— sacrifice/d — sometimes with a prayer— defined by others (i.e. often passive recipients of the category)— unnatural arc, so who would make this stuff up?— untimely demise — averting being wrinkled, old, or unlovely— they die so that we may live, or some dumb-ass thing like that (literally)— frequently male, for some ungodly reason — but that's okay with me.— post-mortem rave reviews (in both senses of the word)— etc. etc. etc.
The human need to torture others in order to be sated cannot be underestimated.
On another note, tangentially related, I have not had a single good (vegetarian) meal in New York yet this trip so far, except for the home-made meals my precious daughter improvised here on the 'urban pioneer' edge of Brooklyn. And we've gone to some old standards and promising nifty places. Even New Orleans chefs have been way more creative than these in the accommodate-the-goddamned-vegetarian department.
Rant, rant. And not a rave in sight.
