Very possibly, not everyone reading this blog is a fan of the 1990s sitcom, Friends. However, I think we can all agree that Friends, which ran from 1994 to 2004, managed to capture a cultural moment. Its continued popularity long after the final series was completed demonstrates the chord that it struck. Towards the end of 2023 came the sad news of the premature death of one of the Friends actors, Matthew Perry (1969-2023). The death appears to have been caused or precipitated by "the acute effects of ketamine"; substance abuse was something Matthew Perry very publicly wrestled with during and after his fame with Friends. A touching clip replayed at the time of his death was his talk show interaction with pundit Peter Hitchen on this point. Matthew Perry comes across as both broken and "real", while his debating partner, while possibly well-meaning, appears to be defending a theoretical position without first-hand experience. Naturally, the death of Matthew Perry,...