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Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto
Audiobook (abridged)5 hours

Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto

Written by Chuck Klosterman

Narrated by Chuck Klosterman

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

Over half a million copies sold!

From the author of the highly acclaimed heavy metal memoir, Fargo Rock City, comes another hilarious and discerning take on massively popular culture—set in Chuck Klosterman’s den and your own—covering everything from the effect of John Cusack flicks to the crucial role of breakfast cereal to the awesome power of the Dixie Chicks.

Countless writers and artists have spoken for a generation, but no one has done it quite like Chuck Klosterman. With an exhaustive knowledge of popular culture and an almost effortless ability to spin brilliant prose out of unlikely subject matter, Klosterman attacks the entire spectrum of postmodern America: reality TV, Internet porn, Pamela Anderson, literary Jesus freaks, and the real difference between apples and oranges (of which there is none). And don’t even get him started on his love life and the whole Harry-Met-Sally situation.

Whether deconstructing Saved by the Bell episodes or the artistic legacy of Billy Joel, the symbolic importance of The Empire Strikes Back or the Celtics/Lakers rivalry, Chuck will make you think, he’ll make you laugh, and he’ll drive you insane—usually all at once. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs is ostensibly about art, entertainment, infotainment, sports, politics, and kittens, but—really—it’s about us. All of us. As Klosterman realizes late at night, in the moment before he falls asleep, “In and of itself, nothing really matters. What matters is that nothing is ever ‘in and of itself.’” Read to believe.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 1, 2006
ISBN9780743564304
Author

Chuck Klosterman

Chuck Klosterman is the bestselling author of many books of nonfiction (including The Nineties, Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, I Wear the Black Hat, and But What If We're Wrong?) and fiction (Downtown Owl, The Visible Man, and Raised in Captivity). He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, GQ, Esquire, Spin, The Guardian, The Believer, Billboard, The A.V. Club, and ESPN. Klosterman served as the Ethicist for The New York Times Magazine for three years, and was an original founder of the website Grantland with Bill Simmons. 

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Reviews for Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs

