Opiate of the Masses

[muriel_volestrangler]

Gerin oil (or Geriniol to give it its scientific name) is a powerful drug which acts directly on the central nervous system to produce a range of characteristic symptoms, often of an antisocial or self- damaging nature. If administered chronically in childhood, Gerin oil can permanently modify the brain to produce adult disorders, including dangerous delusions which have proved very hard to treat. The four doomed flights of 11th September were, in a very real sense, Gerin oil trips: all 19 of the hijackers were high on the drug at the time. Historically, Geriniol intoxication was responsible for atrocities such as the Salem witch hunts and the massacres of native South Americans by conquistadores. Gerin oil fuelled most of the wars of the European middle ages and, in more recent times, the carnage that attended the partitioning of the Indian subcontinent and, on a smaller scale, Ireland.
...
I was prompted to write this article by the smiling face of a very happy man in Bali. He was ecstatically greeting the news that he was to be executed by firing squad for the brutal murder of large numbers of innocent holidaymakers whom he had never met. Some people in the court were shocked at his lack of remorse. But far from remorseful, his mood was one of obvious exhilaration. He punched the air, delirious with joy that he was to be "martyred," to use the jargon of his particular sub-culture of Gerin oil substance-abusers. For, make no mistake about it, this beatific smile, looking forward with unalloyed pleasure to the firing squad, is the smile of a junkie. Here we have the archetypal mainliner, doped up with hard, unrefined, unadulterated, high-octane Gerin oil.

It is easy to regard such people as evil criminals, from whom the rest of us need protection. Indeed, we do need protecting from them. But the problem would not arise in the first place if children were protected from becoming hooked on a drug with such a bad prognosis for their adult minds.
http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=7036

[Syncronaut Seven]

1. What's not immediately apparent is that this is parody

Well written, but clearly a parody on religion.

[smirkymonkey]

3. "Gerin Oil" - Anagram for "Religion"

[jcldragon]

2. British satire is quite reliable

You'll often hear certain varieties of religions going on Rants about False Religions, and making people afraid NOT to believe in that particular religion. It's kind of a give-away, don't you think?

The other Get-Out-Of-Hell-Free ploy, is the one that excuses people of any barbaric things they might do, in promoting that religion.

[beam me up scottie]

4. ROCKING piece, Muriel !!!

Thanks.

The pushers:

You might think that such a potentially dangerous and addictive drug would top the list of proscribed substances, with exemplary sentences handed out for trafficking in it. But no, it is readily obtainable anywhere in the world and you don't even need a prescription. Professional pushers are numerous, and organised in hierarchical cartels, openly trading on street corners and even in purpose-made buildings. Some of these cartels are adept at parting clients from their money. Their "godfathers" occupy influential positions in high places, and they have the ear of presidents and prime ministers. Governments don't just turn a blind eye to the trade, they grant it tax-exempt status. Worse, they subsidise schools with the specific intention of getting children hooked.

[beam me up scottie]

5. Kick for education,

the antidote to Gerin oil.

[progressoid]

6. Great article but........

Your goat avatar made me laugh more!