This childish appeal seems to be apparent in the adult lives of hippies, which consequently affects the children as they have to live in the environment of drugs and unregulated liberty. Their marriage seems almost like a comical decision done by children when explained by Didion. Mill’s Statement is contradicted by the descriptions of Didion as she tells the story of Deadeye and Gerry who seem to live a life of clueless ambition. It also keeps “the life in those which already existed” (53) as it keeps the intellect of mankind alive. For Mill, in order for society to progress, these social movements must happen as people need to form and change. However, Mill explains “There is always need of persons…to discover new truths…to commence new practices…This cannot well be gainsaid by anybody who does not believe that the world has already attained perfection…” (53).

From this, without even stating her exact opinion, Didion deduces the consequences of the hippie movement on being detrimental to the youth and what they could be without the hippie influence.Įvidently, the move from the conservative to liberal stature seemed as downgrade to society to Didion. She then asks the teenagers what they saw their future as when they were kids This abruptly changes the whole conversation to the reader, as the girl replies she wanted to be a veterinarian. She asks what they were planning to do next in which the boy replies “I always kinda dug metal shop, welding… Anyway you can’t pre-plan” (92). In her conversation with two runaway teenagers, she creates a sense of disappointment and sadness towards the teenagers through verbal montage. She makes some friends along the way, as she tells her story of meeting people who lived off being high, dropping out and leaving every bit of conservatism out the door. Didion begins the essay by painting a distraught picture of America and eventually moving on to discuss the “social hemorrhaging” in San Francisco, referring to the hippie movement.

Slouching towards bethlehem author joan