Pulse/Impulse

Now it’s time for me to say something about Mardi Gras.

Women receive beads for showing their nipples. Men receive – wait. Men buy beer, become utterly disoriented in every way EXCEPT that they can orient themselves TOWARD drunk women who will accept beads for in-kind pay. Is Mardi Gras a controlled experiment in legal (ignored illegal) prostitution? Before you throw written sticks and stones, consider this:

Assault, rape, overzealous drinking (for the purpose of innocuating nipple-conflict pain) and all sorts of norm-blasting behavior occur around the Mardi Gras tradition. I’ll assume for now that you’ll agree that assult, rape, and drinking of the blackout-inducing category is unhealthy and indicative of maladjustment.

These unhealthy behaviors are correlated with prostitution, but at least when the exchange is honestly consummated, women receive a fungible commodity. What’s required here to adjust our society’s maladjustment? Or am I missing the point? Is the purpose of the Mardi Gras tradition to self-medicate for nipple-conflict? See “I Saw A Nipple” on Dangerous Intersection.

Maybe, deep down (or not so deep down), many Americans are attached to their nipple-conflict disorder.