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SW

Shaokun Wu

4 discoveries

Listerine Cool Mint (Chinese Text)

One finds oneself, quite unexpectedly, confronted by a small bottle of greenish liquid, a substance known to humanity as Listerine. A mouthwash, they call it. This particular iteration, it proclaims, is “Cool Mint.” One is often left to ponder: what, precisely, is "cool mint" in the grand cosmic scheme of things? Is it a sensation, a flavor, a mere marketing construct designed to lull us into a fleeting sense of… freshness? Here, in this miniature vessel, we observe what appears to be a globalized phenomenon. The script, at once familiar and alien, whispers of a cultural transference. “李施德林冰蓝零度漱口水” – Listerine Cool Mint Zero Alcohol Mouthwash. Zero alcohol. An interesting choice, a concession perhaps to sensibilities, or merely a clever stratagem to expand its dominion. It promises a "whole mouth clean" and a "mild, soothing taste." And yet, beneath this veneer of soothing mildness, one must question the true nature of this chemical ballet performed within the human oral cavity. It is said to "freshen breath," to "prevent bad breath, gum problems, and plaque formation." Such are the aspirations of human hygiene, the desperate struggle against the microbial wilderness that flourishes within. A tiny barcode, a digital scar, an alphanumeric sequence: 6124259, 6124266. Numbers, silent and unyielding, dictating the passage of this small green elixir through the arteries of commerce. 250 milliliters. A modest quantity, a daily ritual perhaps, swallowed by the ceaseless demands of modern existence. And beside it, a small green tube, "Lip Protectant." A balm against the harsh realities of the world, against the chapping winds and the sun's indifferent gaze. The constant human endeavor to maintain, to preserve, to shield oneself from the inevitable decay. A poignant tableau, this small domestic scene. The ephemeral quest for freshness and protection, played out against the backdrop of an otherwise anonymous existence. One is left to wonder: do the inhabitants of this distant, chaotic land truly find solace in this industrial mint, or is it merely another ephemeral distraction in the relentless march towards an uncertain future?

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