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GONZO CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS DISTORTING REALITY IN ORDER TO FIND THE TRUTH. AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS HAVE LONG HELD THE PILLARS OF STONE STRENGTH AND INTEGRITY. THE VIETNAM WAR LED TO QUESTIONING OF AUTHORITY. A CULTURE OF REBELLION WAS SEIZED UPON AS CHANGE. BUT IF ONE LOOKS BACK THROUGHOUT HISTORY, MASSIVE CULTURAL CHANGE USUALLY MEANT THE BEHEADING OF THE CURRENT KING OR QUEEN BY A SAVAGE BAND OF VANDALS.

TROUBLEMAKERS, CRIMINALS, DISSENTERS AND DRUNKEN INSANE WERE ALL LABELS ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDERS WHO DID NOT FIT INTO THE ELITE POWER CIRCLES OF NOBILITY OR WEALTH. AS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED, THE NOMADIC CULTURE TURNED TO AN SEDENTARY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. THAT IN TURN DEVELOPED INTO A MORE ADVANCED MILITARY-DEFENSIVE TECHNOLOGY TO RETAIN THE MOST PRECIOUS COMMODITY, THE LAND ITSELF. AS TECHNIQUES OF FARMING ADVANCED, MORE FREE TIME ALLOWED PEOPLE TO BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT THEIR SURROUNDINGS, NATURE, THE STARS-- AND ASK QUESTIONS. THE BASIS OF SCIENCE IS MAN'S OWN CURIOSITY OF HIS SURROUNDINGS COUPLED WITH THE URGE TO CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO.

AND THOSE WHO COULD PUT PEN TO PAPER TO CAPTURE THE CHANGES AROUND THEM WERE HELD IN SUSPICIOUS HIGH REGARD. FOR A MAN WITH SOMETHING SHOCKING TO SAY CAN GET A READY AUDIENCE OF BEMUSED SPECTATORS.

HUNTER S. THOMPSON BRANDED HIMSELF AS THE FIRST GONZO JOURNALIST, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF OTHER PEOPLE COINING THE PHRASE. BUT THOMPSON MARKETED HIMSELF AS THE REBEL JOURNALIST, FUELED BY THE FREE VERSE OF ALLEGED EXCESSIVE DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, AS A DOOR TO THE OPEN TRUTH OF THE EVENTS AROUND HIM. HE WAS ADMIRED BY MANY FOR WHAT HE WROTE, HOW HE WROTE IT, AND HOW HE GOT TO SAY WHAT HE WANTED TO SAY IN SPITE OF ALL CONVENTIONAL PUBLISHING AND JOURNALISM STANDARDS OF HIS DAY. LIKE AN IMPRESSIONIST PAINTER WHO DEFIED CONVENTIONAL OIL PORTRAITS, THERE WERE CRITICS AND QUIET ADMIRERS. BUT JUST AS THOSE NEW ARTISTS BECOME MAINSTREAM, ANOTHER FORM OF REBELLIOUS NON-CONFORMITY TAKES HOLD, LIKE THE ABSTRACT ARTISTS. AND THE CYCLE CONTINUES.

JUST LIKE PAINT, WORDS CAN CREATE VIVID IMAGES. HERE IS A RANDOM PASSAGE FROM GENERATION OF SWINE:

POLITICAL GIBBERISH IS NOT A PURELY AMERICAN ART FORM, LIKE JAZZ AND SAFETY BLITZ. BUT IN ONLY 200 YEARS HAVE WE RAISED IT TO A LEVEL OF ELOQUENCE BEYOND ANYTHING SINCE THE TIME OF THE CAESAR'S OR EVEN GENGHIS KAHN . . .

THIS IS NOT A MASTER'S THESIS ON THOMPSON'S CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICAN POLITICO-JOURNALISM (EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE PROBABLY NUMEROUS REALMS OF PAPER DEVOTED TO THE ACADEMIC SUBJECT MATTER) BUT A COMMENTARY ON HOW A NEW METHOD OF COMMUNICATION CAN MAKE PEOPLE THINK DIFFERENTLY. YEAH, THAT'S AN OLD ADVERTISING SLOGAN TOO, BUT EVEN ADVERTISING IS A CULTURAL MORASS OF FINDING DAISIES IN A PILE OF MANURE THEN SELLING YOU THE CONSUMER THE MANURE.

