Cyber Heroes

In the 1960s and 1970s, a strange movement emerged in the United States called the "hippie" movement.

"Hippies", music, poetry, nature, starry night, yoga, sexual liberation, occultism.

And, of course, there are hallucinogens.

Love and peace, anti-war, anti-tradition, and anti-secularity are all combined in an extremely emotional way.

So people took to the streets to oppose the war and the United States.

Of course, there's also drugs and sex.

"So, what kind of people do you think these guys are?" Jing Hongtu asked Xiangshan.

Xiang Shan thought for a moment: "Idiot?"

Jing Hongtu nodded: "Well, it makes sense - what's the reason?"

"Modern civilization and industrialization have provided the best possible material conditions for as many people as possible. Although it may be a worse era in history, it is more promising than all eras in the pre-industrial era." Xiang Shan said: "If you want to dismantle society and return to the so-called 'plain and simple primitive life' - how many people will die in distress due to lack of resources?"

"As expected of you, you really care about this angle the most." Jing Hongtu nodded: "This is an angle. But, you are a person standing in the lower reaches of history, Xiao Xiang. They couldn't see it in their time. 'History' you see. People back then didn't have many choices to make."

"Go on."

"After the end of World War II and the reconstruction work of World War II, the national power of the United States has expanded unprecedentedly. The material living standards of the people are constantly improving. Everyone can see 'hope.' But at the same time, the clouds of the Cold War are still there. They really live in the shadow of 'the world could end'."

"Although society promises them that they can dream, the greed of large companies and the shackles of conservative morals are restraining them. Their country will send young people across half the world to fight a battle with extremely low cost performance. In this kind of hope and despair Tortured by dreams, dreams, and broken dreams, some of their consciousness collapsed. This is not an individual phenomenon, but a collective phenomenon."

"So, people stood up. I don't know if you have seen an old photo. A young man with long hair in a turtleneck put a carnation on the muzzle of the gun pointed at him by the military police. This is so beautiful. , Xiaoxiang. Can you imagine? How noble and beautiful this scene is. When I was young, I saw the record of this event and wanted to cry for it."

Xiang Shan took out his cell phone, opened the search engine, and quickly found the photo. Then he nodded: "This is the first time I know... he does look like a saint."

"There were indeed very noble hippies at that time. They abandoned existing social concepts, so they were resented by vested interests. They had to bear all kinds of stigmas. The word 'hippies' is in the mouth of conservatives. It directly became a curse word.”

Xiangshan hesitated: "So I said they are idiots...is it too much?"

"It's not too much. Thanks to them, a small group of people in the United States still think that the 'welfare society' and 'red ideology' include hallucinogens for free." Jing Hongtu said, "They are looking for a path to self-salvation. , but they didn’t go the right way, so now only the gangsters are left.”

Xiangshan was a little confused: "Then are they good or bad?"

"This is a very complicated issue. I can't tell you whether it is 'good' or 'bad'." Jing Hongtu shook his head: "It is indeed difficult to describe many things as 'good' or 'bad' . This is a very complex issue."

"They live in big houses and eat sugar and meat that are extremely cheap compared to their income. They have money to go to the movies, have TVs, radios, and even cars at home. In other people of the same era, From a country's perspective, the material conditions are extremely good. But is human happiness like this? Let's talk about you. In fact, the current material conditions of the Republic are better than those of the United States at that time, and they are better than any point in our country's history. Better. So do you think you have achieved 'absolute happiness'? That is, 'I don't conclude that I am happy after comparing my material conditions with others, but I am always filled with happiness without comparison.'"

Xiang Shan fell into deep thought.

Jing Hongtu waited for Xiangshan to think for a while and then said: "As an engineer, you may not like this kind of unquantifiable standard. But judging from what the two of us chatted about before, I'm afraid you are not that kind of person." A person whose heart is overflowing with happiness."

Xiang Shan rubbed his neck: "Maybe I'm more pretentious by nature."

"No. Because modern life is too contrary to the instinct of hunter-gatherers, and it has a huge conflict with the culture left over from the farming and nomadic era. You have always felt that this kind of conflict should be allowed to take its course and let modern society overcome instinct and culture. , but things are not that simple." Jing Hongtu shook his head, "Let's talk about those hippies."

"They are poor people who cannot feel happiness, so they struggle to fight against the world and authority. But they are people from the United States. There are more poor people in Asia, Africa and Latin America, perhaps more pitiful than them. But aren't they pitiful? No. They really cannot appreciate the greatness and glory of the United States, and they really have no sense of happiness, so they can only express confrontation in this way."

"The activities of the hippies have left a profound mark in history, both positive and negative. Their activities have greatly promoted the innovation of modern art and aesthetics. For example, now there are quite a few art From the perspective of art history, the origins of sexy posters and covers of books and audio-visual products can be traced back to them. On the other hand, the proliferation of "love and peace" people in the United States and the almost unstoppable drug abuse can also be attributed to them. body. They also create a huge cognitive dissonance that allows some Americans to associate 'progressivism' with 'drugs.'"

"But at least they do have a sublime sense of beauty. Recall, when you were arguing with Professor Voigt, and when you were debating with the little hacker girl, did you see that 'flower arrangement on the muzzle' with me? The feelings of the photos are similar? This feeling of 'can't help but be attracted'."

Xiang Shan nodded: "Yes, yes... I think it's the same. How did you overcome this confusion?"

"This confusion will accompany you for a long time, Xiao Xiang. Because from a moral perspective, those hippies, Professor Voigt, and the little hacker girl were all right. They were wrong in their methods. Lacking the correct methodology, they did not really change the world. But the original motivation was absolutely not false. Being attracted to their spirit is not a bad thing, let alone shameful. But you have to understand the difference."

Jing Hongtu pointed to the handle: "Also, if you don't want to play, how about you let me play for a while."

"oh."