The White Russian Cocktail and Slacker Culture
“I’m the Dude, so that’s what you call me. That or, uh His Dudeness, or uh Duder, or El Duderino, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing.”
First order of business: Get a cocktail in hand
As the weekend hurtles into view, in a week that’s felt like a year, in a year that’s felt like a decade; let’s take a deep breath and enjoy a delightful little cocktail, one most of you will be familiar with. A White Russian.
It’s a cocktail that is both cheap, easy to make, and screams long winter night. And is the kind of moreish treat that reflects the sliding scale of human self-regard and body image. That sliding scale being that the amount of time we spend caring about the former and the latter correlates with the amount of daylight we get at any given time of the year. That is to say, I’ll be guiltlessly indulging in it this weekend; and worrying about the beach body come sometime in March; probably once I’ve sobered up after Paddy’s Day.
The recipe is easy and, like most recipes I’ll share on this Substack, is all about ratios and not measurements. So 1 part will equal whatever you want it to!
2 Parts Vodka.
1 Part Coffee Liqueur.
1 Part Cream.
Just drop the vodka in, then half that amount of Coffee Liquor, stir, add ice, and float the cream on top. All in the one glass, so no need to even wash and shakers or mixers. Just like the Dude does in the first 30 seconds here:
Given the current climate, if you don’t fancy popping into the shop to pick up the Vodka and Coffee Liqueur, (maybe you don’t want all your neighbours thinking you’re having a house party! 🤷♂️) I got Smirnoff Vodka here for only €23 and Kahlua here from Celtic Whiskey; all from the comfort of my own [hiding behind the couch from US election] home. Alternatively the Carry out in Killarney are doing Absolut Vodka for only €22.99!
Ya, well, you know; that’s just your opinion man.
If you didn’t already know the White Russian is the iconic drink enjoyed by The Dude, in The Big Lebowski. A classic of modern cinema. It’s my favourite of the Coen brother’s impressive repertoire. It is, of course, a film that provides clear commentary on the death of social idealism at the hands of rampant materialism. A clever commentary on the growing wealth-gap, selfishness, loneliness and futility of late capitalist America. In short; a critique of the ‘American dream’, and the demise of — or fallacy that is — that concept. But, in addition to this, The Big Lebowski is the zenith of the ‘slacker film’ ( and to some extent ‘stoner film’) genre.
‘Slacker’ films take their denomination from the 1990 comedy drama of the same name. And was a style of film that became a staple of American cinema throughout the 90s, and the first decade of this century. 1992’s Wayne's World, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), Airheads (1994), Friday (1995) and Office Space (1999) are all classics of the category.
You could also include 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and a number of films that are considered more in the stoner bracket: Dude, Where's My Car? (2000), Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) and many more.
They all fit into a similar format, or vague theme. (those who’ve seen any combination of the above will be familiar with this). That of an individual, or individuals, who are often but not always, in their twenties and or just past 30; and resent the job they are in — or career they are expected to pursue — and are railing against anything that seeks to force them to give up on their dreams, or re-engage with a world which they are disillusioned with in some way. Their enemies are often conformity, and the managerial class. My laptop’s dictionary describes a ‘slacker’ as “a person who avoids work or effort” and/or “of a subculture characterised by apathy and aimlessness.”
Aimlessness was a part of the zeitgeist of the 1990s and early 2000s. America had emerged from the cold war victorious. Francis Fukuyama called it ‘The End of History’. Capitalism was going to rule forever. And it allowed people the space for apathy and nihilism. Gone go was the anxiety created by constant nuclear threat. Of course the world wasn’t all roses. But whatever the question, the answer lived within a narrow prognosis. Almost all the social democratic parties and parties of labour across the western world embraced some tinge of neoliberalism. Furthermore the wage stagnation, housing crises and the impact of the privatisation of the public sector or the decline of trade union membership and influence hadn’t yet fully manifested.
It’s no wonder youth culture was about delaying the inevitable. Even films like Fight Club play on that existential dread, and feeling of curbed personal freedom and ambition, brought on by the daily grind and societal expectations of the age.
Nevertheless, while the format was often (although not always) a critique of modern life. The visual manifestation of a Blur album (although that’s for another article). It only worked because of the feeling the great questions of the age had been answered and that the rest would work itself out. We the viewers along with the characters, such as Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar [Wayne’s world], felt that ultimately — once they had finally accepted that the gig was up, literally and metaphorically — they would slide into middle-class jobs, that required little or no qualifications. And from here have the white picket fence, beautiful wife, and plenty of free time to enjoy all the material benefits of Americana.
Sadly this format doesn’t work in a modern context. In a world that is post 9/11, post financial and housing crisis. A world of college debt, unaffordable housing, spiralling rent, broken healthcare and ever-growing wealth in-equality.
The Big Lebowski’s critique of the American dream was, in part, the Cohen’s paying homage 1950s film Noir critique of the same. Those films stood in juxtaposition to the Westerns of the era that celebrated the same. To make that film now one could not convincingly critique the American dream. But rather mourn its passing. It may be nearly 30 years since the Dude came to our screens. But unless we are able to alter our political and economic outlook making a film that critiques the American Dream in the next decade would be a kin to the last Celtic Britons, critiquing Roman life; all while the Saxons moved in around them.
Nevertheless, it’s on Netflix. So have a few White Russians with those you’re sheltering in place with, and enjoy Jeff Bridges doing what he does best. Sadly he’s been in the news with a cancer diagnosis recently. But if you’re staying in and enjoying a White Russian, with all the pubs and restaurants closed, what with it being dark 30 mins after you get out of bed. Well then, take it easy, and take comfort in the fact ‘The Dude abides.’
Don’t forget to enjoy some Bridges on Bridges: