Mission Brief: Vol 3.

Mission Brief

Jan 08

GABE MERCURY

Debriefing

Addiction is the inspiration for this issue of the Mission Brief, and our latest design. We wanted to explore the life of the addict, as they live comfortably numb oblivious to their self destruction. So we ask you, what’s your addiction? Is it money? Is it sex? Is it drugs? How is it that so many of us are bound to this delicious affliction that makes us smile in our hearts? And in many cases, this same affliction can lead us down to a path of self destruction. Sex, drugs, money, alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine -- most of us are addicted on some level or another to at least one of these and for some of us more. It’s the life of those of us who live fast and rock hard; and often die leaving a young good looking corpse.

Hope you enjoy our latest launch.

Stay Stellar,Taofeek Owoade

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Mission Assembly

Writers Shaffiat Ali

Theodora ChowfattTaofeek OwoadePhotography by

JauJuan DiazLayout by

Steven GlekelMission Brief created by

Taofeek Owoade and Courtney Parris Contributors

Sean RamsanahieTheodora ChowfattSpecial Thanks To:

Jessica DelvalleLaura Garcia

We are always looking for contributors: models, photographers, designers, writers, and businesses

interested in advertising in the Mission Brief. If in terested please send your contact information, and

a sample of your work to [email protected].

Add us on Myspace:www.myspace.com/gabemercuryclothing

Drop a line at [email protected] our website at www.gabemercury.com

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BY: Shaffiat Ali

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It’s been said that everybody has a price. It’s probably more honest to say that everybody’s got a vice. Wheth-er it’s a secret well hidden pleasure or a public display of compulsion, truth is...everyone’s an addict.

“It’s not a habit, it’s cool. I feel alive. If you don’t have it you’re on the other side...”What makes certain things so irresistible that we are willing to throw away our fortunes, our families and our lives in pursuit of it? Is it to fit in? Is it to run away from ourselves? Maybe, it’s simply to fill the grow-ing void that exists within each and every one of us. Sure, the doctors will tell us it’s a chemical reaction and the shrinks may state it’s some kind of psychologi-cal dependency or perhaps even a cocktail of the two. But the facts are clear. When it comes to sex, drugs, gambling, alcohol and more… the dependencies cre-ated from their abuse stretch across color and socio-economic status and usually tend to carve a downward path to our very destruction. Yet, we want more; need more. And when we don’t get more… we yearn to the point of physical discomfort until all we see and all we do becomes the means to a self-indulgent end. You see, we humans enjoy that lovely feeling of bliss and won-drous amusement that can hit our systems as hard as orgasms leaving us writhing in ecstasy… if it doesn’t kill us first.

“I used to do a little but a little wasn’t do-ing… so the little got more and more…” Is all addiction bad? How about exercise? What of re-ligion and politics? There’s no chemical or physical de-pendencies associated with those. Is it possible to be addicted to them? Most people that I asked overwhelm-ingly agreed that the notion of addiction spreads far-ther than a heroin fetish. Someone actually responded with: “An addict infused with the overzealous belief in religious and/or political causes creates crusades, ho-

locausts, suicide bombings, and lynching.” Usually, we don’t think about things like that because the term addic-tion only makes it into mainstream conversation when someone of celebrity status OD’s (accidentally or not) on their own success or their own ignorance. The laundry list of people who passed prematurely is littered with in-dividuals who abused all sorts of substances and paid the ultimate price. We could take it as far back as Edgar Al-len Poe, Hendrix, Joplin, Belushi, Phoenix, Cobain, and as recent as Heath Ledger. And those are only a few of the celebrities on that list – keep in mind that countless less famous individuals die everyday, but with a lot less press coverage.

Addiction: Hereditary, cultural…or simply a disease?What makes an addiction an addiction and an addict an addict? There are many different schools of thought but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll mention 3. Let us exam-ine the double-edged blade of drinking - the sweet, sweet consumption of alcohol that can take all our cares away while simultaneously creating more problems than one can imagine. For example: Hereditary is a genetic pre-disposed tendency to certain behaviors – “I’m a drunk, cuz my dad was a drunk and shit son… you’re gonna be a drunk too.”

The Cultural theory would involve the concept of social addictions, pro and con. Let’s say hypothetically that you live in an area that is staunchly against drinking, perhaps for religious reasons -the likelihood of picking up an alcohol addiction would be very slim. Now, if you hap-pened to grow up in the middle of a tobacco farm or in an area where its denizens exhibited excessive coffee drink-ing habits, it would be fair to say you could acquire those addictions. “Hell, everyone around here drinks coffee for breakfast and after dinner – I might as well too.”

Any impairment brought about by stimulation of your brain due to chemical catalysts (most common amongst college students during spring break… or graduation…or any given Friday night) is labeled as a disease. Even sex

(that’s right sex) can be abused and can easily turn anyone into a raving pleasure addict – side effects in-clude chafing, awkward social situations, and a pos-sible trip downtown for indecent exposure. “Dude, I should have passed on those shots of Patron…I have no idea where I am right now. And, where the hell are my pants?”

“I’m a Sex Addict! It’s a real disease with doctors and medicine and everything!”We often find ourselves imagining what life would be like as a celebrity or “the Entourage syndrome” as I like to call it. However, as much as we idolize the life-style and worship the habits of those who rock hard, is it really worth the heartache? Think about it. Do you really need that cigarette? Do you really enjoy getting wasted beyond recognition every night? How about something simpler like that extra cup of cof-fee or choosing to supersize those fries on your daily burger run? No one’s saying you can’t live your life and enjoy every moment of it but exercise personal responsibility and moderation when you do. So go out, have fun, carpe diem and all that, just remember that too much of a good thing can kill you.

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What is your addiction?

What is your addiction?What is your addiction?What is your addiction?

Courtney Parris“Porn, that’s it.”Sean Ramsanahie“Caffeine especially coffee, first thing I drink in the morning is Coke or Pepsi. I can’t walk past a Starbucks without getting coffee. The other is alcohol. I just don’t know when to say when. Yeah those are pretty much my addictions.”Shaffiat Ali“I don’t have an addiction. I can walk away from anything at any time.”Steven Glekel“Laughs... ummm my addiction? Hmmm. Laughs... porn, responding to people’s responses with crazy responses, and… hmmm I don’t really have any other addictions… hmmm, gobstoppers yeah gobstoppers.”Taofeek Owoade“My current addiction, hmmm, I’d have to say Latin women, yeah definitely Latin women. Is that sick? The song “US Placers” by The Child Rebel Soldiers. And the Thom Yorke “Eraser” sample is sick. Oh yeah and 100 Bullets. It’s an adult comic. Pick up the first 2 graphic novels and I guarantee you’ll be hooked. It is craaack.” Theodora Chowfatt“Colombian men, ummm soy chai tea lattés from Starbucks, Peach Snapple Iced Tea, oh and Macs.”

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