Great perspective, Mike. I appreciate the article. The book Nixonland by Rick Perlstein chronicles the chaos in America from 1965 - 1973, and it paints a picture of America in the grips of mayhem, chaos, and, at times, what felt like anarchy. Political parties frayed and split. Strong men bullied the vulnerable. Powerful leaders changed long-held positions overnight. Lots of strong parallels. Best I can tell, the main difference is that there wasn't cable news and social media in that eight-year stretch—but it was just as, or more, crazy as today's era. It's quite a compelling read: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2393575.Nixonland
I remember 1968 from the perspective of a 6th grade student, so I was only peripherally aware of the violence. It was 1970, the year of the Kent State shootings, that really stands out in my memory... talk of draft-dodging was all around me among my fellow students as I entered High School. Had I been an adult with the awareness of the full scope of events that I have now, I'm sure I would have seen that period as the violent but transformative period that you describe -- different from now, but the same in many ways. As you described it in your book ... these are the death pangs of the old, and at the same time, the birth pangs of the new. Reminds me of the wise old sage, Olgra from an obscure old Jim Henson movie, "The Dark Crystal". As she put it, "... The Great Conjunction is the end of the world...or the beginning. End, begin. All the same! Big change! Sometimes good, sometimes bad!..."
Great perspective, Mike. I appreciate the article. The book Nixonland by Rick Perlstein chronicles the chaos in America from 1965 - 1973, and it paints a picture of America in the grips of mayhem, chaos, and, at times, what felt like anarchy. Political parties frayed and split. Strong men bullied the vulnerable. Powerful leaders changed long-held positions overnight. Lots of strong parallels. Best I can tell, the main difference is that there wasn't cable news and social media in that eight-year stretch—but it was just as, or more, crazy as today's era. It's quite a compelling read: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2393575.Nixonland
Thanks David! I’ll take a look. The similarities are truly remarkable.
History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme Mark Twain good to see you peopling
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Say Hello to Rick for me I m fan
I remember 1968 from the perspective of a 6th grade student, so I was only peripherally aware of the violence. It was 1970, the year of the Kent State shootings, that really stands out in my memory... talk of draft-dodging was all around me among my fellow students as I entered High School. Had I been an adult with the awareness of the full scope of events that I have now, I'm sure I would have seen that period as the violent but transformative period that you describe -- different from now, but the same in many ways. As you described it in your book ... these are the death pangs of the old, and at the same time, the birth pangs of the new. Reminds me of the wise old sage, Olgra from an obscure old Jim Henson movie, "The Dark Crystal". As she put it, "... The Great Conjunction is the end of the world...or the beginning. End, begin. All the same! Big change! Sometimes good, sometimes bad!..."