The Indictment of Down

Ah, the down blanket – that feathery indulgence of the bourgeoisie, forever touted for its warmth and lightness. But let us not be seduced by the siren song of the bedding hucksters! For the down blanket, like all earthly pleasures, comes with its share of caveats – drawbacks that might give even the most ardent feather enthusiast pause.

First and foremost, let us address the elephant in the room, or rather, the goose in the department store: the cost. A good down blanket, we are told, can set one back a king’s ransom – a sum that might be better spent on, say, a case of decent whiskey or a subscription to the opera.

And what of the care and feeding of these feathery bedfellows? A down blanket, unlike a simple wool one, is not a thing to be tossed carelessly into the washing machine. It requires delicate handling, special detergents, and perhaps even a bit of whispered encouragement to regain its loft after a tumble in the dryer.

And have we forgotten the sensitive souls among us, those delicate flowers who shudder at the mere thought of a stray feather? A down blanket, for all its touted virtues, can be a veritable minefield of allergens, sending the susceptible into fits of sneezing and itching.

Finally, let us not ignore the ethical implications of our pursuit of a good night’s sleep. Do those geese, force-fed for their foie gras and plucked for their plumage, not deserve our sympathy? Is a good night’s sleep worth the suffering of our feathered brethren?

The choice, dear reader, is yours.