Every year I see come and go, I’m more and more solidified in my conviction that meetings are nothing but chaos masquerading as order. Nobody ever seems to talk about how these meetings are supposed to go, when they debate the urgency with which we must ponder our attendance in them.

All in the Family, “Writing the President,” Season 1, Episode 2; time index 0:2:38.

Archie: Hey you! Get away from that teevee set you know I watch football highlights every week at this time.

Meathead: I know, but in a few minutes channel thirteen is rerunning that special on pollution with Jack Lemmon.

Archie: When I want to learn anything about pollution, I don’t have to learn it from no millionaire actor. He doesn’t have enough to do without sitting around on his duff dreaming up causes. If he wants to un-pollute something, let him un-pollute the movies, heh? All those nudies?

Meathead: Archie, you’re always watching football. I think it’s important that we learn a little bit about our polluted environment.

Archie: You’re pullutin’ my environment! Now get away from my set!

Meathead: Can’t we just…can’t we at least sit down like rational people and discuss this?

Archie: Discuss…why wit’ you everything’s always gotta be like a meetin’?

Meathead: Because in a meeting, people sit down together and exchange ideas.

Archie: Oh, okay. Okay. Sit down, huh? (Meathead sits down.) (Archie Sits down.) Now. Let me hear your idea again.

Meathead: Okay. I want us to watch Jack Lemmon and a group of famous scientists discuss pollution and ecology on channel thirteen.

Archie: Good. And I want to watch football highlights on channel two. (Poignant pause, locks eyes on Meathead.) Now, guess what’s going to happen? (Cue laugh track.)

Meathead: (Pause.) You’re going to watch football highlights on channel two.

Archie: Meeting adjourned. (Gets up.) Hey Edith, lemmee have some beer in here, okay?

That really says all that needs to be said, I think. Outside of a meeting, might makes right. Inside the meeting…pretty much the same thing, right? Who ever said differently?

MB Musings gets the nod for the cartoon.