I feel that what you observe is from Americans relying too much on sarcasm– witness not only the radio station’s decision-making, but then the article giving it press.

I do not admire sarcasm, which is basically saying the opposite of what you intend. Truths are lost this way. Yet I’ve seen it grow, and be considered “sophisticated” humor, in the last 30 or so years.

John

Trying to stop drunk driving should be all stick and no carrots imo; I live in Norway where people are often jailed for 30 days, fined $20,000 and lose their license for 2 yrs. There are very few drunk drivers. The UK has managed to make drunk driving offences about as socially acceptable as child molestations charges (at least since the late ’80s). I lived in California for 20 yrs and people seem to often drive drunk - there seems to be no social sense of wrong and punishment is mild in comparison to most European countries.

The problem is that drunks often survive while the innocent die.