When our-agers were kids there was, in the way the internet offers, a ton of "stuff" all around us and we spent a lot of life deciding whether or not to say. We were often stumbling into serious situation like serial killers and terrorism. That stuff was just out of sight until we stepped into a day and the seeing and experiencing of it was just happening. Back in the 1970's those two topics weren't truly developed fields of work.
Into the 1980's we were also all put into a shelter somewhat guarding us against the Cold War.
All through the 1970's and 1980's there was an established and well-tended "world" of literature and journalism that had the job/duty of monitoring information. These professions stayed separate on purpose because it was so important to keep in pace with other professions having to do with safety and law.
For sprints of time before official warring is called there seems to be total freedom to say anything but that can be dangerous to self and to nation. It can also help multi-talented people hone their skills, connect with the people they will need to be connected with for such work, and/or build credentials. That can seem painstakingly slow, especially in a world where people can stick nuclear warheads on any old missile, and disguise spying and other war moves in all kinds of AI, but as the world gets into a more formal stance, the disciplined will be in better stead.
Um. You could learn about the controversy surrounding the book News of A Kidnapping.
Yeah, the drugs and other criminal stuff too. It was/is all around. That's why so many people consider home sanctuary. And why our parents went to such great lengths to raise us with standards and the gumption to understand the world as it is. Not getting destroyed was a major focus of family and friendship. Though early in life we were also competitive and seemed like everyone could get sucked into that.
The other morning I was remembering a fierce competition with a boy that had it's moments of drama on par with great romance and war. He was multi-talented and had natural access to the man's world so had some advantage in that sense. But I had a way of really taking my time with writing craft and listening to people well. Anytime we'd get close to, well, maybe we should work together, or help each other it brought out the worst in each of us. Someone slightly older was beneficial in helping us see that and to each push ourselves to not be afraid to stand alone. We actually almost got supportive of each other but then word went around and even reached us ten, eleven year olds...big story!
But you have to come with me to get it.
We each supersluethed our way to a "top secret" rendezvous point and realized the story-holder would have to pick one of us. There was awkward silence and sweaty hands then. Lo and behold we heard a helicopter coming. And soon we could see it. Then an emergency fireladder for a building dropped out and the helicopter made a pass, then another, and another. It was in those few moments that I saw in myself that there was a magnetism of adventure that, for me, was more compelling than even love and bioligical drives like sex and house-keeping. That pull that I always wrestle with and work hard at to balance with sanity and discipline. We basically mauled each other to get onto that ladder and then tried to disintegrate the other in air.
It was not pretty. I did not win. And the bruising took quite a while to heal. Our friendship and prospect of marriage never did.
It is about choice. And also commitment. People who choose to abide by the Ten Commandments, for example, are not choosing to instantly become "perfect". That choice has its share of challenge and fight. What we found in the 70's was that opening the Pandora's Box of leeway to the Ten Commandments has people constructing webs and worlds that can seem pretty complicated. And that banding together as unique people with the common goals of nation built on bedrock of Ten Commandments and founding principles gives people the support each needs to be really American in a full-bodied sense.
The eat my dust people will always do their thing their way. That's just how it is. That doesn't devalue everything else. And as we discovered by the end of the 20th century, bitter competition in which only one thing "wins" is a trap that flatlines thinking people into commodities.
I've got to get to real work. Organizing blog is more of a hobby these days!
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