Sixties and Oldies

[Paul Mackin]

Thanks to Brian, Marc, John, Chris, Don, Ethan, davemarc for contributing
to my enlightenment (coming to my rescue as I termed it) on the pop
culture scene. You helped me get at the cause of my wonderment far better
than my inchoate scribblings deserved. The po mo impulse is an
excellent way of looking at the situation. The counter examples were important
too.

My wonderment of course had been over the way P-listers of markedly different
ages can communicate in terms of popular song lyrics and be pretty sure
of being understood. I compare this with my experience of the 1960s, when I 
had occasion to both work and socialize with many recent graduates all a decade
younger than myself. They also were also able to communicate intellectual
ideas in terms of the pop music of their time. But I shudder to think of
the blank stares if I had ever tried to contribute to the conversation
in terms of some reference to _my music_.  "Was that the same Argentine that
that Bob Eberle's seen toasts to Tangerine Raised in every bar across . . ?"
Well, it just wouldn't have made sense on several levels.

The P-list is a marvellous floating electronic symposium. Would have
done Socrates proud.

One last question: _Were_ the Sixties afterall just a short sweet wet dream?
But one which we all experienced in one way or another and continue to
experience. Is this what Old Wehrner meant?  "Nothing disappears without
a trace?"

 				P.