THOMPSON WAS KEEN ON CHALLENGING THE GENERAL PERCEPTION. WHEN HE WENT TO LAS VEGAS, HE FOUND THE CONFLICTING MESSAGES BEATING DOWN UPON THE MASSES. THIS WAS THE AMERICAN DREAM - - OPPORTUNITY FOR INSTANT WEALTH, IN A PLACE WHERE THE LAWLESS OLD WEST PRINCIPLES BUILT A DEMORALIZING BUT LEGAL GAMBLING EMPIRE WHICH EXTRACTS ALMOST EVERY DIME FROM A WILLING DOWN-ON-HIS-LUCK SUCKER LO0KING TO MAKE THE BIG SCORE. IT IS THE EMBODIMENT OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AND THE HARSH REALITY OF THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE. A ROLLER COASTER OF CONTRADICTIONS LIKE A STEER BEING TIED TO THE WHEEL OF DEATH IN A TURN -OF-THE-CENTURY SLAUGHTERHOUSE.

TAKE AWAY THE CURTAIN FROM THE STAGE SHOW, AND YOU WILL FIND BACK STAGE THE REAL PLAY. TIMOTHY CROUSE'S THE BOYS ON THE BUS, THE DOCUMENTARY ON THE POLITICAL PRESS CORPS (INCLUDING THOMPSON) DURING THE 1972 CAMPAIGN DID MORE TO EXPOSE THE NATIONAL MEDIA, ITS BIAS, AND THE CO-DEPENDENCY OF THE POLITICAL SAUSAGE MAKING THAT IT WOULD MAKE A LOGICAL PERSON INTO A CYNICAL NAYSAYER. NATIONAL POLITICS WAS NOTHING MORE THAN AN EXTENDED HORSE RACE, COMPLETE WITH GAMBLING, STUMBLING STEEDS AND PEOPLE JOCKEYING FOR POSITION. THE SPECTACLE WAS FUELED BY MONEY, GREED AND EGO - - - FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE IMAGINARY CURTAIN (PRESS AND POLITICIAN). IN SCHOOL, ANY PERSON COULD GROW UP TO BE PRESIDENT. THAT WAS PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM MYTHOLOGY.

NOW A GENERATION LATER, PEOPLE ARE FILLING CYBERSPACE IN SEARCH OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. NAPKIN BILLIONAIRES FROM SILICON VALLEY HAVE MADE THE BUSINESS MODEL OF HAVING AN IDEA AS BEING MORE IMPORTANT HAVING A PRODUCT THAT MAKES REAL MONEY FASHIONABLE AND PROFITABLE. INSTEAD OF A SMILING BLACKJACK DEALER PULLING AWAY YOUR HARD EARNED CHIPS, IT IS AN INVESTMENT BANKER, A BROKER, A VENTURE CAPITALIST AND A VULTURE PICKING AT YOUR BONES. THE SUCCESS STORIES ARE RARE BUT HIGHLY PUBLICIZED BECAUSE THE STORY FEEDS THE INVESTMENT-IPO FACTORY THAT CREATES WEALTH FOR SOME, AND BANKRUPTCY FOR OTHERS. HOW MANY BLOGGERS DO YOU KNOW HAVE MADE ENOUGH MONEY TO QUIT THEIR REAL JOB?

BEYOND BUSINESS, THE ARCHPRINCIPAL ILLUSION OF THE GIRL NEXT DOOR HAS BEEN CRUSHED BY HER SHOWING HER ASSETS ON HER NIGHTLY WEB CAM. WHAT WAS ONCE PRIVATE IS NOW VERY PUBLIC. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS HAVE FALLEN AWAY TO THE MOB-BLOG MENTALITY. POPULARITY IS MEASURED IN THE NUMBER OF HITS AND CLICKS AND NOT THE NUMBER OF ACTUAL FRIENDS.