Rating: 3.6750539726815243 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

1,391 ratings54 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A great collection of pop culture essays. My favorite had to be the one about the Sims, and how it's pathetic that we love playing such a boring game that is basically just fake versions of us living their own borings lives. We're trying to make them succeed in their careers and socialize with their neighbors while we're sitting in front of our computers. (Disclaimer: I used to be addicted to the Sims.) Basically, Klosterman is amazing and I kind of want to marry him. Or at least read all his other collections.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Never read any books from him but I am now a huge fan. I love the way he looks at the world and how clearly he explains it.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This is not the recording of the book. It skips and cuts out whole sections for multiple minutes at a time. Great that it’s included in my subscription, but how about a legit copy of it?
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Reads like a Gen X Man masturbating over how brilliant he thinks he is. Some of the takes start as vaguely interesting, but quickly devolve into a weirdly sexist, mildly racist, or just uncomfortable sting of thoughts that feel tired.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Even though I didn't agree with everything that Klosterman had to say is his series of essays (especially his take on soccer), I still enjoyed how he delivered his thoughts with humor and sarcasm. Two of my favorite things.In this book of essays, Klosterman covers everything from Saved by the Bell and the Celtics/Lakers rivalry. He has an exhaustive knowledge of popular culture and makes analyzing everything cool again. Who knew that rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally could so drastically change our psyche. Yet, when Chuck explains the affects of these movies in his sardonic way you have to ask yourself why you didn't think of that before.On top of all this, little vignette type pieces about his life are thrown in between the essays which are almost as entertaining as the essays themselves and always, somehow, tie-in to popular culture. And while this book is often found in the Sociology section of bookstores, it's extremely accessible and isn't filled with sociological jargon. Don't get me wrong, I love the jargon (sociology was my minor) but sometimes it's nice to read something lighter but insightful at the same time. This is a great read for pop culture study beginners and veterans alike.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Solipsist. Never has a single word ever summed up one person so well. When this came up on my book group's reading list, I was all excited: essays on pop culture? Yes, please! Too bad it turned out to be the ramblings of a self-satisfied, self-styled genius with all the piercing insight of the average brick.Aside from Klosterman's incredible self-absorption, his casual misogyny infuriated me. Has this man ever actually talked to a woman? After reading the first essay, I had my doubts. By the end of the second or third, I was sure he hadn't. The relentless cliches about American female roles and the gratuitous swipes piled up to the point that I started wondering if Klosterman was talking to someone else.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This collection of essays from the early 2000s is described on the cover as "a low culture manifesto," and it does, indeed, feature a lot of discussion of supposedly lowbrow pop cultural topics, from tribute bands to Saved by the Bell to internet porn.Klosterman is an interesting writer. He has lots of opinions, and the sillier and less defensible they are, the more deliberately loud and hyperbolic he gets about them. He also gives the impression, reasonably often, that he might be just a liiiiiiiitle bit talking out of his ass, and that he knows it and expects you to know it, too. Now, more often than not, I find people like that obnoxious and offputting, but Klosterman actually really pulls it off. He's funny, he can be genuinely thought-provoking, and he very much conjures up the feeling of someone trying to pick an entertaining, good-natured argument with a friend over a beer, rather than a serious and nasty one on the internet with a stranger. The result, more often than not, is fun to read, whether you agree with anything he says or not.The fact that this collection is something like twenty years old does make it dated, but in a way that makes it feel, to me, like a fascinating little time capsule. Mind you, it probably helps that I'm the same age as Klosterman and remember all the stuff he's referencing, even if I didn't necessarily pay attention to all of it at the time. It's also interesting to me how very, very Gen X Klosterman's voice and attitude and general everything are. It makes me a little nostalgic, if I'm honest, for the vanishingly brief period when my generation actually seemed to have some kind of cultural relevance.I've seen, by the way, that he has a new book out now looking at the 90s with another twenty years of perspective. I'm definitely going to have to pick that one up. I'll be curious to see how much differently it reads from this one.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is my first reading of anything by Chuck Klosterman and for the most part I enjoyed it. He displays his vast knowledge of pop culture in ways that amuse, sometimes going for more laughs than others. Whatever he gloats over (Saved By The Bell, Mr. Kellogg, Axl Rose & more) he breaks down in inventive ways to reveal the mechanics of their power. My favorite essay involved his hanging out with a Gun’s N’ Roses cover band, pointing out the silliness of their dream but nicely managing never to make fun of it. Thankfully he admits to not being above the pull of pop culture otherwise the reader would have had the taste of a lie on their tongues essay after essay. I disagreed as much as I agreed with his conclusions but he made his points well enough that I could live with it. Personal tastes have to be lived with and can be as long as there is reciprocation. Sometimes the hipster veneer covers us all—that gloss of pretentious self importance composed of pop culture touchstones and being part of an advertisers favorite demographics—but it gets thinner the more you open your eyes. Youth and the misapplication of importance often go hand in hand. Some essays didn’t seem complete—specifically his take on breakfast cereals and his take on the Lakers/Celtics rivalry but on the whole the essays and their sharp introductions will provoke some laughs and thoughts. I’d be curious to read more…but I am not running out right this minute to find it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Overall, a good read. I'm not sure I comprehend his point re: Saved By The Bell, largely because I missed this 'phenomenon' somehow. Other essays I just kinda feel 'meh' about. But there are a few gems, e.g. "All I Know is What I Read in the Papers."

    Clearly, from some reviews here, some people really did not like this book. Fair enough; this is a bit of pop culture, aspiring to be (and I think somewhat successful at being) a bit more, but still basically passing commentary on the here and now. Or, what was here and now 5 to 10 years ago, at the time of my reading.

