The History Channel had a documentary on Hippies. For some reason the culture still glorifies one of the saddest periods in our history. The destruction of the cultural system that made this country great. The 50′s may have been the greatest period in the history of the U.S.A. From a cultural and economic viewpoint there was little one could ask for during the period. Was that the zenith of our culture?
I wish I could say, “I doubt it,” but my gut and my heart do not agree with my hopes. The hippie era was founded on adolescent ideology of free lunch with no consequences. Much of today’s liberal movement still clings to that fantasy. Much of today’s conservative movement clings to religious and moral dogma. Neither side seems to have passion for facing the truth. Rather they hold to a hope that things will magically change.
One side sees a world without out danger, anger, aggression, nor hatred. The other feels life should be moral and good. If everyone believes in their way, no evil will exist. Why? Why does someone hope for the impossible? I understand children believing in fantasy. Today I see grown people who still hold child like fantasies, living adolescent lives supported by their parents inability to let them grow up.
At the height of the hippie movement, thousands of adolescents lived in complete fantasy supported by their non-involved parents. I do understand as a parent it is easier not to ask, not know, and to not take a stand, if that alienates your child from you. No one wants to be the bad guy. But as my friend puts it, there comes a time when, ‘it is little wren, kicking out the nest day.’ Remember that phrase. It is the key to our culture’s survival.
While the great movement to a life of drug crazed, sex orgies was getting underway, I was in the military. I left the U.S. in April 1966 and returned in December 1968. Spending four years serving my country much of it as an occupier of foreign countries was suddenly a bad thing. No, I was not in Viet Nam, but I was in a different war, the Cold War, inside East Germany for part of my time.
Living inside a walled city was not the same as being shot at, but it was stressful and a bit frightening at times. We were mere yards from Russians during part of our day. They flew over our heads day or night to harass us and it worked. We rarely forgot that we “almost” prisoners, but for the balance of power between two of the most powerful nations ever on the face of the earth.
One of those powers is in decline, the other is trying to reconstruct itself. Not much in the news about bomber flights over Europe. The rebirth of a military run government in Russia. They may have elections but the people in power are siblings of the old regime and the KGB.
Do we worry about what a reconstituted Soviet Union would mean to us in our weakened economic, financial, and political condition? China will be the dominant force in the world in 10 years. Doubt it. Write it down– before 2020 the Chinese will be the dominant force in the world.
During my last business venture my mantra was “we are dying because we no longer create capital goods.” China is the primary capital goods supplier. India has found a niche providing outsourcing for non-manufacturing companies. We do not even provide our own customer support, billing etc. Soon no will be doing anything other than trading paper with each other, while the industry of the world sucks the capital out of us.
Why are we here? Socialism– in the form of collective agreements which dictated the cost of labor. Today the Western world is saddled with social costs pushing us to bankruptcy. Has there been a deterioration of union power? Yes, but the damage is done. The once powerful garment industry evaporated from the SouthEast, moved to Asia in less than 20 years.
The standard was set for workers rights and it spilled over into the white collar sector. Pushed along by equal opportunity employment most aspects of U.S. employment ceased to be merit based. Once the “rot” reached epidemic proportions companies were forced to move offshore to survive, or utilize immigrant labor.
Offshore and immigrant labor has no social costs, no FICA, no government involvement or oversight. Immigrants and outsourcing are answers to a labor force that will not produce because they are not fighting for a job, they are just showing up. And expect to be paid well, and provided benefits cutting margins to non-profitable.
How did all this stem from a bunch of adolescents having a good time and dreaming of a perfect world? It didn’t. Small things bring big changes. Hence the subtitle to my blog. The country stepped away the concept that working hard was not just a good thing but essential for survival. Granted in the 50′s it seemed life was always going to be grand. WWII and Korean veterans returned home, worked in factories, bought homes, and lived a life only their forefathers could dream of.
In one generation, the dream turned sour. Drug use and casual sex were accepted behavior. As the saying goes, “you can’t put the genie back in the bottle.” There is a price for everything. In coming generations they will say, “if only they had–.” You fill in the blank.
Abdicating parental responsibility seems pretty harmless. For a young testosterone fueled male it was heaven. When I left, sex had consequences and usually meant commitment. Four years later, almost every party had girls ready for sex. I survived without going the drug route.
Today I look back and see myself as fortunate not have been snared by the fantasy of a world with no consequences, where life is easy and love is the answer. Loving someone takes work, beyond a couple weeks of rampant sex.
Showing up, remaining available, being consistent are necessary. Not for a week, a month, a year, but for as long as that person is in one’s life. With today’s divorce laws that might be only a short time. Irresponsible– that is what I would label the “hippie era.” Adolescents not willing to accept their role in society and parents not willing to show up for ‘little wren kicking out of the nest day.’
Someday the little wren’s grand or great grand children will pay the price for the decadence and irresponsibility of a generation. They say it takes three generations to accumulate a fortune and one generation to lose it. The hippies are seeing the birth of their grandchildren.
Is the socialism still the answer? Abdicate individual responsibility for the free lunch of a state run system. It’s not for me. If it’s for you, this is your time. Step up and cast your vote for “freebie state.”
