Enough of my depression, I was cheered by UK network TV re-screening "Forrest Gump" the other evening as its a fantastically clever film charting the death of the modern USA.
If your in the US and you want to know just where it all went wrong just watch that film again as it sort of supports my deep seated belief that US reached its height of global influence and significance in 1973 with the release of Lynrd Skynrds "Freebird", before sinking into the mire of warped values and corruption triggered by Nixon's resignation in 1974.
Then there was Ronnie Reagan, and AIDS. Fuck. Don't know which was worse.
Ignoring Clinton's efforts to invigorate things in the Nineties (maybe Southern men are the real heart of America, who knows) that's 30 years, or slow lumbering decline presented as progress whilst the rest of the world wholescale adopted all those values that had been slowly tearing America apart but we hadn't noticed.
Now were all in the shit because there is not one society that is not money obsessed, uncaring, wasteful and morally bankrupt. That's a real about-turn in just 30 short years.
I'm sure I would have loved America in 1973; big cars, big trucks, big buildings, big music, Hunter S Thompson, Charles Bukowski, politicians with vision, no big business, the Dallas Cowboys - Lynrd Skynrd and the Allman Brothers!
It was a cultural height of sorts, and where are we now in this globalised world?
Bombed out. Fucked off. Lied to. Disenfranchised. Having to invade foreign countries to keep fuel in our tanks and a fucking McDonalds or Starbucks every 400 yards.
The world is just one giant shopping mall now.
Maybe if we were all like Forrest the world would be a better place.
Sometimes you can just know too much in this world we live in.
I do and it frightens me.
posted by The Anti Crapitalist @ 3:36 PM
6 Comments:
Yes. The danger under these types of newer societiesis that the media blankets us with the myth that the person (s) will be at their happiest by constant buying.
Old cultural values have been raped and replaced with an unquenchable thirst for the superficial.
It's the new fucking spiritual enlightenment! All it achieves is short term ego forfillment.
Like I said in my blog recently Christmas is a perfect example of how society has evolved.
I have been thinking about my comment for this post for the past 12 hours. I am quite certain that no matter what I write, it still won't sound as I intend it to.
I will admit, I have only watched Forrest Gump once (when it first came out). Being that I am 38, most of the time span that was covered in the movie has only been relayed to me via history classes and books. Though I do have some concrete memories of the early 70's, the political air of the time was only a small portion. It wasn't until the 80's when I began to pay more attention to politics. Two terms of Reagan, followed up by Bush, the onset of AIDS, rampant spending and drug abuse took its toll on this country. You are right in your assesment that the US began to expand its money power and influence on "less fortunate" countries and cultures. It seems that we needed more than what our borders allowed. When I left this country, I was horrified to see McDonalds in the countries I entered. That is not why I left the US, to see more of the same backyard as in my country.
Clinton was the only president that I have voted for who has won. His terms were the only time that I felt comfortable in this country. To watch the second Bush piss it all away is rotten. Under Bush2, my life has been crap. I struggle finacially just to get groceries and clothe my kid. I need to beg health care for my son from the government. This is not how I want to live. I have not been out of this country since Bush2 came into power. I can't afford it. What is worse, I am constantly reminded that I am a loser because I even consider asking the government to help keep my kid in health insurance. It doesn't matter that I did pay 25 years in taxes to cover this, and didn't collect anything until now. Under Clinton, I wouldn't have needed these services.
As for the significance of "Freebird", well, in all actuality, wouldn't "Sweet Home Alabama" me more appropriate as song for the time you lament over? And if your age is correct as listed in your profile, why the fasination with Lynard Skynrd in the first place?
The US still has its big cars and big buildings, but look at how time treated both Bukowski and Thompson.
Sorry for the long rant.
Its not an obsession. To me Freebird just sums up a economically empowered hopeful 70's America, Sweet Home ... the decline of the Post Nixon era.
My age is correct. its not my demographic.
I was in the States a few months back and it depressed me how you can subjegate a whole population and still claim that they are economically empowered.
At least in the 60's they had the guts to shoot Presidents they didn't like.
oh jesus..i can't believe you said that!
Since i'm old enough to remember the 60's..I'll let you know about the real deal.
They were great..
we were innocent and hopeful and only saw bigger and better down the road.
I really think after the kennedys , USA went to shit.
I want our pampered pusses of children to get pissed..to get fucking ANGRY at the old farts that are wasting their country...
it's time for a revolution..it's PAST time
but our kids are comfortable..
and we've done a disservice to our youth..
we've made them passive..
me too old bean. The world's goin to hell - some of it's there already
There is a resistance!
Dont spend money
Tell all your friends too
Dont buy into all the Americanisation.
Refuse to wear GAP
Refuse to eat Hamburgers
Refuse to shop at big stores.
Thing is, its slightly rubbish if there is only me doing it.
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