Open Letter to the Youth of our Nation (1228 hits)
Category: PoliticsRating: 1.72 on 24 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Espo (View user info) at 2004-09-02 08:58:59 EDT
I have been reading a lot of Hunter S. Thompson lately and have enjoyed every page of text I have read so far.
This is an excerpt from his book "The Proud Highway" and was an essay that he wrote in 1955 at the age of 18. The first time I read it, I was struck by just how biting a commentary it was on America and American politics at the time. As I read it again, I was awed at how well it flowed and how, even at 18, Thompson manages to grasp a very large issue, understand it, and then poke fun at it in a very witty way.
The most profound aspect of the essay is that even though it was written nearly 50 years ago, the points that are made are still germain in today's society and political climate.
I have changed it a little bit, so as to make it relevant to today (the essay was originally a commentary on the McCarthy-era Red Scare and the American views towards Communists), but I have stayed true to the original text 95% of the time. I think it serves the same purpose and is just as satirical today as it was half a century ago.
If you have never read Hunter S. Thompson, I HIGHLY recommend you go out and purchase a few, if not all, of his books. They are exceedingly well written.
Let me know if any of you were as impressed with this as I was:
"Open Letter to the Youth of our Nation"
by Hunter S. Thompson, 1955
Awake from your slumber of indolence and harken the call of the future!
Do you realize that you are rapidly becoming a doomed generation? Do you realize that the fate of the world and of generations to come rests on your shoulders? Do you realize that at any time you may be called on to protect your country and the freedom of the world from the creeping scourge of Terrorism? How can you possibly laugh in the face of the disasters which face us from all sides? Oh ignorant youth, the world is not a joyous place. The time has come for you to dispense with the frivolous pleasures of childhood and get down to honest toil until you are sixty-five. Then and only then can you relax and collect your social security and live happily until the time of your death.
Also, your insolent attitude disturbs me greatly. You have the nerve to say that you have never known what it is like to live in a secure and peaceful world; you say that the present generation has balled things up to the extent that we now face a war so terrible that the very thought of it makes hardened veterans shudder; you say that it is impossible to lay any plans for the future until you are sure you have a future. I say Nonsense! None of these things matter. If you expect a future you must carve it out in the face of these things. You also say that you must wait until after you have served your time with the service to settle down. Ridiculous! It is a man's duty to pull up stakes and serve his country at any time, then settle down again.
I say there is no excuse for a feeling of insecurity on you part; there is no excuse for Juvenile Delinquency; there is no excuse for your attitude except that you are rotten and lazy! I was never like that! I worked hard; I saved; I didn't run around and stay out late at night; I carved out my own future through hard work and virtuous living, and look at me now; a respectable and successful man.
I warn you, if you don't start now it will be too late, and the blame for the end of the world will be laid at your feet. Heed my warning, oh depraved and profligate youth; I say awake, awake, awake!
Fearfully and disgustedly yours,
John J. Righteous-Hypocrite
Oh, and fuck you all who -2 this without reading it and say "Post your own work!111!!!one1!22!!one", because what Thompson wrote at 18 is light years better than anything you will ever write.
Espo
User Reviews
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2005-02-21 00:33:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
funny how nothing ever changes. the youth of today is always doomed.
Submitted by FelizJbirth (user info) at 2005-02-21 00:28:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Your linkwhoring worked, another fine piece of HST.
We've lost one of the best. Man, this is depressing news.
Submitted by Quasiplasmohedron (user info) at 2004-09-06 04:32:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I don't quite know what to think, but +2 anyway.
Submitted by Kent_Weirdo (user info) at 2004-09-03 07:27:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That shit is just hilarious, man.
Submitted by NoahsArk (user info) at 2004-09-03 00:54:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Death_Metal_Dude (user info) at 2004-09-03 00:53:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This post should have just said "we are we are."
Submitted by dickhead (user info) at 2004-09-03 00:49:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hunter S Thompson for fucking President!!!!
Submitted by Sideburns (user info) at 2004-09-02 12:16:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
....we are the youth of the nation...
Submitted by Anjie (user info) at 2004-09-02 12:08:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm halfway through The Great Shark Hunt, by HST. I think I love this man. Amazing!!
Submitted by cigar (user info) at 2004-09-02 11:35:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
HST is nothing but a fag. :(
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2004-09-02 11:26:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ah, gotcha. I was thinking uber-y, along the lines of "Hot Shit Thursday" to replace the current apparent standard.
Submitted by espo (user info) at 2004-09-02 10:54:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2004-09-02 10:52:59 (#)
Ranking: 2
I understand SPT, but HST? Wha?
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HST - Hunter S. Thompson
Greatest Journalist of our Time
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2004-09-02 10:52:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I understand SPT, but HST? Wha?
Submitted by tinactin (user info) at 2004-09-02 10:44:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Pretty good. I'll only take away 1 for it not being your own work.
Submitted by espo (user info) at 2004-09-02 10:37:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2004-09-02 10:33:25 (#)
Ranking: 2
It's Thursday? I didn't even notice...
"what Thompson wrote at 18 is light years better than anything you will ever write." - very true, even though I didn't yell at you for not posting your own work =)
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Thanks for not yelling at me. I'm actually surprised that this post has fallen through the cracks of SPT and managed to retain a pretty good rating without some idiot coming in and -2ing it.
*knocks on wood*
To -2 HST is sinful stuff.
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2004-09-02 10:33:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's Thursday? I didn't even notice...
"what Thompson wrote at 18 is light years better than anything you will ever write." - very true, even though I didn't yell at you for not posting your own work =)
Submitted by Totally_useless (user info) at 2004-09-02 09:53:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That's a great essay. Thanks for bringing it back to life for today's youth.
+2, live.
Submitted by Kent_Weirdo (user info) at 2004-09-02 09:39:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for HST.
Submitted by Adamdidit2u (user info) at 2004-09-02 09:35:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hunter S. Thompson is one of the best writers of all time, next to Kurt Vonnegut and the master of all socio-polititical scifi Robert Heinlien.
btw, have you ever seen fear and loathing....hhahahahaha I love that movie
"so it goes"
Submitted by shark25 (user info) at 2004-09-02 09:32:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked it.
Submitted by Pentameter (user info) at 2004-09-02 09:25:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very cool.
Submitted by I_Have_a_Kristen_Fetish (user info) at 2004-09-02 09:16:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
+2 for the post.
-2 not yours.
+1 You cited the original author.
Submitted by WillZone (user info) at 2004-09-02 09:07:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Solid POst Thursday!
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2004-09-02 09:02:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Apt.