Hot Chocolate. From the Situationists to Wetherspoons
One of those interesting details of the 1968 London protests against the Vietnam War was the activities of the Situationists. The foundation text of Situationism is Guy DeBord’s The Society of the Spectacle. It focuses on how capitalism has become a giant consumer advertising exercise, promoting consumption.
On the 1968 protests against the Vietnam War in Grosvenor Sq, where the US Embassy was until recently (now a hotel) while many were shouting about the US getting out of Vietnam, the Situationists were chanting ‘Hot Chocolate, Drinking Chocolate’. One account suggests that Mick Jagger who was there was influenced to write the rhythms of Street Fighting Man based on the chanting. Hmmm
Fast forward to 2025 and the latest Wetherspoons controversy is that unlimited refills of hot chocolate in the chain’s pubs are no longer allowed. Note. Hot chocolate is still on sale, the aim is to limit consumption based on new health measures introduced on October 1st. Essentially these ban ‘buy one, get one free’ offers on foods and drinks high in sugar, salt etc. It seems like a reasonable public health measure but of course those who like gammon in Spoons are determined to call it a ‘nanny state’ thing.
Meanwhile hot chocolate, drinking chocolate is the kind of thing one can imagine Trump saying in a speech were it not for the fact that he prefers cola.
‘Hot chocolate, drinking chocolate’ was in a tv ad for Cadburys drinking chocolate in the 60s. It involved someone walking home, under an umbrella, at ever increasing pace on a wet rainy night, with the voiceover ‘hot chocolate drinking chocolate’ keeping time with their steps. Astonishing that I can remember so much of it after all this time!