drugs in Vineland---and drug laws

[Richard Ryan]

"In VL the use of drugs serves as a symbol of the power to the individual to resist the power of the state ..."


Excellent Paul - that's one of the fundamental perceptions of "Vineland" - a species of pharmaco-libertarianism.

--- On Tue, 3/31/09, Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: drugs in Vineland---and drug laws
> To: pynchon-l at waste.org
> Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 3:35 PM
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <kelber at mindspring.com>
> To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 2:18 PM
> Subject: Re: drugs in Vineland---and drug laws
> 
> 
> > Drug use is a form of social protest in a society
> where it's outlawed. But it's an easy, ineffectual, and
> basically self-serving substitute for real protest (strikes,
> demonstrations, civil disobedience, riots, organizing,
> alternative media, education campaigns, etc).
> > 
> > Laura
> 
> In real life a drugged population most likely would be a
> more docile one.
> 
> In VL the use of drugs serves as a symbol of the power to
> the individual to resist the power of the state and Pynchon
> plays with the idea in a way that makes a kind of crazy
> sense.
> 
> The flaw in logic gives the figure a double purpose.
> 
> The oppressors are properly held in contempt while the
> victims are shown to be a little foolish.
> 
> P
> 
> 
> 
> However this is a
> 
> 
> Pynchon's power as a writer does not drive from his logic.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Mark Kohut <markekohut at yahoo.com>
> >> Sent: Mar 31, 2009 2:02 PM
> >> To: pynchon -l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> >> Subject: Re: drugs in Vineland---and drug laws
> >> 
> >> 
> >> Premise: Crackdown on pot smokers in Vineland is
> major embodiment of The State interfering in what
> >> should be our simple right to ingest what we want.
> New fascist Prohibition State, so to speak.
> >> 
> >> Yet, just as we should be and are able to drink
> alcoholic beverages in Vineland
> >> America, being too much drunk would not be part of
> "the good life", whatever that is, right?
> >> 
> >> OBA, like all the best writers, has a perspective
> on 'the good life" in Vineland.
> >> 
> >> Contentious perspective for discussion: drug use,
> despite our freedom to, is "part of the problem" in
> Vineland????
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> -
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> > 
> > 
> 
>