Skipping Towards Gomorrah

1. The American Promise: Pursuit of Happiness, Not Virtue

If we aren’t free to pursue our own version of happiness, then the first two items on Jefferson’s wish list are without meaning.

Founding principle. The Declaration of Independence guarantees the unalienable right to the pursuit of happiness. This isn't a suggestion or a rhetorical flourish, but a core tenet of American freedom. Life and liberty are meaningless if individuals cannot define and pursue what makes them happy, even if those pursuits are deemed "sinful" by some.

Individual definition. Happiness is subjective; what makes one person happy may differ greatly from another. The freedom to pursue happiness implies the freedom to choose one's own path, virtues, and vices, provided they don't harm others. This individual autonomy is fundamental to the American experiment.

Challenging interpretations. Some social conservatives, like Robert Bork, argue that the pursuit of happiness was merely poetry or that it implies a collective, virtuous definition. However, the founders chose "pursuit of happiness" over "property" for a reason, suggesting a broader, more personal freedom was intended.

2. Virtuecrats Seek Control, Not Just Virtue

Whether virtue comes easy or the virtuecrat has to do battle with his desires, the virtuous all conspire to force their virtues on us sinners, which is not something sinners do.

Imposing morality. Self-appointed virtuecrats like Bill Bennett and Robert Bork are not content to live by their own moral codes; they actively seek to legislate their virtues and ban activities they deem sinful for everyone. They frame the debate as virtue versus sin, rather than freedom versus restriction, to silence opposition.

Hypocrisy in action. These figures often condemn behaviors like drug use or sexual freedom while remaining silent on issues like gambling (when it benefits their political allies) or their own personal failings. They praise their own virtuous pursuits (heterosexuality, sobriety) while condemning others for different, yet harmless, paths to happiness.

Unchallenged authority. Virtuecrats dominate public discourse, often going unchallenged because they claim the moral high ground. This creates a climate where honest discussion about controversial topics is stifled, and those who engage in "sinful" but harmless activities are made to feel guilty or less virtuous.

3. Gambling: Seeking Sensation in a Predictable World

Americans don’t gamble because we’re greedy for money, but because we’re greedy for reality, for a sensation that isn’t a palliative, for the real deal, a real risk, a risk that’s our own and not Brad Pitt’s.

Beyond greed. While often framed as a sin of greed, gambling's appeal runs deeper. In a safe, predictable, and often boring modern life, gambling offers a direct, personal experience of risk, uncertainty, and intense sensation that entertainment often only provides vicariously. It's a pursuit of authentic feeling.

Evolution of casinos. Las Vegas transformed from simple gambling halls to elaborate resorts offering diverse entertainment because gambling alone wasn't enough once it became widely available elsewhere. Modern casinos provide a spectacle and a sense of being a "guest," not just a "mark," appealing to a broader audience, including many conservatives.

Hypocrisy on the right. Despite historical Christian opposition to gambling, many conservative politicians now support legalized gaming, often after receiving campaign donations from the industry. This suggests that financial interests can override long-standing moral objections, highlighting a selective application of virtue.

4. Adultery: Challenging Monogamy's Naturalness

In evolutionary terms, monogamous coupling is a recent development, one that’s virtually unheard of in the animal kingdom.

Natural impulses. Evolutionary biology suggests humans, particularly males, are naturally promiscuous, and recent research indicates females may be as well. Monogamy is a relatively new social construct, not an inherent biological imperative, making lifelong fidelity a challenging, unnatural endeavor for many.

Swinging as an alternative. Some married heterosexual couples ("playcouples") engage in consensual nonmonogamy, or swinging, as a way to incorporate natural lustful desires into their relationship. They define fidelity as honesty and communication with their partner, rather than sexual exclusivity.

Conservative blind spot. Despite condemning nonmonogamy as a threat to marriage (especially when associated with gay couples), virtuecrats largely ignore the growing, organized heterosexual swinging movement. This focus on gay nonmonogamy, while ignoring straight nonmonogamy, appears hypocritical and politically motivated.

5. Sloth (Pot): A Pharmacological Vacation for the Overworked

Two nights high = two weeks off.

Overworked nation. Americans work longer hours and take fewer vacations than citizens in other industrialized nations, yet are the most productive. This intense work culture leaves little time for natural, restorative sloth.

Pot as escape. For many, marijuana provides a temporary escape from this relentless pace. THC's effect on time perception can make a short period feel much longer, offering a psychological "vacation." This may paradoxically enable continued high productivity by providing necessary mental downtime.

Drug war hypocrisy. The government claims marijuana use costs billions in lost productivity, a figure contradicted by America's status as the most productive workforce. Scare tactics about pot, often aimed at youth, are frequently based on lies and undermine credible warnings about truly dangerous drugs, while ignoring the fact that millions use pot without negative consequences.

6. Gluttony: Widespread Indulgence and Societal Hypocrisy

The number of obese adults has doubled in the last twenty years; according to the DHHS, 61 percent of all adults in the United States were overweight or obese in 1999 (the last year for which figures are available).

Secular condemnation. While historically a religious sin, gluttony is now primarily condemned in secular terms related to health and physical appearance. Despite rising obesity rates, many virtuecrats remain silent on the issue, perhaps due to their own weight or the prevalence of obesity among their political base.

Obesity epidemic. America faces a significant obesity crisis, linked to sedentary lifestyles and oversized food portions. This widespread indulgence contrasts with the harsh judgment and discrimination faced by fat individuals, highlighting societal hypocrisy.

