The Dude Testament

20. This affects all of us, Dude.

The Dude storms out of the coffeehouse and Walter calls after him, “This affects all of us, Dude!” Walter is, of course, referring to his “basic freedom” to holler in the coffeehouse, but this, of course, is Walter’s own “stress talking”—a morbid and monomaniacal creature that truly never shuts the fuck up.

As we mentioned before, it’s been shown repeatedly by scientific experiment that mood (bad or good) is far more contagious than any germ-based disease. The way we act around others influences them and spreads out throughout society like ripples in a pond. Though the Dude may not generate wealth and innovation, which might contribute to the comforts of civilization, his supernaturally positive outlook and easygoing manner are arguably just as influential to society as a whole. Whereas Walter’s exercising of his “freedom” to shout in a coffeehouse will have negative repercussions that will likely be passed on by everyone in the room to their friends and families, the Dude spares them all his own negative vibe by getting out of the place and getting his head together. Sometimes the villain we have to save people from is ourselves. To the bath cave, Duderman!