A Well-Defined Life
The audience that Richie Havens looked out on at his concert last night resembled the crowd at Woodstock in this video. But now the white kids are old and sat respectfully in their seats. No unexpected art-happening, no bonding in wild brotherhood or free love or dancing in the aisles. Not anymore.
Every one has their life defined. How did I be(come) so out of step? Where are my unruly people? They were here a moment ago, and in an instant I would have left, tonight, on their caravan.
But there are no caravans. They became cubicles.
And within these well-defined spaces we no longer believe in ourselves. We can't protect the environment because it would hurt the economy. We can't stop the war because it would embolden the "enemy". We can't help it if the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. It is beyond us. We haven't the memory. We haven't the capacity.
Our imagination has been misplaced. We sit in the audience respectfully.
posted by MJ @ 8:26 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
It's true, we sit in the audience respectfully, and there are no rebellious youth to protest in our place. They are too consumed with their Ipods and their trips to the mall.
In the classroom, at the same time teachers (there are a few) struggle to teach tolerance and anti-raciam, we read in the news that a spokesperson ("unofficial", of course) for the Republican Party has called John Edwards a "faggot". Coulter says it was "just a joke," which is exactly the same way my students attempt to cover-up their cruelty to one another.
It seems like adults (including all the ex-flower children, and especially those in power)taught today's children how to live. Which brings to mind one of my favorite quotes:
"The dollar has replaced all the bullshit morals they [whites] say they have---give 'em enough, they'll kill their parents." -
Ice Cube, in the GenX Reader
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