Drink the Kool-Aid

[Dave Wilton]

I've traced the phrase "drink the Kool-Aid" back to a Usenet post from 1990.
For those unfamiliar with it, it means to exhibit unswerving devotion to and
belief in one's leaders.

Does anyone know of earlier uses? Clearly it doesn't go back any further
than 1978, as the inspiration for the phrase is the mass suicide of Jim
Jones's People's Temple in that year.

"So if we're going to do something that is in contravention to what is
prescribed for us, which is basically not unsimilar to what happened in
Jonestown, like 'shut up and drink your kool-aid,'--'shut up and read the
latest editorial in the 'Chronicle' about how the nuclear arms race is at
its end;" dave at ratmandu.csd.sgi.com; Subject: Unreliable Sources: Detecting
Bias in News Media; Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc; Date: 1990-08-15
11:42:09 PST

"Rush figures the Dems might as well line up and drink the Kool-Aid right
after the nomination; no need to wait until November!"
rovero at oc.nps.navy.mil; Subject: Re: Kool Aid; Newsgroups:
alt.rush-limbaugh; Date: 1992-05-28 12:47:12 PST