The Big Lebowski Drugs and Alcohol Quotes

The Dude is stoned here, and we swiftly learn that The Dude will always be stoned. The shot of George H. W. Bush on the TV in the store sets up the juxtaposition between the events of the real world and The Dude's drug-assisted detachment from it all.

The Dude explains to Brandt what he did in college and how he came to be The Dude. For you kids and grandkids of flower children, we'll say this was a pretty typical thing for college students to do in the days of the Vietnam War. There were a lot of serious political, antiwar college students in the '60s and '70s, but a lot of them used the antiwar movement and its student "strikes" (refusing to go to class) as a way to get out of studying and to instead smoke weed on the lawn of the college administration buildings. Drug use was identified with the antiwar movement because both were rebellious countercultural activities and part of the whole "make love, not war" thing.

As the Big Lebowski tells The Dude about the kidnapping of his wife, The Dude burns one. Not only is The Dude a perpetual stoner, he also uses drugs to take the edge off of difficult (or boring) experiences. Detachment is his M.O., and the substances are a big help.

As The Dude tries to talk shop with Maude, he distracts himself with her liquor bar. White Russians take precedence over everything. He has a great eye for zeroing in on any alcohol in the vicinity.

The Dude's only objection to getting strong-armed into a mysterious limo is that he might spill his White Russian. Another example of his drinking being played for laughs rather than any moral statement.

Just remember, kids: it doesn't pay to drink, drive, smoke, and listen to Creedence all at the same time, m'kay?

The Dude says this just as he's about to succumb to the drugs Jackie Treehorn has put in his drink. Presumably, The Dude has spent so much of his life altered that it's grown hard to tell the difference between not sober and really not sober.

And believe us, The Dude has taken so many trips he basically has a frequent flyer card.

This is The Dude's response to Maude's question, "What do you do for recreation?" Need we say more?

Whatever it takes to crack that case, dude. Actually, we're impressed that The Dude is able to figure out as much as he does about the case, given that he's drunk or stoned most of the time. We guess his "limber" mind works better than minds that are locked into one point of view. Weed and LSD, in particular, were seen by flower children as mind-expanding drugs that could give you special insight into things. Or meaningless rambling thoughts, depending on who you ask. Hey, have you ever, like, looked at your hand? I mean, really looked at it? You ever think there could be an entire universe, like, living under your fingernail?