March 3, 2003
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Thinning the Herd
That phrase is a favorite of my grumpy old fart. He trotted it out recently to comment on that “hardcore” kid who overdosed fatally, live–and then dead–on his webcam, while boasting in a chatroom about all the drugs he was taking, most of which and certainly the most dangerous of which, were prescribed for him.
For all I know, Greyfox could have learned that, “thinning the herd,” phrase from some source within Mensa. Mensa calls itself, “the high IQ society.” Many Mensans, however, call it, “where the eggheads go to get laid.” Eugenics, breeding a “better” human race, often showed up in Mensa publications during those few years in the ‘seventies when I was a member. There was a long-running paid ad in one of the newsletters, that said simply, “The more intelligent you are, the more children you should have.” This was before AIDS, when it looked like overpopulation was going to kill the planet and the mainstream media were urging their readers and viewers to stop having kids after two: “replacement”.
Being part of a farming family, I have a slightly different view of “thinning the herd.” Often, it would be a particularly smart cow that went to the slaughterhouse, one who learned how to open gates, for example. The farmer or rancher who thins a herd is looking to remove genetic defects, physical abnormalities and weaknesses: the sort of things that would get a sickie like me cut from the herd at an early age. Human examples of the sort of animals likely to be kept in a ranch herd would probably include athletes like Bechler, the Orioles’ pitcher who died of heatstroke last month.
Some people would like to protect herd-thinning fools from themselves. It is said that Bechler was taking ephedra, a thermogenic stimulant herb. This morning I heard the phrase, “twenty fatal incidents” bandied about by two men debating a possible ban on sales of ephedra. If I lived in a hotter climate, I could earn a living collecting wild ephedra or growing it, if it becomes an under-the-counter drug. A friend of mine in New Mexico had a lucrative spike in his herb business when the FDA briefly banned the herb chaparral in the ‘nineties.
Politically, I’m an anarchist. Since anarchy doesn’t show up on ballots in this state, I’m registered as a Libertarian. It’s just a statement, that registration. It doesn’t affect the way I vote, because I usually cast my ballot against the biggest crook and for his chief opponent, whoever has a decent chance of winning and keeping the worst assholes out of office. But this is a Republican state, and the assholes get in, anyway. My vote is just one little flake in a blizzard.
I don’t think we should be protected from ourselves. There are some people I think don’t deserve protection at all. Take drunk drivers: I don’t think a drunk driver should be tossed in jail, ordered into rehab, and have his driving license suspended. I think it would be more appropriate to hook him up to an IV drip of pure alcohol and let him die the way he lived. **and, in case anyone wonders, that’s hyperbole… for one thing, the IV part would put some unfortunate medical personnel in the position of taking life rather than saving it. For the same reason, I oppose execution by lethal injection.**
If the American Medical Association, which opposes any American’s right to self-medication mostly because it cuts into the income of its members, can find only twenty cases of fatal ephedra poisoning, I say that’s statistically insignificant. Compared to the millions who have used it without ill effect, it’s a very small number. Why aren’t they out there advocating a total ban on alcohol? Think about it: all those ERs that get the human wreckage from drunk drivers, all the revenue from cirrhosis treatment, liver transplants, prescriptions for Antabuse, etc. Alcohol makes money for the AMA (and even the doctors who are addicted to prescription drugs–most of them are addicted to alcohol, too). Herbal medicine and all self-medication is counter to the best (financial) interests of the medical profession, so AMA opposes it.
Prescribed drugs do more harm every day than herbs do.
Comments (7)
I agree with you there..alcohol is addictive and it kills plenty of people yet they do nothing to regulate it…and i doubt they ever will since it does in fact make them so much money. I think thats what makes up many of the decisions of what drugs they do and dont research and what cures they do and dont make available..Ive also noticed that those with money who can afford the “new medicines” always seem to fare far better than those without..good points you made
Belinda
Brilliant blog (what else?). What’s more, a new study shows that about 1/5 of all the alcohol consumed in the country goes down the maws of under-age drinkers, thus making alcohol the number-one ILLEGAL DRUG in the country, in terms of death, ER visits, etc.
another smart blog. You are really on a roll.
From my past farming life, we thinned the herd of anything that we didn’t particularly want (like the smart cows). It could be any criteria based upon those that are in charge at the moment (probably applies to about everything).
The vast majority of articles that I have read about Ephedra being harmful are actually talking about Ephedrine (which is not the same as the original herb) and they say that in the article, but not in the headline. IMO, it’s another attempt by those allopathic believers to declare war on anything natural.
It seems that big business (and sometimes the government run by that big business) is always against what they can’t patent or make money on. I admit that I mostly vote for the lesser of evils when it comes to elections.
Sometimes it feels like all you can vote for is something on a sliding scale of corruption,incompetence or dishonesty…
~Angeline~
This reminds me of something I often say around here. My town doesn’t use salt on the roads like most places for ice. Instead, we use volcanic cinders which are in abundance. Cinders can be a bit slippery if you’re trying to go 80 mph and then stop on a dime. You won’t. You’ll slide…most likely into that big Ponderosa Pine that’s in front of you. When people complain about the cinders, I simply say it’s survival of the fittest. If you’re too idiotic to know that you shouldn’t drive like a maniac on ice, then perhaps it’s only right that you hit a tree and save the rest of us an accident.
As a recovering drunk I agree with you…luckily I never drove drunk-never had a car.
-M