60's rebellion
EIDE491@delphi.com
Mon, 29 Apr 1996 19:34:44 -0400
Charles Shepard says some agreeable things. But, how 19-20
year olds determine the ratio between individual/collective power
w/o falling under the spell of arch manipulators is beyond me.
What happened at that time reminds me of tribal initiations
reported by anthropologists. In the initiation process the young
are encouraged to break the hypnotic hold of power so they can gain
vision and renew the vitality of the tribe. There are some interesting
manifestions of this in native american tribes- stuff like throwing
cow dung at the chief etc. But then, by the end of the initiation
the young know, absolutely, the necessity for the authority that
they have dissed and, in turn, become the authority.
The thing that horrified me through this period was the
number of people collapsing the whole liberal democratic tradition
and preparing, whether conscious or no, for the rise of
totalitarianism---whether religious cults (like fundementalism)
or the marxist-leninist-maoist drudgery.
Destroying authority is much easier than building good
family, good community etc. And constructive values are sadly
lacking at this time.
Good luck
Eide
EIDE491@delphi.com