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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 10. May 16 1977

Commerce student lets it all hang out

Commerce student lets it all hang out.

Dear Sir,

What, I ask in fervent desperation, is the most noticable visual disturbance blatantly obvious about campus as to produce unprecedented "drug-induced nocturnal emissions" amongst the exiled collectivity known to most as 'straights.'?

The staff of the Psyche department sporting sporting Tim Finn haircuts? (heaven forbid!) Fanatical riots outside the Memorial Theatre during the showing of "Psycho" between dedicated sociology and not-so-dedicated third year English students? (now that would be something?) No to both, so what is the answer?

Simple. . .

The extremities of absurdity — the flashy dressed cool trendies, and the pseudo-intellectual freaks who daily attempt to imitate the martyrs of freedom of the mid-late sixties; the (excuse me) hippies. On one side we have the cool trendies, who are more noticeably obvious (this is observed fact, ladles) amongst the females of this great institution, and on the other side (more repulsive for reasons to be expounded) are our 'fellow freak brothers.' Both though have similarities that one could describe as behavioural the desire for approval (i.e. they follow each other), while shouting 'individuality' and 'do-your-own-thing-man,' they talk walk, think and fart the same. Have you seen them? Heard them at forums and SGM farces?

Drawing of a police officer on a motorbike

Personally, I do not think I have the ability to describe them precisely but Uncle Frank put it quite obstrusively back in those much 'revered' sixties:

"Plastic boots (boobs?) and plastic hats /And you think you know where it's at!"

This applies to both factions described above. Just call them synthetic constructions, or mutated fragments of a pathetic ideal, depending on how 'individual' they are, or appear to be. Finally our loudmouthed, kaftan clad. Warhol worshipping, bead decked freaks who have nothing better to do than get on their ego soap boxes and converse about the impact of the Chinese Gang of Four on N.Z. society, ad nauseam. Who cares? (apart from Chinese students.)

You would think that the only political beliefs held by students is that of mythological Marxism (can I breathe it . . . socialism?) just because centre-rightists do not want society Radically changed for the sake of a verbose minority's esoteric desires, we are labelled (isn't everybody these days?) 'apathetic." Better, I say, than overtly pathetic.

Case in point: Recent survey uncovers that approximately sixty per cent of N. Zers approve of abortion on demand, twenty percent do not, and the remainder don't know (how unfortunate for them.) Why this speciacular change since the late sixties/early seventies? Public demand?! And since when, anyway, have the majority always been right in matters directly or indirectly concerned with moral issues? Because more television exposed members of the public agree with murder on demand?! (do I hear feminists crying "emotive"!.) One must remember though that it's a 'little murder' of an undesirable'. So are the elderly, mentally / physically handicapped and Islanders to certain demented sections of the community.

I eagerly await to be abused by varsity's various cliques, such as the Young Socialists, Feminist movement, and the Gay Lib Front. How delightful that cranks, dementoids, fags and dykes should take notice of a 'straight.'

Now that I've said my peace, I'll melt back into the conglomerate of the apathy league, and go about my daily mundane routine.

Who cares?

Not me.

Yours in lethargy,

G.L.C.

P.S. Please 'feminists,' don't vomit that "Right to do to our own body" slogan. Trying to advocate suicide? Try it yourself!