AND THE CREEPS HAVE GRAVITATED TO THE INTERNET LIKE RATS TO RESTAURANT TRASH BINS. THE BIGGEST UNDERREPORTED GROWTH INDUSTRY ON THE INTERNET IS PERVERSION AND CRIME. CYBERSTALKERS HAVE A 24/7 NATIONAL ALLEYWAY INTO THE HOMES OF THE UNSUSPECTING VICTIM. THE IDENTITY THIEF HAS A 24/7 KEY TO BREAK IN TO ANYONE'S CREDIT CARD LINE OR BANK ACCOUNT. THE SCAM ARTIST HAS WEB TRADING SITES LIKE EBAY TO SCAM MERCHANDISE AT INFLATED PRICES. THE CRIMINALS HAVE FOUND THE PERFECT SHADOW OF THE NET TO OPERATE WITH UNBRIDLED FREEDOM.

YOU CANNOT STOP THE TRAIN THAT HAS LEFT THE STATION. THE INTERNET BOOM HAS HAD JUST ABOUT EVERYONE CLIMBING ON BOARD FOR THE RIDE, WHETHER IT BE BUMPY OR SMOOTH. AND WE THINK THAT THE RIDE WILL BE GETTING ROUGHER AS TIME GOES BY.

AMERICA HAS NOT HAD AN INTERNET RECESSION . . . YET. THE UNITED STATES HAS LOST MILLIONS OF MANUFACTURING JOBS. THE U.S. IMPORTS MOST OF ITS FINISHED GOODS FROM THIRD WORLD PRODUCERS LIKE CHINA, INDIA, OR MEXICO. COMPANIES WENT OVERSEAS TO SAVE ON COSTS OF MANUFACTURING. AMERICA HAS TURNED INTO A SERVICE ECONOMY, WHICH BY ITS VERY CORE, EQUATES TO A LESSER STANDARD OF LIVING BECAUSE IT IS HARDER TO VALUE ADD PROFIT TO SERVICES THAN IT IS TO THE ASSEMBLY OF PARTS INTO A TANGIBLE PRODUCT (LIKE A CAR.) THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IS NOW CENTERED UPON ONLY A FEW LARGE ENDEAVORS: CONSTRUCTION, GOVERNMENT, AND FAST-FOOD RETAIL. THE LARGEST GROWING SECTOR IN THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IS GOVERNMENT. THE LARGEST GROWING PRIVATE SECTOR JOB IS MINIMUM WAGE RETAIL CLERKING. THE SERVICE ECONOMY ALSO CONTAINS THE INTERNET COMPANIES, THE GOOGLES, MICROSOFTS, AND YAHOOS. BUT THE FOCUS ON THE SEARCH ENGINE COMPANIES IS FORCE FEEDING ADVERTISING UPON ITS USERS. ITS EMPLOYEES MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO SELL SEARCH ADS, SEARCH ENGINE PLACEMENT SERVICES, AND BANNER AD LINKS.

BUT THE POLITICIANS DO NOT DWELL UPON SUCH MATTERS OF ECONOMICS. NUMBERS HURT THE BRAIN CELLS. AND EVEN THOUGH THEY PREACH THAT THEY CAN MICROMANAGE A MULTI-TRILLION DOLLAR ECONOMY, THE GOVERNMENT IS JUST ANOTHER BOAT REACTING TO THE WHIRLPOOL OF ECONOMIC TIDES CAUSED BY THE CONSUMER DRIVEN MONSOON OF NEW DEBT-SPENDING SPREES.

AS YOU CAN TELL BY THIS TANGENT, ONE CAN EASILY GET SIDETRACKED FROM THE REAL ISSUES. THE IMPORTANCE OF EVENT IS NOW DETERMINED BY THE DEMOGRAPHIC YELLOW JOURNALISM RATING POINTS OF CABLE NEWS ANCHORS WHO CAN ONLY FIXATE ON ONE STORY A DAY. ONE MURDER IN OHIO BECOMES A NATIONAL TRAGEDY WHILE A FAMILY HOMICIDE OF FOUR IN SUBURBAN CHICAGO GETS LITTLE COVERAGE. IT IS THE NATURE OF THE WOUNDED MEDIA BEAST THAT HAS LOST MOST OF ITS VIEWERS TO THE EASY, FREE AND PROVOCATIVE ALLURING CONTENT OF THE INTERNET.

