2. Neither A Good Advert For Drug Use
Breaking Bad has received a fair amount of negative publicity for supposedly glorifying the meth business and acting as an advert for the extremely dangerous drug. However, watching the show, it seems that these opinions have came from somebody who has not actually watched the show, and have just observed that it is about drugs and so have made a fictional cause and effect relationship. The meth addicts on the show are clearly not in good shape (see above) and are shivering, incoherent wretches. Clearly the show is not glamorising the uses of methamphetamine. This is particularly evident in the shocking episode in season 2, "Peekaboo". Jesse is held hostage by a drug-addicted couple, and the snivelling wife drops a stolen ATM onto her husband's head in retaliation for his repeatedly calling her a "skank" and in order to take the meth in his pocket. What is even more shocking is the presence of a child, in the doomed, dismal environment of the house. If anything, in this scene Breaking Bad does the exact opposite of glorifying drug use, but rather denounces it as a terrifying, dark path to follow. Scarface similarly provides a negative perspective on drug use. As glamorous as Tony's life is, with the mansion and the flashy car, his life is really quite empty. He barely has any friends or family and his life is marked by violence and death. What's even worse is that his consistent drug use leaves him paranoid and always on the edge. Does this really look glamorous to you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJUt_x0gwug