In recently reading Hunter S. Thompson's 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' I was struck by his "wave speech", before knowing it was so often referenced, by Thompson himself and others.
"History is hard to know, because of all the hired bullshit, but even without being sure of "history" it seems entirely reasonable to think that every now and then the energy of a whole generation comes to a head in a long fine flash, for reasons that nobody really understands at the time—and which never explain, in retrospect, what actually happened."
The "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" provides more color on what it was like in that high-water mark of madness and release.
Fifty years before, an earlier equivalent was perhaps the roaring 20s, so it makes sense that "The Great Gatsby" was a template for this novel.
Since that time, silicon valley turned from Hells Angels and acid party locations to the engine of the modern economy. In an era of cheap money and globalization benefits supplying us with more for less, it's been a happy ride for most, if not all.
Our new 20s have started off with several external shocks, and now the trends of regionalization and fragmentation could guarantee us more expensive and slower economic growth. The death of QE2 is not a milestone as such, but perhaps marks the end of an era.
Excited and nervous to see what comes.
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