Fun question: what's more "pathetic" in popular culture: Spending Saturday by yourself reading a book, or drinking a six pack? Until you are old (that is, no lo

Fun question: what's more "pathetic" in popular culture: Spending Saturday by yourself reading a book, or drinking a six pack? Until you are old (that is, no longer a relevant 18-40 advertising target), it is #2. Kinda like its far more socially acceptable to be addicted to heroin than be fat (courtesy of Vince Neil). This actually isn't that surprising. "Socially acceptable" is partially defined in our ad-saturated world by the advertising industry. Corporate america can't get you to engage in onanistic consumption during work, because that is THEIR time. That leaves your leisure time for moving their wares. Social activities as an adult are dominated by access to alcohol, because the alcohol companies spend billions each year in cultural propaganda inserting themselves as the organizing basis of adult social interaction. This reminds me that in my lifetime the "key demographic" went from 18-30 to 18-40, and we have the rise of "40 is the new 30". I think a lot of that is how advertising has shifted our culture to intense consumption rather than "adult" stuff like raising kids.