General Discussion

PCIntern

(27,506 posts) Wed Jul 17, 2013, 04:54 AM Jul 2013

"Creeping meatballism"

A term coined by the monologuist Jean Shepherd is, and I'm paraphrasing a bit, the acceptance by society of mediocrity as a virtue. The first mention of this term by Shep was in the late 1950's.

I need say nothing further.

15 replies

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Highlight:

"Creeping meatballism" (Original Post) PCIntern Jul 2013 OP

The Night People vs. "Creeping Meatballism"... PoliticAverse Jul 2013 #1

Thanks, heard about it for years, never actually read it, pure Shep!!! nt winstars Jul 2013 #15

Then meatballism would be a step up from where we are. Waiting For Everyman Jul 2013 #2

"Now"? It's been that way as long as I can remember. Quantess Jul 2013 #3

Good point. Waiting For Everyman Jul 2013 #5

If you want to graph the "cliff" Quantess Jul 2013 #7

Be careful. You'll shoot your eye out, kid. pinboy3niner Jul 2013 #4

Our government is perfect example of it. n/t LuvNewcastle Jul 2013 #6

The Spaghetti Monster giveth .... TahitiNut Jul 2013 #8

Interesting. MyshkinCommaPrince Jul 2013 #9

That was my initial reaction - here it is: Fozzledick Jul 2013 #10

Yeah, that's the one. MyshkinCommaPrince Jul 2013 #11

He was on WOR 5 nights a week doing monologues - he was great. byeya Jul 2013 #12

I have 1100 of his radio shows... PCIntern Jul 2013 #13

I have around the same amount more or less... winstars Jul 2013 #14

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

1. The Night People vs. "Creeping Meatballism"...

Reply to PCIntern (Original post)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 04:59 AM

Jul 2013

http://www.madcoversite.com/missing_night.html

winstars

(4,267 posts)

15. Thanks, heard about it for years, never actually read it, pure Shep!!! nt

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #1)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 12:16 PM

Jul 2013

Waiting For Everyman

(9,385 posts)

2. Then meatballism would be a step up from where we are.

Reply to PCIntern (Original post)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 05:04 AM

Jul 2013

The lowest common denominator is a virture now.

Quantess

(27,630 posts)

3. "Now"? It's been that way as long as I can remember.

Reply to Waiting For Everyman (Reply #2)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 05:18 AM

Jul 2013

I suppose you can argue it has only gotten worse.

Waiting For Everyman

(9,385 posts)

5. Good point.

Reply to Quantess (Reply #3)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 05:24 AM

Jul 2013

Although it did seem to fall off a cliff somewhere along the line, I forget where.

Quantess

(27,630 posts)

7. If you want to graph the "cliff"

Reply to Waiting For Everyman (Reply #5)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 05:42 AM

Jul 2013

you could put it at the 2000 presidential election.

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)

4. Be careful. You'll shoot your eye out, kid.

Reply to PCIntern (Original post)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 05:21 AM

Jul 2013

LuvNewcastle

(17,334 posts)

6. Our government is perfect example of it. n/t

Reply to PCIntern (Original post)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 05:31 AM

Jul 2013

TahitiNut

(71,611 posts)

8. The Spaghetti Monster giveth ....

Reply to PCIntern (Original post)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 07:02 AM

Jul 2013

... and the Spaghetti Monster taketh away.

MyshkinCommaPrince

(611 posts)

9. Interesting.

Reply to PCIntern (Original post)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 09:46 AM

Jul 2013

Does this explain that Robert Crumb strip?

It rained meatballs in downtown Los Angeles for almost 15 minutes!

Fozzledick

(3,895 posts)

10. That was my initial reaction - here it is:

Reply to MyshkinCommaPrince (Reply #9)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 10:02 AM

Jul 2013

MyshkinCommaPrince

(611 posts)

11. Yeah, that's the one.

Reply to Fozzledick (Reply #10)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 10:05 AM

Jul 2013

Sadly, it's missing the middle page with Bertrand Russell, which is one of my most favoritest comic panels, ever. Fun stuff.

byeya

(2,842 posts)

12. He was on WOR 5 nights a week doing monologues - he was great.

Reply to PCIntern (Original post)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 10:07 AM

Jul 2013

PCIntern

(27,506 posts)

13. I have 1100 of his radio shows...

Reply to byeya (Reply #12)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 10:42 AM

Jul 2013

he was remarkable!

winstars

(4,267 posts)

14. I have around the same amount more or less...

Reply to PCIntern (Reply #13)

Wed Jul 17, 2013, 12:02 PM

Jul 2013

on my iPhone, iPod, and listen all the time to them. Like most, I heard them when I was a kid on a transistor radio. Some poor quality copies of his PBS TV shows are on YouTube, but are still very funny...

Here are some good links:

http://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Jean%20Shepherd%22
literally thousands of his 45 minute shows

http://www.flicklives.com/
A great website for all thing Shep

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