My name is Tony Danza and I am a radical individual. Before I go on, let me first describe what a radical individual is. The term was first coined by Judge Robert Bork in his book "Slouching Towards Gomorrah". Judge Bork's definition is; a radical individual is one that is individualistic to the detriment of society. In the book he made the argument that the 1960's, with all its upheaval and idealism, was really just a bunch of radical individuals doing whatever the heck they wanted. Remember "do your own thing"? The argument has been; was the 60's and early 70's a time of profound change in thinking and a new way of relating to each other and to our government or was it just a big irresponsible party?
Now, as I think back, I wonder. I graduated high school in 1968 and went to college at a small liberal arts institution in Dubuque Iowa, The University of Dubuque. When I arrived in Iowa from New York it was quite a culture shock. Up until that time I thought New York was the norm. It wasn't. The other big shock was the rigid rules and mores of the campus and the city. Iowa was a dry state so we drove across the Mississippi to Wisconsin to drink 3.2 beer. The upper classmen, especially the anointed seniors, constantly hazed the 'silly superfluous...etc.' freshman. We would have to wear a beanie with a little propeller on top and recite the whole "s" spiel on command. In the cafeteria if an upper classmen asked you, you had to take his tray back to the counter. The curfew was 10:30 on weekdays and 12 on the weekends. The big men on campus and the cool girls were all in fraternities and sororities. These organizations also had rules and the members were all too happy to adhere to them. Not so much me and most of the freshmen I came in with. Rules were made to be broken, that's how you knew you were alive.
Today we shop but that's another story. The first sign of rad individuality was hair starting to grow longer. It was a tangible way to let people know, especially in Iowa, that you were an individual and a non-conformist. For some reason, making sure people knew that seemed so important. Long hair on a man,
today no big deal, but in 1968 it was a huge deal and a statement. When I came home with my new long hairdo my mom threw me out of the house and told me not to come back until I had a proper hair cut. Talk about radical. I wouldn't do it and it became a source of great aggravation in my family. By the way my family lived in Long Island N.Y.- the establishment was everywhere.
The next sign of rad behavior was an overwhelming need to be seen and heard. Loud, obnoxious behavior in the belief we were somehow changing the world. I shudder to think what kind of reality shows would have been created if they were doing them then. This was a time of rock and roll, drugs, sexual awakening and experimentation. There was a real feeling that this was the way to live your life and damn the establishment. Trust no one over thirty and have it your way.
So now I look back. I am nearing sixty and college and long hair seem like such a distant memory. I have to try and really be honest with myself. I want to believe that there was some real meaning to that time. When we said, "power to the people", protested the Vietnam War and marched for civil rights. Weren't we doing it because we were committed to a better world? I admit, I don't think we considered the consequences, both intended and unintended, not many young people ever do, but there was an undeniable feeling of "there's something happening here." It also was so much fun. So much fun! Maybe that proves Judge Bork's argument. Changing the world can't be fun. Changing the world is serious business. Either way I still believe that individualism is good. Our country was and is built on it, but as in everything else, there is a limit. Even for an old, half a hippie like me, a little conformity sounds pretty good. Especially when you are trying to leave something of that old way to your own children. So Judge Bork Thanks for the term. I admit I was one and I agree with you to a point, but I sure am glad I had a time when I had long hair.
T