Fat acceptance movement. Groups like NAAFA advocate for size acceptance, arguing that fat people can be healthy and that societal prejudice is the main problem. However, internal conflicts arise regarding weight loss surgery, with some members viewing it as a betrayal of the movement's core principles, even when undertaken for health reasons.

7. Envy: The Cost of Inequality and Purchased Hardship

Even hardship is a commodity in America, a product that is packaged and sold to the wealthy.

Sorrow from joy. Envy, traditionally seen as a sin that brings sorrow from others' joy, is often directed towards the rich and beautiful in American culture. The increasing wealth inequality in the U.S. fuels this envy, yet discussions about class are often dismissed as "class warfare."

Rich seeking hardship. Paradoxically, some wealthy individuals pay significant amounts of money for experiences that mimic poverty or hardship, such as intense weight-loss spas with strict diets and grueling physical activity. This "conspicuous nonconsumption" allows them to temporarily escape the excesses of their normal lives and experience deprivation as a commodity.

Hypocrisy on wealth. Conservatives argue that hardship builds character and virtue, yet they advocate for policies like eliminating inheritance taxes that ensure future generations of the wealthy will never experience want or hard labor. This suggests a preference for others' hardship, not their own or that of their children.

8. Anger: Righteous Indignation and the Right to Bear Arms

Anger is the desire for vengeance, according to Saint Augustine, but that doesn’t mean anger is necessarily bad.

Justifiable anger. While often listed as a deadly sin, anger can be tempered by righteous indignation and motivate action for good. The attacks of September 11, for example, sparked widespread anger and a desire for vengeance, which fueled support for military action.

Gun culture. Gun ownership in America is deeply tied to identity, fear, and anger, particularly among conservative white males who feel threatened by crime, government overreach, and social change. They view guns as necessary for protection and the defense of freedom.

Second Amendment debate. The Second Amendment's meaning is debated, with gun advocates claiming an individual right to bear arms and others arguing it pertains to militias. Despite high rates of gun violence compared to other developed nations, gun control faces significant opposition, often framed as defending freedom, though gun groups rarely use their power to defend other constitutional rights.

9. Gay Pride: A Celebration of Pleasure and Defiance

The party is the purpose of all of this.

Beyond politics. While historically rooted in protest and the fight against shame, modern gay pride parades have evolved. For many participants, the primary motivation is not political liberation or helping youth, but simply having fun, celebrating pleasure, and being visible in a defiant act against puritanical norms.

Pride rhetoric vs. reality. The official rhetoric of "gay is good" and community solidarity often clashes with the reality of the parade, which features overt sexuality and commercialism. This disconnect allows critics like Bill O'Reilly to highlight perceived hypocrisy, arguing the parade is about flaunting sexuality, not civil rights.

The value of pleasure. Gay people, having fought for the right to pursue sexual happiness openly, are uniquely positioned to understand the legitimacy of pleasure for its own sake. An honest gay parade, acknowledging its focus on fun and pleasure, would be a powerful statement against America's deep-seated puritanism and remove the basis for hypocritical criticism.

10. Harm Often Stems from Prohibition, Not Sin

Do some people get harmed in the pursuit of happiness? Aren’t people—and neighborhoods and whole cities—harmed by, say, the drug trade? Aren’t prostitutes frequently harmed by violent clients? Doesn’t adultery destroy homes? Yes, yes, and yes. But much of the harm done by drugs, prostitution, and adultery should be laid at the feet of the virtuous.

Consequences of prohibition. Many negative consequences associated with "sins" like drug use, prostitution, and even adultery are exacerbated or created by their illegality or societal condemnation.

• Legalizing and regulating drugs could eliminate the violent black market.
• Legalizing prostitution could allow sex workers to seek police protection from abuse.
• Open, honest conversations about infidelity within relationships could reduce the destructive impact of adultery.

Virtuecrats' role. Those who seek to ban or suppress these activities often inadvertently cause more harm than the "sinners" themselves. By driving behaviors underground and preventing open discussion, virtuecrats make it harder to address the real problems associated with these activities.

Selective concern. Virtuecrats often express concern for the "weak and vulnerable" when arguing for bans on drugs or pornography, yet oppose laws that protect vulnerable people from unsafe working conditions or environmental hazards. This suggests their concern is selectively applied to behaviors they morally oppose.

11. America: An Archipelago of Sinners

Running all over the country committing all seven of the seven deadly sins can take a lot out of a guy.

Nation of sinners. Traveling across the United States reveals not a nation slouching towards Gomorrah, but a country already filled with people pursuing happiness in diverse ways, many of which involve activities deemed sinful by some. From gamblers in Las Vegas and Dubuque to swingers in Chicago suburbs and Las Vegas, pot smokers nationwide, gluttons at Claim Jumper and NAAFA conventions, the rich at Malibu spas, gun owners in Texas, and pleasure-seekers at the LA Pride parade, Americans are actively engaged in their chosen pursuits.

Hypocrisy of judgment. The book highlights the hypocrisy of those who condemn others' "sins" while ignoring their own or those of their allies. It questions the validity of judging happiness based on whether it aligns with a narrow, often unnatural, definition of virtue.

Embracing reality. Instead of pretending Americans are or should be uniformly virtuous, the author suggests acknowledging the reality of human desires and the diverse ways people seek happiness. A more honest and less judgmental approach to these "sins" could lead to less harm and a truer reflection of American freedom.

Last updated: June 20, 2025