    What I don't get is the tone of some of the comments; apparently some folks came looking for Hume or Kant or Jesus and left pretty disappointed and/or pissed off that they found some random, snarky, Midwesterner instead.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'll be the first to admit it. This is one of the more unlikely titles you'll see reviewed by this pastor. Klosterman is Coupland without a conscience—Žižek without political science. He wears the black hat proudly and although you might cringe at some of the things he confesses to, he comes off as strangely honest in his admitted depravity.I read Klosterman for two reasons:1. He is wickedly funny.2. His analysis of popular culture reveals the heart of our society.This was even true in the last essay in this collection, "How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found," which is an analysis of the Left Behind phenomenon. Here's how he unpacks (acerbically yet truthfully) the effect believing that you're right has on people's humility:"There is no sophisticated reason for believing in anything supernatural, so it really comes down to believing you're right. This is another example of how born agains are cool—you'd think they'd be humble, but they've got to be amazingly cocksure. And once you've crossed over, you don't even have to try to be nice; according to the born-again exemplar, your goodness will be a natural extension of your salvation. Caring about orphans and helping the homeless will come as naturally as having sex with coworkers and stealing office supplies. If you consciously do good works out of obligation, you'll never get into heaven; however, if you make God your proverbial copilot, doing good works will just become an unconscious part of your life" (238).Now, I know I could challenge the misconceptions in this paragraph (just as I could pull apart the theological naivety behind the Left Behind books). It's clear from his comments on sophistication that he's simply never read any sophisticated Christian. Put those thoughts aside, though and hear what he says. This is what the Left Behind phenomenon conveys of Christians to one of the smartest cultural critics around.It's not just religion Klosterman focuses on. In fact, religion is one of the smaller themes in his writing. He is at home discussing movies, music, sports, and all the other forms of entertainment we consume.Now do you see why this pastor reads Klosterman?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was the first Chuck Klosterman book I ever read, and it was fantastic! His stories are great and it led me to seek out more books by him. I ended up loaning this book out to so many people because I loved it so much!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Absolutely LOVED it. There is a chapter dedicated to the obsession women have over John Cusack that rings VERY true. I had to hang my head in shame after reading that chapter because I realized I was one of those women. He nails almost every cultural flaw our society has and brings it to the front... I challenge someone to read this and not hang their head in shame over at least one of his arguments. He also brings some much needed humor to the topics and I found myself laughing out loud many times. I highly recommend this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The best thing about Chuck Klosterman is that he's exactly what I would be like if I were a rock'n'roll journalist and had a penis. Barring that, he's the man of my dreams, though I suspect reading his books is about as close I'll get to his snarky cynicism. I'm willing to bet that most anyone born between 1965 and 1980 won't be able to put this book down... and if it doesn't make you laugh, then perhaps you're dead?
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Too many chapters in this book simply left me feeling irritated. I think this is because Chuck Klosterman writes in a style very close to my own internal voice. Couple that with the biting cynicism of the material, and it can't help but make me feel like I, too, am as dysfunctional as he.

    The parts where it hit though, really hit hard. But books shouldn't leave you feeling angry every time you stop for the night.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I clearly was late to the party reading this book, as most of the pop culture references date back to the 90s. Still, I found Klosterman hilarious (not consistently but if I laugh out loud more than once throughout a book I consider said book worth reading), and am definitely inclined to read more of him.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very interesting book. Some of Klosterman's essays were better than others, also slightly outdated, but all were insightful, funny, and he definitely has a point of view. I enjoyed the read and am looking forward to some of his other collective works. 7/10
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is undeniably a very funny book at times, but also gets to be annoying after a while. Everyone's had the experience of talking to someone who is funny and clever and then slowly starts to wear on you, becomes obnoxious and doesn't know when to turn it down a notch. This is the book version.

    Klosterman wants to have it both ways, mocking obnoxious hipsters, while acting like the worst example of one himself. He really lost me when he stated talking about "The Real World". I was baffled that this was a grown man writing this. There are also many examples of a pet peeve of mine; the "we all do it" excuse. This is where you talk about your pettiness, shallowness, bigotry, general obnoxious traits, and instead of apologizing or showing shame you just take the "we all do it" attitude and "isn't it cute that I talk about it?". No, we don't all do it, and no , it isn't cute.

