Walden Pond Theater

Movie theaters ostensibly show movies to a paying audience. They also play stage to a more subtle dynamic that lies behind the films shown on the screen.

There's a seen in the new Simpsons movie where in a moment of collective panic about the expected Armageddon, Reverend Lovejoy's flock runs out of the church to the tavern, passing Moe the Bartender's regulars who leave the tavern headed in the opposite direction. The brief scene is a clever quip about the nuanced ironies of morality and immorality; the beliefs and expectations of each placed against the actual exercise of such behavior.

Before the movie, the Will Rogers Institute, a foundation that raises money to pay for medical research and student fellowships, runs an advertisement asking moviegoers to contribute to their charitable work by purchasing a "combo pack" from the theater snack bar.

The fare at most theaters consists of hot dogs, nachos, sodas, slurpees (alas no Squishee) popcorn and all types of other foods made of refined sugars, or replete with preservatives that protect the food until it is microwaved into readiness for consumption. So, by buying a combo pack, which would provide the consumer a sample of much of these kinds of foods, the Will Rogers Institute acquires money to help pay for the training of new doctors. A worthy cause. Even more impressive is that through consumption of the food and the combination of sitting idly in a theater for 2 hours, the charity donor is placing their health in a position that may require future medical treatment for chronic disorders (diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay).

Such is this complex symbiotic relationship. The number of doctors increases as the number of potential patients also increases. Seems like a natural thing. But you dont have to take my word for it....

"You only need sit still long enough in some attractive spot in the woods that all its inhabitants may exhibit themselves to you by turns."

-Thoreau, Walden