GUEST COLUMN: Of Enjoyable, Of Contests, Of Decadence, Of Starvation

Far be it from me to restrict any human’s concept of “fun.”

Want to drink your self right into a coma? Be my visitor. Just don’t do it in my lounge or determine to go cruising down Main Street proper afterward. I may point out a number of dozen such deleterious actions, however if you’d like them itemized, head over to the Darwin Awards website. That covers most of them.

Then, once more, some tasteless, decadent ones grow to be culturally accepted, when not satirized.

Take the pie-eating contest within the Stephen King impressed movie, “Stand by Me,” whereby a vengeance motivated contestant hurls his grievances at his enemies in impressed trend. Something to behold, particular effects-wise.

That pie-scarfing free-for-all claims an historical heritage. We people can occasion like the very best of ‘em. Consider those sybaritic Romans of old who would party, drink and eat for days, thanks in no small part to feathers, I suppose handed out along with bibs, with which to tickle their throats and, proto-bulemics, then void their stomachs. This ritual over, they’d get again to their refilled plates to proceed the feast.

How lengthy did these bacchanalia final? Don’t ask me. I’m not an historian, simply commenting and transferring on. 

Or so one would hope. A couple of days in the past, one examine the same spectacle regionally, a hot-dog consuming “contest.” An occasion undertaken as a culturally regular one, for “morale” functions, in line with the sponsors.

Such occasion unfolded on this county the place substantial numbers of youngsters go to mattress hungry, who arrive at college on empty stomachs; not an uncommon prevalence in a locale the place the official unemployment quantity fluctuates within the 15 % +/- vary, a determine the bare eye may simply double, assuming it journeyed to hunt anecdotal affirmation by navigating the imply streets of the cities of this county. 

Not fairly “The Last Picture Show” dilapidation however shut sufficient.

This archaic bun-and-meat chomping race harked to bountiful occasions, when employment was full, US armed forces had pushed again the dual evils of fascism and communism and a dwelling wage was barely distinguishable from the minimal wage. With both wage a household of 4 or 5 may maintain a mortgage, personal a automobile, ship the children to varsity and not using a mortgage, take two weeks paid trip plus sick go away together with full well being protection. Ah, the free-wheeling post-war years.

Things have been good. Until they weren’t. Someone forgot to inform the People in paradise {that a} struggle towards middle-class bounty would quickly get away; that the Powell memo that propelled Reagan and pals into the White House would drain middle-class wealth and propel it upward towards their betters within the 1 %. 

Union-busting started in earnest.

Workers’ bargaining energy diminished and wages, particularly minimal wages, froze in place — for many years. If costs go up and the employee doesn’t get a elevate proportional to cost hikes, he’s taking a pay reduce and a shower …

That a lot Ronnie and his minions meant. Go, Gip, go!

But I digress.

The once-so-innocent “fun” occasion unfolded as if we nonetheless lived within the good, previous New Deal age, the age of Truman and Ike.

Eating-hot-dogs-till-you-puke on this county one finds lower than morale-uplifting. In reality, simply the alternative. There’s a whole lot of hungry children out right here. Hand out the new canines to them.

They’re hungry, for god’s sake! Sponsors: maintain a food-fest carnival in native metropolis parks; share the wiener bounty. Then sit again and watch actual, citizen morale rise.

This morale enhance an underemployed inhabitants wants, a lift the place one out of 4 heads of households wants a full-time job.

I’m no puritan nor declare to be a paragon, however frankly the reporting of decadent shows of intentional waste of a crucial useful resource, meals, for recreation does a household paper no favors. I recognize when these contestants assist of us in determined occasions, comparable to floods or forest fires and might recognize their must blow of steam. So, guys and gals, while you interact in these morally tasteless actions, hold them to yourselves. No want for the kiddies to examine them  in a household paper.

The Roman empire disintegrated for good motive, many in truth. But I’m positive that the resentment engendered by these grotesque shows of gluttony and waste could have been certainly one of them.

Be nicely.

Carlos Acuña is an El Centro lawyer.