Well, I have to say, as a "generationX" sociologist, that
I understand perfectly how Gitlin's students might feel.
I too tired of hearing about the sixties. I was there, although
I was young (born 1960), and spent the better part of my adolescence
wounded, angry, and stoned, reeling in the sixites aftermath.
My high school cohort has the highest percentage of drug users
and suicides in recent memory. We also
were the first market for Heavy Metal, slasher films, Narcotics Anonymous
and AIDS awareness progams. It might have been cool for
Gitlin, but it sure as hell wasn't for us.
Incidently, the voice my peers turned to for guidance (at RJ Reynolds
high school in Winston Salem NC) was none other than
Hunter S. Thompson who seemed, to us, to offer a perfectly
reasonable answer to the mediocrity of our
social and cultural situation. "I'd never
advocate the use of drugs, violence or insanity to anyone," he told us,
"but they've always worked for me."
Funny how it didn't work out so great for many of my friends who are
now dead, in prison, or totally wrapped up in twelve step programs,
envengelical churches, drug addiction, sexual escapades, or therapy.
"Ho ho ho" P.J. O'Rourke once said,"many dead!"
Me? I went straight and became a sociologist with
a very serious libertatrian streak. Government and politics both suck,
but I vote anyway because you never know.
"When the going get's weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter Thompson said that as well.
I've seen the best minds of my generation locked into
psychiatric hospitals by their parents who thought
that Ginsberg was talking to them. I guess they weren't listening
Jon "will work for tenure" Epstein
Jonathon S. Epstein "I realize
Department of Sociology I hold the key
Wake Forest University to freedom, I
Winston Salem, N.C. 27109 cannot let my
(910)-759-5447 life be ruled
epstein@wfu.edu by threads."
Rocklist@sun.soci.niu.edu Marillion