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Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

Hippies and the Occupy protest; and pure beauty in life……

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Occupy protests are starting to get serious. Cities across North America are growing tired of having a bunch of folks clogging up their parks and the police are starting to react. It’s all fairly predictable. And the majority of people in North America – read the silent majority – really don’t get it. They don’t understand why people are willing to live in squalor and cold to try to change the system. And that’s because for most of our older middle class people, life has been good. They don’t understand what there is to complain about. I understand. I’m an old hippie and I understand that the Occupy protesters are basically fighting the same thing the hippies did. And it’s called The Establishment – at least that’s what we called it back in the old days. And it’s big government and big business and big wealth and big power and big everything. It’s everything that makes ordinary people feel impotent and powerless and it’s everywhere around us. Back in the ‘60’s, the Establishment was just getting its footing – just starting to entrench itself in our societies. Today, it is everything and everywhere. It’s what sets the price of oil – it’s what starts wars where poor people fight it out – it’s what causes big banks to collapse so the little people can pick up the pieces. It is so powerful in today’s world that governments bow to it and bail it out when it gets itself into trouble. It is the Establishment, plain and simple. And while the Silent Majority sleep soundly on silk sheets and down pillows, the Establishment continues to lead us into deeper and deeper trouble and mayhem, all in the name of greed and profit. There were those of us who bought into the whole hippie thing of the ‘60’s. We actually thought we could change the world and make it a kinder, gentler place where people would treat each other with dignity and respect. We thought that was what the world was going to look like as the planet moved into the future. Instead, we have created a truly evil place where brother will fight brother and father will fight son – all in the name of greed. While we are playing with our toys, the Establishment is destroying the environment, destroying the economy, destroying the planet. And that’s what the Occupy movement is all about. Its members are people who can see the future and who want to change it. Just like the hippies. The hippies were like the canary in the coal mine. When they died, we should have seen the so-called writing on the wall. We should have known that there was poison in the air. But we didn’t get it. And the results are all around us…..if you don’t believe me, take a look.

I was up to Stratford last week to see the production of Jesus Christ Superstar for the second time this season. And I was completely and totally blown away by the performance. It was one of those shows where when it ended all I wanted to do was leap to my feet and yell bravo and bravo again. It was, to me, an example of the pure beauty that humanity has the power to create in this sordid world. It is a great story told in a wonderful way – perhaps the greatest story of all time. I wept through most of the performance because I felt its power. I also felt the pain of Jesus as he struggled with the role he had been chosen for. I am a huge fan of live theatre and have been for many years. I cannot really explain how it moves me and makes me see beauty in life. And so much of the great theatre carries with it great messages that last down through the ages. I will be forever thankful to have had the opportunity to see the theatre I’ve seen. It has made my life much more bearable. Just to know that good does exist.

Out of time for another week and hoping you’re all doing well out there. I’m trying to keep it together through another difficult period in my life. Take care and remember….”Hew to the line; let the chips fall where they may.”



John Gardiner is a 25-year-veteran of the community newspaper business, but he is also a prolific writer of moralistic short fiction he refers to as "emotional thoughtscapes" or "adult fables". Samples of his fiction can be found at:

He has also produced a noteworthy piece of humanist philosophy which can be found at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad502.htm He welcomes comments on his work.