Creativity comes in a lot of forms. Granted, nothing is truly original. Ideas can't exist in a vacuum, and we all have to accept that everything new is built on a platform of existing thoughts and influences. However, slightly tweaking a product/logo/image/brand that already exists requires about the same creative potential as a brain aneurysm.
"I Heart [Something]" t-shirts. We all need to know how much you love your wack-ass college, city, cartoon or ethnic background (that's you, Irish people. St. Patty's day isn't an excuse to wreck artistic integrity). Oh man, and it's really clever how you substituted the heart for [fill-in-the-blank]. I would really heart it if you got AIDS.
Street brands, please listen up. "I got 99 problems but my [kicks, skateboard, fitted, etc.] ain't one." 98 of your problems are your dormant right brain activity. Your 99th problem is that intelligent people don't buy your shit. Stop making shirts with the word "Swag" plastered on it. If swag represents style, originality and a unique charisma, you missed the mark. Although if your definition of swag includes people I would not be seen in public with, you are dead on.
The helvetica ampersand shirt. The concept is more than five years old, and Jesus Christ, is it trite. I've got an idea: let's take the most commonly used font in the history of typography and plug four new words into it. How about "Lame & Uncreative & Overused & Kill Yourself"? [That's five words, but hey, who's counting? -ed.]
Anything involving marijuana. It's a fucking plant--who cares if you smoke it or not? T-shirts with pot leaves have the originality of a Jersey Shore cast member. Imagine if you wore shirts of other things that dominate your life. Your wardrobe of graphic t's would include a couch, an Xbox, and your parents' house. If you aren't Cheech, Chong or Snoop Dogg, you have no excuse.
Originality is under assault. It is up to all of us to defend it. Buying or supporting brands that fail to be original is perpetuating a disease. It's like giving an addict heroin, or letting the Kardashians get another season on TV. It's spoiling our culture and we must choose to refuse. It's not that hard. The next time you see someone wearing a shirt and think "haven't I seen that before?", do us all a favor and punch him/her in the face.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect RVA Magazine editorial policy. Additionally, they are presented for humorous purposes, so don't take this shit too seriously.
Written by Britt Sebastian of Under The Radar, Ink.