Normally, I'd be pissed by commercialism abusing art for its seedy purposes. In this case, I was reminded by Apple of the great quality of Whitman's Leaves of Grass so my favorite computer company gets a pass. Sure, I'm slightly biased. If the worst thing that happens is people buy more ipads and the best thing that happens is more people read Whitman, it feels more like a win-win than a gratuitous, vacuous attempt to ruin art by Madison Avenue.
The ad: http://business.time.com/2014/01/13/apples-latest-ad-is-probably-going-to-give-you-chills/
The verse: Walt Whitman (1819–1892). Leaves of Grass. 1900.
166. O Me! O Life!
O ME! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; | |
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish; | |
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?) | |
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d; | |
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me; | 5 |
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined; | |
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life? | |
That you are here—that life exists, and identity; | |
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse. |
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