WEED.

Becoming a pot user isn't normally something you would read about in class, but our Cultural Studies course doesn't seem to exactly be typical. The first TV show that I think of when I think of marijuana is of course, Weeds only because of the obvious title reference. Although I have never watched this show, my boyfriend and one of my best friends love it. It has a unique concept behind it, of a mother that is a drug dealer, selling weed of course. Similarly, Howard Becker's article about this atypical school topic is focused around the culture of the marijuana using population of the world, offering a look into this "hobby" and experiences of these individuals with this drug, which is especially interesting for those that are not involved in this cultural group and therefore have not had similar incidences in their lives.

The author carefully constructs this passage to attempt to force you to adopt the position that pot smoking is almost a skill or art beyond the simpler concept of it being an enjoyable experience. The factual approach encourages you to read the text, the object we are studying in this case, in a logical manner in order to require you to discard your personal beliefs about smoking and focus on the facts and the technique behind marijuana use. In this descriptive text, the subject depicted is a generic member of the targeted culture, a common, regular, pot smoker. Many of the descriptions and feelings presented in the article are based off of the compilation of the accounts of various pot smokers that were interviewed by the researchers. Another object (within the object of the text) is the drug marijuana itself. It is the object that connects the subjects of the culture and the single object that links them together in this general cultural group. By reading this text, one is able to delve into the minds of the "potheads" of the world and ultimately given the opportunity to see the part of their lifestyle that separates the two general cultural groups of users and nonusers through their eyes and forge a connection.

Although I still haven't found time to watch Weeds as my friends keep suggesting I do, I'm guessing the show will parallel the lifestyle and techniques that Becker describes while going beyond basic smoking and incorporating the dealing side of the drug life. Unless my Illinois high school is simply a boring school, I'm guessing this is different than any text any of us have read in school prior to taking this course. As unexpected as it was to be reading about how to basically become an expert pot user, it was an interesting change to the typical boringness of the usual books, articles, essays that we read in other classes and reminded me again that I should work on starting to watch Weeds.