Day of the Dude Date in the current year: March 6, 2024

The Big Lebowski is a crime comedy about Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a middle-aged unemployed slacker whose hobbies include drinking White Russians, smoking pot, listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival, and bowling with friends. When he is mistaken for a millionaire whose name is also Jeffrey Lebowski, shenanigans ensue.

At the time of its release, the film received mixed reviews and wasn’t a particular box-office success (although it didn’t flop either). Over time, however, critics have warmed up to it, and The Big Lebowski has acquired a cult following. Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski even inspired a whole religion/philosophy based on his lifestyle which was aptly named Dudeism.

Dudeism was founded in 2005 by Oliver Benjamin, an American journalist based in Thailand. Its official name is The Church of the Latter-Day Dude (a reference to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Despite its name, comedic origin and occasional criticism of traditional religion, Dudeism isn’t regarded as a parody religion by its founder and most adherents.

Although Dudeism was originally inspired by The Big Lebowski, its adherents believe that their worldview is as old as civilization itself. They refer to Lao Tzu, Heraclitus, the Buddha, Jesus Christ, David Grayson, Jerry Garcia, Mahatma Gandhi, Walt Whitman, Kurt Vonnegut, and other notable individuals as “Great Dudes in History”. And women can be dudes, too, because “dude” is a gender-neutral word! The list of “Dudeist prophets” includes, for example, Joni Mitchell, Julia Child, and Jennifer Lawrence.

The belief system of Dudeism is essentially a modernized form of Taoism, as described by Lao Tzu in the Tao Te Ching, albeit without its medical and metaphysical doctrines. Dudeism encourages its adherents to go with the flow, be cool-headed, and take it easy when faced with life’s hardships because this is the only way to find harmony in life.

According to Dudeism, the key to happiness and peace of mind is enjoying simple everyday pleasures like hanging out with friends, bowling, and bathing, rather than advancing one’s career, accumulating wealth, and spending money. However, contrary to a popular misconception, Dudeism isn’t about being lazy; it’s about staying true to oneself and being immune to the pressures of society and the opinions of others.

The Day of the Dude is celebrated on March 6 because The Big Lebowski opened in North America on March 6, 1998. According to The Dudespaper, the official publication of the Church of the Latter-Day Dude, the best way to celebrate the holiday is to get together with other Dudeists, have a couple of White Russians, watch The Big Lebowski, and go bowling. However, you can celebrate it any way you like, as long as you adhere to the high principles of Dudeism.