Commander in chief Quote by David Foster Wallace
““It might be instructive to try seeing things from the perspective of, say, a God-fearing hard-working rural-Midwestern military vet. It's not that hard. Imaging gazing through his eyes at the world of MTV and the content of video games, at the gross sexualization of children's fashions, at Janet Jackson flashing her aureole on what's supposed to be a holy day. Imagine you're him having to explain to your youngest what oral sex is and what it's got to do with a US president. Ads for penis enlargers and HOT WET SLUTS are popping up out of nowhere on your family's computer. Your kids' school is teaching them WWII and Vietnam in terms of Japanese internment and the horrors of My Lai. Homosexuals are demanding holy matrimony; your doctor's moving away because he can't afford the lawsuit insurance; illegal aliens want driver's licenses; Hollywood elites are bashing America and making millions from it; the president's ridiculed for reading his Bible; priests are diddling kids left and right. Shit, the country's been directly attacked , and people aren't supporting our commander in chief.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Consider the Lobster, 2004
The passage satirically critiques cultural clashes and moral panic over media and values.
In simple terms: It mocks extreme moral judgments across cultures.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions, seek nuance.
Themes
culture
media
morality
politics
Mood
critical
ironic
Type
satirical
commentary
When to use this quote
- parental guidance
- media consumption
- political discourse
Key Concepts
satire
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does satire reveal bias?
- What are the risks of moral panic?
A Different Perspective
Overgeneralization can ignore individual complexities.
