Reaction to Barthelme

In "The Police Band", I found it very interesting how subtle the drug references were. Barthelme tells the story about a group of individuals whose "efficacy will be demonstrated in due time" under the instruction of the mayor who, "took a little pill from the box". Later on, he writes about how the mayor "had a little drug problem of his own". It is so strange to me that the author insists on the mayor, a man of authority, has a drug problem. In today's society, if we found out that a person in a position like the mayor's had some kind of connection, it would be a huge deal. It would be all over the media and every news source around. Yet here, it is so nonchalantly spoken about. As the mayor sneaks some pills here or there, it is not a focus of the essay. Since I am reading it from a 2009 perspective, it is not so nonchalant to me. It was the first thing that grabbed my attention.

It is very interesting to note how attitudes toward drugs have changed so much since the 1960's and 1970's. Its not to say that mayor's and presidents all over the U.S. today don't do drugs, it is just that they hide it. Also today, people in those authoritative positions focus more on infidelities then they do on thier drug use! Forty years ago, it was all just part of the experience!

Reaction to Andrew Gordon

This story was pretty 'groovy'! It really shows how social drugs can be within a society. Whether it is because people are gathering together to break the law or that they all want to kick back and reach a higher state, they all have something in common. Weed especially, is a drug that you do with other people. You call your friends up, they bring some friends, and you all get high together. What is interesting about it is that you can smoke with anybody. They don't necessarily have to be your friend, or even someone you know. It could just be someone that wants to get high, just like yourself. That's how this author felt. Although he had so much in common with Pynchon, he did not find it absolutely necessary to share those feelings with him. He was happy 'communicating' through the drugs. It is interesting how drug use in the sixties still remains true today. People continue to smoke weed communally as a way of communicating. It is a means of nonverbal interaction between everyone involved.

Reaction to Alexie

This story about a Native American family wrapped around music, shows how influential some periods of people's lives can really be. I found it really interesting to hear a Native Americans point of view about Woodstock because it is the first time the thought of it crossed my mind. It made me shiver when he talked about influential Jimi Hendrix is. He relied on the music to get him through arguments, sad times, and places in his life that he felt alone. I couldn't believe how improtant The Star Spangled Banner was to him. But it makes sense. The song really carrys so much connotation; peace, war, love, hate, freedom, unity and America. I could only imagine the energy from the crowd when he played this! It makes me want to listen to this song!

A little off subject, it was really creepy when the author spoke about listening to his parent's lovemaking and enjoying it. It was strange how he would think about Jimi Hendrix while they made love.

Reaction to Goines

Goines' essay, "From the Free Speech Movement", he describes his arrest at Berkley after a peaceful demonstration. What I found interesting is how uniform and united the whole group of students were. Even though they denied the rules and regulations that society, and especially the police, had for them, they created thier own and followed them. Their rules were very explicit and detailed, addressing every situation that they would be faced with as demonstrators. This really shows how wholesome and unified these people were. Everyone looked out for each other and didn't always do things in thier own best interest. I really like this concept. I feel like the rules of today reflect the selfishness of our society. For example, if a bunch of kids got pulled over and had some drugs in the car, most likely nobody would fess up to it. As a result, whoever owned the car would be responsible for the drugs. This happens all the time. If this were to happen in Berkeley, I think that everyone would claim the drugs so that one person alone doesn't get the hit. The hippies were much more focused on community then we are today. Also, I thought thier songs and thier lyrics really showed how they were a unified group of people who were trying to better thier lives. These people demonstrated to better everyone's life, not just the people at Berkeley. It is an interesting concept, I just don't understand why people today can't bend more towards community and the good of all instead of just themselves. We are very much a selfish soceity!