Quote:
|
Originally Posted by chuckinca
Boomer:
Drinking TV Kool-Aid has nothing to do with Jonestown!
There is a standing joke in TV that the people are so happy because they drink Kool-Aid spiked by the developer. It is also referred to as the Stepford Grannies effect (a reference to the Stepford Wives movie where all the wives were happy as can be but had their brains adjusted by the even Happier Hubbies)
|
Hey Chuck,
I was just telling my little story to explain the root of the allusion. The very last part of my storytime post pretty well summed up what the expression means to people who live in TV. It is mostly the "Don't worry. Be Happy" thing so it seems. But there are some who see it from the different perspective of "Pick Your Poison." Those are the ones who may see some issues, but they know nothing is perfect and they like living in TV.
And both those perspectives are fine with me. Along with any other perspective anyone wants to present.
I have heard a lot of people say, "Drinking the water" which does not carry the connotation of the Kool-Aid. (And they do have those bottles of water in the squares and they are clearly labeled "The Villages" so that looks like full disclosure to me.)
And I think what you are saying may be more along the lines of "landing face down in the punchbowl" which takes it a step beyond just drinking the water and carries a rather frolicsome connotation. So that could be a good thing.
But as far as my little story goes, it had to do with how the expression entered our language. Here's a link:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...k+the+kool-aid
(Oh and Chuck, I know you know about Jonestown/Kool-Aid and that you did not need the link to explain it. I just put it in here anyway.)
BUT WAIT! YOU'RE CHUCK. You are the one who answered my questions in the thread about the historic side. That was when I was trying to find the swimming pool where they play "Name That Tune." That was you. Do you think they might have any discussions there of word connotations and allusions? That would be so great. My kind of place.
So anyway, Chuck. Thanks for your take on all of this. I know what you mean.
Oh, and I do tend to do my little storytimes around here. I have one on the back burner about Johnny Marzetti for another thread one of these days.
But for now, I must be off.
Boomer