So I started to read this book Dharma Punx. It's about this thirty-something dude's evolution from Drugged out punker in the 80's to Buddhist and meditation Guru of present day. The thing that turned me off right from the beginning was that he states he started smoking pot and huffing at the ripe old age of 5 years. He also stated that at 5 he thought about suicide and even had a favorite knife that he would pull out from time to time, just to show himself that he had the power to kill himself. He says that he was so self-aware @ 5 that he knew that there was some higher existence. Bull shit!!! Guess upon reflection one can make many interpretations.
The book, full of typos, depicts a street punkers life, the shows, the angst So far I am up to the guy at 16 going to Juvi Hall for smacking a jock up side the head with a skateboard.
Here is the question of the day, nature over nurture or nurture over nature? Hippie mom and dad divorced, Mom likes the shrumes, pot and asshole boyfriends. Dad, a well-respected meditation teacher, likes to verbally abuse his wife. Is this the recipe for a drugged out punker? How dose a suburban (Santa Cruz, CA) middle class boy turn to the dark side? Weak spirit, no strength of character?
Christ, I grew up in Camden, NJ one of the most depressed areas in the state. Forget being the only punker. My brother and I were the only whites. We found refuge in the clubs in Philadelphia like Revival, Pizzazz, Upstairs at Nicks and City Gardens(Trenton, NJ). We got our music from places like 3rd St. Jazz and Philadelphia Record Exchange. We spent our days in school and on the streets; our nights were in the clubs. Hell we were Straight Edge before we even knew we were Straight Edge. Never did drugs, never drank(well not until we became legal). What did my brother and I have that this guy didnt? Was it each other? We chose to gravitate around people that would help us down our path. People that 20 years later are still our friends. Where does one stray?
Just throwing random thoughts down. This book got me thinking. Made me reflect on my own life. Sorry for the rant, just had to get things out of my system. Whether it makes any sense or not, I dont know. I needed to put it down on paper as it were.
The book, full of typos, depicts a street punkers life, the shows, the angst So far I am up to the guy at 16 going to Juvi Hall for smacking a jock up side the head with a skateboard.
Here is the question of the day, nature over nurture or nurture over nature? Hippie mom and dad divorced, Mom likes the shrumes, pot and asshole boyfriends. Dad, a well-respected meditation teacher, likes to verbally abuse his wife. Is this the recipe for a drugged out punker? How dose a suburban (Santa Cruz, CA) middle class boy turn to the dark side? Weak spirit, no strength of character?
Christ, I grew up in Camden, NJ one of the most depressed areas in the state. Forget being the only punker. My brother and I were the only whites. We found refuge in the clubs in Philadelphia like Revival, Pizzazz, Upstairs at Nicks and City Gardens(Trenton, NJ). We got our music from places like 3rd St. Jazz and Philadelphia Record Exchange. We spent our days in school and on the streets; our nights were in the clubs. Hell we were Straight Edge before we even knew we were Straight Edge. Never did drugs, never drank(well not until we became legal). What did my brother and I have that this guy didnt? Was it each other? We chose to gravitate around people that would help us down our path. People that 20 years later are still our friends. Where does one stray?
Just throwing random thoughts down. This book got me thinking. Made me reflect on my own life. Sorry for the rant, just had to get things out of my system. Whether it makes any sense or not, I dont know. I needed to put it down on paper as it were.
crippledmike:
i was gonna get into this with you at BLB. sorry you didn't see MY BIG FUCKIN' FAKE LEG STICKIN' OUTTA MY SHORTS IN THE ENTRYWAY TO THE PLACE. Maybe next time.