Why is anything that's supposedly 'good for you' so easy to resist? And why does the exact opposite hold true when it comes to something that really does you damage? Call it a death wish if you like. Maybe our lives have become so comfortable and safe we need a stiff dose of danger to spice things up. Yes... DANGER! But, on the other hand, it mustn't appear too obviously dangerous. So we disguise it as Junk.
How do we define Junk?
Garbage. Trash. Highly Saleable Worthlessness.
Like this book (we fervently hope). Or like the heavily advertised, artificially flavoured styrofoam snacks in attractive foil packages that kids of all ages simply cannot resist. Or like the sleazy, stupefying sludge oozing from your boob tube every night which seeps into your skull through your eye-sockets.
Remember: the distinguishing feature of Junk is that it feels so harmless, so pleasant, so soothing while you're indulging - but it leaves you with Nothing. No nourishment, no food for thought, no lasting benefit. Only a perverse sense of glee knowing you've succeeded in squandering another few hours of precious lifetime while contributing to the bottomless coffers of the Junk Pedlars.
And the purest form of Junk is, of course, heroin. In this Era of Junk the heroin addict can be considered a fundamentalist. The rest of us who prefer our religion slightly watered-down are quite happy having only socially-sanctioned habits. Now let's look at a random sample of these halal categories of Junkies...
GLOSSARY
halal - kosher, approved by orthodoxy
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