Daily Dialogue — November 13, 2013

Don Masters, CEA Agent: I’m a CEA agent.
Dr. Sidney Schaefer: [rises from desk, walks over to read ID card] You ARE a CEA agent. And you really did kill someone!
Don Masters, CEA Agent: Ahhummm.
Dr. Sidney Schaefer: Fascinating, Don… I suppose it’s the conditioning of motion pictures, or television, or maybe it’s just it’s the times we live in, but… killing is serious business, yet this little card makes it somehow less shocking… acceptable in a way! You mean to say you can actually legally kill someone?
Don Masters, CEA Agent: Yeah, and it bothers me sometimes that I don’t feel guilty about it. Don’t you think that’s psychotic behavior?
Dr. Sidney Schaefer: No I don’t! It explains your utter lack of hostility. You can vent your aggressive feelings by actually killing people! It’s a sensational solution to the hostility problem.
Don Masters, CEA Agent: Doctor, are you trying to tell me it’s all right to kill people?
Dr. Sidney Schaefer: It’s simply a moral question. Morality is a social invention, and in this case society has decided it’s not only acceptable for certain people to kill other people… it’s even commendable. Don! I’ve got to write a paper for the Institute on this!
Don Masters, CEA Agent: I don’t think the CEA would like that.

— The President’s Analyst (1967), written by Theodore J. Flicker

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is therapy, suggested by Despina. Today’s suggestion by plinytheelder_t.

Trivia: The San Franciscan band The Grateful Dead were asked to be in this film. They would have been a rock band that Dr. Schaefer winds up hanging out with. Unfortunately the band wanted complete control over that scene.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Great premise for a comedy: “Dr. Sidney Schaefer feels honored and thrilled to be offered the job of the President’s Analyst… at first.”