Ed Driscoll

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Bottle Shock

February 24, 2009 - 11:33 am - by Ed Driscoll

The decline and fall of western civilization measured one ounce of dihydrogen monoxide at a time:

America at its industrial peak? Manhattan Mad Men enjoying three martini lunches and only slightly embarrassed about the bottle of scotch in the bottom drawer of their office desk.

America in the era of hope and change and financial meltdowns? “The mayor will be the first to admit that he occasionally indulges in bottled water. It’s not something he’s proud of.”

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Update: “If you don’t sip, you must acquit.”

More: Don Surber on twists and turns of the New Puritanism:

Let’s see, abortion is OK. Gay marriage is OK. Smoking pot is OK.

Drinking water is something to be ashamed of?

William Burroughs’ aphorism, which neatly summed up a generation of boomer-era nihilists was, “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.”

But a bottle of Evian? That’s ever so gauche, old sport.

Filed under: Bobos In Paradise, Capitalism, the Unknown Ideal, The Assault On Reason, The New Puritans, The Return of the Primitive

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6 Comments, 6 Threads, 3 Trackbacks

  1. 1. Valjean

    Religions have plenty of arbitrary rules.

    The modern environmental movement has it all: sins (including original), heretics, commandments, ostracism, confessions, indulgences, tithing, prophets, high priests (of unquestioned authority), blind faith, and guilt by the sackful.

    I’m really surprised they don’t acknowledge their rich and varied historical betters.

    February 24, 2009 - 1:50 pm   Link to this Comment
  2. 2. Joe Hooker

    Burroughs may have repeated it, but the quote comes from Hassan-i-Sabah, master of the Assassins.

    http://www.phinnweb.org/neuro/assassins.html

    February 24, 2009 - 3:20 pm   Link to this Comment
  3. 3. Ed Driscoll

    Joe,

    Believe it or not, I actually knew that, but when Googling around, I tripped over a page saying that there’s at least a little debate as to how much Burroughs invented, or at the least “evolved” the quote. So I figured I’d play it safe and credit Burroughs rather his purported original source.

    February 24, 2009 - 3:49 pm   Link to this Comment
  4. 4. Suzy

    Valjean–you nailed it. What Mayor Gavin shows is how hypocritical this movement really is.

    February 25, 2009 - 6:38 am   Link to this Comment
  5. 5. Eric

    I think it’s more that food & sex have reversed their roles (see Mary Eberstadt’s article in Policy Review).

    February 25, 2009 - 1:53 pm   Link to this Comment
  6. 6. Nbhpflrg

    jo9g9D comment5 ,

    June 23, 2009 - 3:34 pm   Link to this Comment