Everybody in the country smokes pot, now what's that got to do with it
That line struck because if a conservative guy like Ben Johnson said that 30 years ago, then it's a bit silly that smoking pot is still so taboo today
shareWell, that's Steve Shagan talking there, not Ben Johnson. But, yes, it was a different America back then.
I just wanted to say, I'm sorry I threw rocks at you that day. - Dirk Calloway
Is smoking pot really taboo today? In many ways America has become more conservative, but this does not appear to be one of them. I would venture to say that more people smoke pot now than in 1975.
Regardless, the context in the film is he was trying to downplay his "daughter's" arrest record, which included much more than pot smoking. And the line fits in nicely with the cynicism of the film, that everyone hustles.
I'm not expert (I've never smoked the vile weed myself!), but I'd say more people do DRUGS today, but not smoke pot, vis-a-vis 1974/5.
I agree that much of the screenplay was shorthand cynicism, not meant to represent the whole of humanity. I had an argument the other day with a fellow who took offense at the way the clergy man was portrayed (this fellow thought they made him sound like an incredible idiot, I thought his inadequate consolation of Ben Johnson's character was meant as a subjective treatment of How Marty Would Have Heard It (and one certainly does hear plenty of inadequate counsel in everyday life faced with tragedy: 'He has a plan for all of us', 'it was God's Will', 'everything happens for a reason', etcetera, ad nauseum ...
Guys in suits buying used girl panties in vending machines. How is that okay?
Yes the minister's consolation of Marty was very inadequate, but I doubt any words would have provided comfort to anyone who loses a child – though his emotions would probably have shifted had his wife told him the girl wasn't really his. The portrayal of a man of the cloth seems very familiar in this film, but it didn't seem unrealistic to me. I suspect cops would have taken greater issue in their portrayal here, except for the rare ones who live with hookers!
As for the wacky tobacky, I never touch the stuff either because I have no problem acting stupid or getting the munchies on my own. But strictly from anecdotal evidence (the only kind available, because it's still illegal in the U.S.), pot use appears to be on the rise among teenagers after decades of declines. It's also seen by some advocates as offering medicinal benefits, though these seem more related to easing symptoms rather than resolving them. California is also voting whether to legalize it in November, though of course the feds will have their say on the matter. So there appears to be more of a movement toward legitimizing it, which perhaps could indicate greater usage.
Regardless, most people do not smoke pot now, just as most people didn't in the '70s. Marty was just rationalizing about her criminal records, which included more than marijuana offenses.
People didn't just start smoking pot in the 70s. It's been around for centuries. And everyone I know has smoked it at one time or another.
It has become insanely strong in the past few decades since chemists have been developing new strains. I recently took one small bite from a pot candy bar and could hardly move for several hours. These days it's dangerous unless you know what you're doing. I hate to think what would happen to a young child who got ahold of one of those candy bars.