I’ve finally garnered enough support to have a first official re-founding meeting of Writers’ Grope in Real Life. Huzzah! Now I have only to write a dazzlingly spectacular literary dream of a story and I’m in the clear. Speaking of which, if anyone is interested in joining this ragtag band, what’re you doing next Monday at seven p.m.?
I should turn my TV off. I’m supposed to be writing.
But before I do, can I just say that I hate those Above The Influence commercials? They’re about as bad a those anti-smoking public dramas with wind up baby dolls and people trying to mail cigarettes. There’s so much information out there about why smoking whatever it is is a horrible plan with devastating consequences that if someone has already decided to do it, I don’t see how a commercial is going to make much difference. It isn’t as if someone shows up in an NA meeting and says, Yeah, I thought my life was great, but then I saw this PSA about a little boy wearing a million T-shirts and it made me ask myself, could THAT be ME?
Really? When you’re under the influence of drugs you act like a jerk? Didn’t your girlfriend just tell you that yesterday? Really? Blowing smoke in babies’ faces is bad for them? And you’re telling me that the tobacco industry KNEW this the whole time?! Wow. So did everyone.
I know I sound con- and pre-tentious. Maybe I’m just bitter these days. But these messages seem so obvious and therefore a waste of time. A way for people to feel like Something Is Being Done when really nothing is being done at all. I hate the model of, What should we do about this huge problem? We could either become responsible fellow people and talk with specific at risk individuals that we personally know and partner with them and assist them lovingly and thereby reach fewer people perhaps but deeply, or we could make a silly commercial and reach everyone without even scratching their surface. I think we have a winner!
Sigh.
I’m being complainxious. Sorry.
Tags: Add new tag, ranting, revising history, writing
I have to agree completely. There’s a part of me that revolts inside when I see those commercials. Even worse is my reaction when the marijuana commercials come on that indicated that smoking pot immediately makes you a complete loser. Never mind that some of the most responsible and successful adults I know smoke pot every now and then. I’m not saying it’s something we should let kids of all ages partake of, but blanket hyperbolic statements, bound to be found untrue as kids grow up, will only lead to their disillusionment and mistrust of the society that has simply said, “Just say no.” Is honesty to our kids such a bad thing? Really, few things convinced me to stay away from drugs in high school more than my father sitting me down and saying, “Look, I smoked pot when I was your age. It isn’t the end of the world, but it’s not all that great either and I really recommend you stay away from it,”
What an open relationship you must have had with your dad. That’s hot. I grew up in a house where bad things didn’t exist. The old, “If you don’t talk about it, it isn’t there”. Why I turned out so crazy? The jury’s still out.