    A fairly entertaining book, but a lot like the Cocoa Puffs of the title. I get the feeling he might be an interesting writer when he grows up.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    For the parts that one has experienced, this author can have you literally laughing out loud. This book provides a refreshing laugh when looking at a lot of our lives through a different perspective. The title was definitely eye catching and for the most part, the text between the pages held up it's end of the bargain. The only parts I didn't enjoy were the ones where he spoke about things I had nit experienced too much.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I don't hate Klosterman. but man am I already sick of him. Still, this is a nice collection of essays. I really love the one where he tours with the G'n'R cover band -- great reporting, filled with jokes for fans of the band. And yet he still shows the band members respect. Of course, his style gets tedious. he's like a young dennis miller -- reference after reference after reference. it's not bad, it's just annoying after awhile. Also, he makes the baseless arugment that coldplay and travis rip off radiohead. first of all, he's not the first to make this argument. and second of all, these bands don't sound alike at all. and they certainly don't sound like radiohead. And yet, annoying things like that don't necessarily ruin the essays. But whenever I see his name now i cringe. maybe it's the glasses.....
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I should have read this book 10 years ago. I think I would have liked it even more back then - but given its subject matter - it is pretty amazing that it is still enjoyable so many years later.I loved some of the chapters (real world chapter for one) I found the sports chapters boring because I don't follow sports in any sort of detailed way that would make his references anything more than gibberish. Mostly I laughed a little, nodded my head a little, groaned a little and was entertained enough to say if you are a person who went to college in in the 90's you will probably enjoy at least some of these essays.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Like most smart people, Chuck Klosterman thinks very deeply about a lot of things. However, unlike, say, a smart theoretical physicist or a smart behavioral psychologist, the stuff Klosterman ponders and writes about is both random and of remarkably little consequence. Of course, essays exploring relatively insignificant topics can still be interesting and occasionally very funny. For the most part, the author manages to do just that in this volume.Take, for instance, the frequently cited chapter in which Klosterman explains why he thinks ‘Saved by the Bell’ became such an iconic television show for kids of a certain age, despite the fact that it was unrealistic, unimaginative, and not particularly good. Or, the author’s take on what may or may not be fascinating about having an acquaintance who turns out to be a serial killer. Or even his views of why Trisha Yearwood is more relevant than Bob Dylan and how the internet changed the dynamics of the porn industry.My only real complaint about ‘Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs’ is that much of the material feels a little dated by now, which is understandable given that most of the essays appear to have been written in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Still, an essay that contrasts the visions of reality presented in the movies ‘Vanilla Sky’ and ‘Memento’ is hardly cutting-edge material today. Also, the depth to which Klosterman dives into some of his more arcane arguments made reading them a little monotonous at times. Nevertheless, the author has a unique perspective on modern culture and that makes this book worth considering.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Laugh out loud funny in the first few essays, followed by a slow retreat into mediocrity. There are moments when you think that is David Foster Wallace at his most accessible -- an intricate but compelling writing style that seems fresh and unforced. But there are also essays where Klosterman can't conjure up that glow and the writing then feels like William Vollmann at his voluminous worst.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was my first reading of Klosterman, and I would compare the experience to watching someone masturbate. You just sort of wish you were enjoying it as much as they were.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I wanted to like this, I really did, but in the end I just couldn’t. There were lots of funny little bits here and there, but the sum total was just too glib, too shallow, too purposefully contrarian, and above all, too universalist and unqualified. The main problem is that he’s trying to universalize what amounts to a very narrow-bore pop culture experience. I’m only a few years younger, but very few of the touchstones(the Real World, Billy Joel, Saved by the Bell, etc) that he mentions have had any appreciable effect on my life or that of my peers. I’ve heard of them all and been exposed to them enough to have a good familiarity, but I can’t hang any of the shared meaning on them that he does and attempts to extend to his whole readership.I was also bit irritated by his ongoing attempts to cast himself as lowbrow, working class, anti-elitist, etc. He may be genuinely uncomfortable being a part of a cultural elite(and some sincere confrontation with this discomfort could have been really interesting in this context), but he is, and he’s not fooling anyone with his protestations and poses to the contrary.Finally, he should just avoid writing about the internet or gaming or computers, because he just doesn’t have any expertise in those areas and catty condescension is not enough to make up for that fact.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Written like a drunken English major. Lots of rock and roll references but with no substance.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I've only read three chapters of this book, but I liked what I saw.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In Klosterman's own words, this book is "philosophy for shallow people." Full of insights on topics including the Lakers/Celtics rivalry and heavy metal tribute bands. Slightly dated (for example, there is one essay about the Sims) but overall an entertaining read for aficionados of pop culture.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This series of essays attempts to discuss the vital truths of today's society using pop culture as its vehicle of reference. Via Saved by the Bell, The Sims, various iconic musicians, MTV's The Real World, the post apocalyptic book series Left Behind, movies such as Vanilla Sky and The Matrix, and many other pop culture he discusses life, the universe, and everything. Klosterman can tend toward the more pessimistic view of humanity, and there are multiple occasions where I disagreed with him outright. At other times, he opened me up to new ways of seeing the world and the movies/ TV/books/music I love. Thoughout it all this book is often amusing, and even occasionally hilarious, so I was able readily enjoyed the ride whether I was in agreement with him or not.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An all-time favourite. This book is to Gen X & Y what Tom Wolfe's essays were to everyone living through the Me Decade.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book was ok, not much laughs.