THE INTERNET IS MOVING PUBLIC OPINION. IF TRAFFIC BUMPS UP ON A BLOGGER'S SITE, OR A YOUTUBE VIDEO TURNS INTO AN OFFICE PARTY RAGE, THEN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA PICKS UP ON THE EVENT LIKE A JUNKIE TO A USED NEEDLE. THAT VALIDATION CREATES THE SURGE OF THE AVERAGE YOKEL TO BE THAT NEXT MEDIA DARLING. IT IS LIKE THE AMERICAN DREAM OF PICKING A NUMBER ON THE ROULETTE WHEEL BUT THE WHEEL NOW HAS 300 MILLION NUMBERS ON IT.

THOMPSON KILLED HIMSELF FROM THE PAIN AND PASSAGE OF TIME WHEN HIS VOICE WAS TRULY UNIQUE. IN HIS YEARS, HE HAD A SET OF PRINCIPLES TO BUILD HIS FOUNDATION OF WORDS: CALL A CREEP A CREEP, A JERK A JERK, AN IDIOT AN IDIOT. HE USED THE MONSTER OF RICHARD NIXON TO PUT HIS LIFE AND PHILOSOPHY INTO PERSPECTIVE. BUT WHEN HIS OWN DEMOCRATIC PARTY LOST ITS OWN WAY, WITH SCANDALS OF THE CLINTONS BEING GLORIFIED BY THOSE WHO TOOK CONTROL FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL GAIN, IT WAS A BITTER PILL TOO HARD TO SWALLOW. IT IS HARD TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT KILLING YOUR PERSONAL DEMON WHEN YOU TURN TO YOUR FELLOW SOLDIERS WHO ARE TURNING INTO EVEN MORE SLIMEY LIZARDS BEFORE YOUR OWN EYES. THEY SPEAK IN POLITICAL JIBBERISH ABOUT PROTECTING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AND SOLVING EVERY KNOWN PROBLEM ON EARTH BUT AT THE SAME TIME BECOME MILLIONAIRES FOR BEING CAREER POLITICIANS. POWER CORRUPTS. ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY. SO THE OLD FOUNDATION HAS BEEN ERODED AWAY BY THE HOT AIR OF THE NEW BREED OF POLITICAL GADFLY, A SWARM OF BLOOD SUCKING HORSE FLIES DESCENDING UPON THE AMERICAN FAMILY PICNIC TABLE.

WITH CUT-BACKS AT MOST MAJOR NEWSPAPERS AND MEDIA NEWSROOMS, THERE IS LITTLE TRADITIONAL SPACE FOR THE OPINIONATED PROCRASTINATOR. CROSS-MEDIA OWNERSHIP OF PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA HAS LESSENED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW VOICES TO FIND AN AUDIENCE. IN A POLITICALLY CORRECT CHARGED ATMOSPHERE WHERE MEDIA OWNERS THINK THEY CANNOT OFFEND A SINGLE VIEWER OR A SINGLE ADVERTISER, THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THE NEXT GONZO JOURNALIST CALLING EVERYTHING INTO QUESTION. THE NET IS PROBABLY NO BETTER A PLACE. THE INTERNET IS A VAST DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL. BUT YOU ARE STILL A SINGLE VOICE IN AN OCEAN OF PAMPHLETEERS. WHICH BRINGS AMERICA ALMOST FULL CIRCLE. THE ORIGINAL REVOLUTIONARIES WERE SIMPLE PRINTERS WHO TACKED UP HAND BILLS DENOUNCING THE CROWN. IT ALSO TOOK A LONG TIME FOR THE MESSAGE TO FILTER DOWN TO THE COMMON MAN TO INSTIGATE CHANGE. HOW IRONIC. WE ARE IN THE SAME POSITION TODAY.