America's reigning master of bullshit weighs in on the baseball steroid scandal. It is of course, a metaphor for everything:
Just about everybody, it seems, is on one kind of steroid or another these days. They're trying to find a way around reality with steroids that boost their career, or conceal their motives, or propel them into a crowd that magnifies their personal power. The Stephen Glasses, James Freys, Jayson Blairs, J.T. Leroys, and Scott Thomas Beauchamps inject themselves with the steroid of fake facts. The religious fundamentalists have the steroid of fanatical self-righteousness, and the scientific fundamentalists who react to them have the steroid of, well, fanatical self-righteousness. The political bloggers make use of the steroid of implacable outrage. The libelous, or seductive, or predatory Internet user rides high on the steroid of an "avatar." And there is the steroid of political messianism boosting the pro-Iraq War crowd, and the steroid of cynical groupthink juicing up audiences addicted to the "comedy" news shows. And there is that most American steroid of all the one that seems to give you a way to triumph over your own limitations the credit card.
Lee Siegel has won the Poseur of the Year Award before. But the prize for 2007 is still open. Today is the last day for voting. Have at it.