Re: (Young People) The Big Flash by Norman Spinrad

On Thu, 6 Jun 2024 16:10:03 +1200, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:

On 6/06/24 01:34, James Nicoll wrote:

Young People Read Old Nebula Finalists: The Big Flash by Norman Spinrad
 
In which the Military-Industrial Complex grapples in sweaty
passionate embrace with the Entertainment-Industrial Complex.
 
https://youngpeoplereadoldsff.com/story/the-big-flash

>
The young people's thoughts were interesting as usual for this
straightforward tale but no-one referred to the theory that it was the
public influenced by hippies and their music that lost the Vietnam war,
rather than the Military-Industrial Complex on the ground.

I once heard/read of a study that showed that public support for the
War in Vietnam dropped with every body that returned to Fort Dover.

For the Greatest Generation, the War was fought to justify the Draft.
And the Draft had three goals:
1. Get their sons to marry.
2. Get their sons to produce a grandchild.
3. Get their sons to CUT THEIR G*DAMN HAIR.
Having them come home in a box was /not/ what was wanted.

Even 56 years later, the descriptions of the Heavy Metal band members
are still startling as are some Four Horsemen lyrics.
”I stabbed my mother and I mugged my paw
Nailed my sister to the toilet door
Drowned a puppy in a ce-ment machine
Burned a kitten just to hear it scream.”

Weren't there rap songs with similar themes?

These are /performers/. It's all about publicity.
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"