Mr. Magazine

A Mr. Magazine™ Musing…

Mr. Magazine wearing “the best of both worlds.” Photo by Anna Grace Usery

As I sit here pondering the fact that today is Election Day – and the choices are pretty cut and dried; either/or, I think the phrase is, an interesting idea weaved its way into my politically-overloaded brain, why can’t candidates and the entire election process be more like the world of magazines, where more often than not – we have the best of both worlds; a clear choice, if you will, and not just the lesser of two evils.

Throughout this entire mud-covered presidential campaign (on both sides) we have endured the candidates adding not only insult to injury, but ridiculously absurd and lewd epithets that have left most of us with our mouths hanging open. The rhetoric has been beyond the pale with both the democratic nominee and the conservative choice – I don’t even feel compelled to write their names as by now it’s a moot point. But voting is vital to the democratic process, and while many of us have been disillusioned somewhat, the overall good will always overshadow the bad. That is something we must remember.

And when it comes to the magazine environment – the field of choice is usually ripe with clear-cut picks that really comes down to either the customer’s moral preference or simply the mood of the moment. For example, look at Easy Rider magazine. Since 1971, the magazine has sought to provide its core audience with the type of content they were and are still looking for. And in doing so, have offered on the newsstand, not just in subscriptions, both a G-rated cover and an R-rated cover, letting them know exactly what was between the pages by those simple earmarks. And while the content of both has the best Easy Rider information the magazine can provide, it also brings the more raw style of content to the forefront for the reader should they desire it, and clearly shows that difference. It offers them the best of both worlds.

There are no surprises. You get what you select. Why can’t the election be as simple? Republican or Democrat; none of us desire a candidate that we can’t tell the difference between. Their individual policies have been overshadowed by the R-rating of their campaigns.

While back in the world of magazines, life is simple and good – we have choices, both G and R choices – it’s all up to us. The best of both worlds becomes much more than just a song a Disney character made famous.

Until the next Mr. Magazine™ Musing…

Go vote!