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Show The life-style of Freak society is casual, social and less time schedule oriented. Clocks mean little and plans can always be modified in case friends drop over, which they often do. Plans rarely exist-things happen spontaneously-and if they do, they are almost always modified. The individual is expected to be just that, and toleration of people and ideas different from one's own is the cornerstone of meaningful experience. The literature of many conservative organizations, churches and law-enforcement agencies characterize longhaired society as escapist. This is untrue. The people who live off in TV-land are the escapists-freak society is made up of those who are trying to cope in a human manner with the insanity of Technocracy gone berserk. Drug-usage is the most-often cited evidence of escapism, but most any user of psychedelics who has been around long will tell you that drugs are merely a manner of enjoying life more, not a solution to anyone's problems and definitely not a way to get away from any difficulty. In fact, the opposite is true. If one feels bad, chemicals will amplify that state of mind. Many young people cherish the idea of "getting back" to the land, living simply and at peace. But for most this will always be pipe dream number one. The reason for this is simple-Woodstock Nation is tied up technology. Electronic music, electronic stereos, urban living, cultural/intellectual centricity, books, movies and pre-packaged foods all bind Woodstock Nation citizens together in the urban trap. Expanding cities, freeways, population growth, pollution and industry make a permanent escape from The Great American City unlikely in any case. 57 |