George Carlin, one of the great comedians and actors died on Sunday. Mr. Carlin was, according to the New York Times, "hailed for his irreverent social commentary." Like Lenny Bruce, his predecessor, Mr. Carlin had several brushes with the law, that likewise involved drugs and charges of obscenity. One of Mr. Carlin's best known routines was "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television." But unlike Mr. Bruce, Mr. Carlin was better able to weather the storm. Maybe times had changed a bit too.
However, Mr. Carlin was not just about scatological humor. He would often attack consumerism, and the way people "spend money they don't have on things they don't need." He talked about how the "owners of the country, the big club" wanted "obedient workers." Workers smart enough "to operate machinery," but not too smart so they would not question authority or revolt against their ever worse predicament.
According to Mr. Carlin, those "owners know the truth, it is called the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it." It is probably a feeling many people can relate to nowadays. Although Mr. Carlin's attacks on religion probably put him off limits for those Americans who would most benefit from his words of wisdom.
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