone who holds you down. He is the banks, the police, the government, the schools, the hospitals and your employer. He wears a tie, votes Republican, and considers the world free from clutter after he throws cigarette wrappers out the window of his big grey sedan.
Originally, 'The Man' was a white-black thing. But it has evolved to also mean a rich-poor thing, or man-woman thing. It refers to anyone who HAS -- has money, has power, has status -- holding down someone who DOES NOT HAVE.
In our game, Stick It To The Man, we're talking about money. The Man has money. You don't. There are two buttons for you to push: "Stick It To The Man" and "Play It Cool". If you "Play It Cool" for the whole game, you lose, because The Man eventually finds ways to get your cash - through taxes, parking fines, ATM fees or whatever. He can do that. He's The Man. But you can also push "Stick It To The Man" to win back some of his money, by cheating the system. The only problem: this sometimes ends up hurting you far more than simply playing it cool.
It's a risk you must take. To win this game, you invariably break a minor law. Notice that laws you break in this game take only from The Man. No land frauds. No muggings. Just cheating the I.R.S. Sort of a Robin Hood thing, but for slacker twenty-year-olds.
Ironically, the game was designed by me, a young, male, white, college-educated spoiled kid, who will most likely someday become The Man. I could pretend to be noble and say that this game is my way of rejecting the unfair system that gives all the money to white males - but I'd be lying. I designed this game becauase I thought the title was funny, not because I have morals. If anyone ever gave me a chance to leave my life of credit card debt-ridden life of squalor and jump on The Man boat, I'd be down at the docks in a heartbeat.
Actually, if it meant moving to easy street, I'd stoop unnervingly low. I'd sell secrets to the Russians. I'd take the picture of Princess Diana. I'd publish my spouse's manuscript under my name. I'd eat bodily waste of another human. I'd tell the British about the Boston Tea Party. I'd buy Manhattan for $24. Or Alaska for two cents an acre. I'd leave Superman in a room full of Kryptonite. I'd fix the World Series. And much more. So would most people. So would you, even though you would never admit it.
The Man makes the rules, so if you're beating him, you are invariably breaking the rules. Getting a raise is not really sticking it to the man. Stealing a huge quantity of his Post-It notes is. So is beating the bank of its bounced check charges.
In your early adult life, you are almost never The Man. Unless you star in a movie, have your own music video, or can slam dunk from the free throw line, you're in a hurting state, and you've probably got the backlog of parking tickets to prove it.
Someday, if you ever become the man, it will do you well to remember your current state. But you probably won't. I know I wouldn't.
As you progress through your life, The Man changes.

Will Ellen become The Man? When did Mickey Mouse get there?

Can young white rich kids be held down by the Man? Sure. But probably only for a while.

Fashion tips for the Man: Is the blue suit necessary? Absolutely not, just the green cash.

Movies in which we're supposed to feel sorry for those who will almost certainly become The Man: Less Than Zero, Sabrina, Dead Poets Society, Bright Lights Big City

Those who became The Man by rebelling against him: Jane Fonda, Jann Wenner, Ben & Jerry, David Letterman, Fiona Apple (soon)

Play Stick It To The Man!
(Javascript game: Netscape 2.0 or higher,
or MSIE 3.0 required)
Read how Will Hines stuck it to the man
and didn't pay his bounced check fees.

Bradford Contemporary is the founder of Spite Magazine, and occasionally rises from his drool-stained sofa to contribute to it.

Contents | Regarding Huey | Stick It To The Man! | DAS SPOT
Write Spite at whines@spitemag.com
Copyright 1997 Will Hines

	Who Is 'The Man'? by Bradford Contemporary	Play Stick It To The Man! Read how Will Hines Stuck It To The Man!
	Who is 'The Man'? The Man is the establishment, or anyone who holds you down. He is the banks, the police, the government, the schools, the hospitals and your employer. He wears a tie, votes Republican, and considers the world free from clutter after he throws cigarette wrappers out the window of his big grey sedan. Originally, 'The Man' was a white-black thing. But it has evolved to also mean a rich-poor thing, or man-woman thing. It refers to anyone who HAS -- has money, has power, has status -- holding down someone who DOES NOT HAVE. In our game, Stick It To The Man, we're talking about money. The Man has money. You don't. There are two buttons for you to push: "Stick It To The Man" and "Play It Cool". If you "Play It Cool" for the whole game, you lose, because The Man eventually finds ways to get your cash - through taxes, parking fines, ATM fees or whatever. He can do that. He's The Man. But you can also push "Stick It To The Man" to win back some of his money, by cheating the system. The only problem: this sometimes ends up hurting you far more than simply playing it cool. It's a risk you must take. To win this game, you invariably break a minor law. Notice that laws you break in this game take only from The Man. No land frauds. No muggings. Just cheating the I.R.S. Sort of a Robin Hood thing, but for slacker twenty-year-olds. Ironically, the game was designed by me, a young, male, white, college-educated spoiled kid, who will most likely someday become The Man. I could pretend to be noble and say that this game is my way of rejecting the unfair system that gives all the money to white males - but I'd be lying. I designed this game becauase I thought the title was funny, not because I have morals. If anyone ever gave me a chance to leave my life of credit card debt-ridden life of squalor and jump on The Man boat, I'd be down at the docks in a heartbeat. Actually, if it meant moving to easy street, I'd stoop unnervingly low. I'd sell secrets to the Russians. I'd take the picture of Princess Diana. I'd publish my spouse's manuscript under my name. I'd eat bodily waste of another human. I'd tell the British about the Boston Tea Party. I'd buy Manhattan for $24. Or Alaska for two cents an acre. I'd leave Superman in a room full of Kryptonite. I'd fix the World Series. And much more. So would most people. So would you, even though you would never admit it. The Man makes the rules, so if you're beating him, you are invariably breaking the rules. Getting a raise is not really sticking it to the man. Stealing a huge quantity of his Post-It notes is. So is beating the bank of its bounced check charges. In your early adult life, you are almost never The Man. Unless you star in a movie, have your own music video, or can slam dunk from the free throw line, you're in a hurting state, and you've probably got the backlog of parking tickets to prove it. Someday, if you ever become the man, it will do you well to remember your current state. But you probably won't. I know I wouldn't.	As you progress through your life, The Man changes. Will Ellen become The Man? When did Mickey Mouse get there? Can young white rich kids be held down by the Man? Sure. But probably only for a while. Fashion tips for the Man: Is the blue suit necessary? Absolutely not, just the green cash. Movies in which we're supposed to feel sorry for those who will almost certainly become The Man: Less Than Zero, Sabrina, Dead Poets Society, Bright Lights Big City Those who became The Man by rebelling against him: Jane Fonda, Jann Wenner, Ben & Jerry, David Letterman, Fiona Apple (soon)
Play Stick It To The Man! (Javascript game: Netscape 2.0 or higher, or MSIE 3.0 required) Read how Will Hines stuck it to the man and didn't pay his bounced check fees. Bradford Contemporary is the founder of Spite Magazine, and occasionally rises from his drool-stained sofa to contribute to it. Contents \| Regarding Huey \| Stick It To The Man! \| DAS SPOT Write Spite at whines@spitemag.com Copyright 1997 Will Hines