Fancy myself a Bohemian sitting here in the Starbucks writing on my blog in my peter gabriel concert t-shirt (long sleeve) and cargo pants. My hair is a little too long and my shoes are made for climbing. Maybe its the new bohemian – my Mac Titanium PowerBook G4 (well worn – its a 2002 model). I’m no Bohemian really. Just a pretender like most. I know a few people who really are and a few who were. And a few who are the new kind. I lean towards the Right and though I consider myself more of a non-party Pragmatist – I’ve voted Republican in four of the last five presidential elections.
I went to this Mythology conference last year – mostly because of a few people in my life. A professorial psychologist who opened my mind to many books, stories and social/cultural patterns. A software executive I had met several years ago who had made it his passion and my blood, which is half Greek. It was very Bohemian. The Mythic Imagination Institute had a conference called Mythic Journeys. Its a pretty interesting out of the box experience. Personally, I’m thinking Michael had a different idea initially then the crowd who came but I could be wrong. Most of the power was in the Jungian crowd along with the scholars and radical liberals. Not that there is anything wrong with that 
but you know my POV on many of these liberals. Well maybe you don’t:
I’m of the opinion that many are leftover from the 60’s/70’s and mostly interested in capturing youth but worse, many see the plight of the poor and disenfranchised as that of helpless children. The talk is often of the past and how they have been put down but the remedy is to take care of them rather then to help them take care of themselves. And then there is War – I had hope for many sessions that drew comparisons to mythology and today’s challenges with war and conflict. Instead these angry children of the 70’s dropped right back to VietNam and compared it to that. They think GW is Satan and spit vinegar and hate at anyone who disagreed with them. The discussions of American Indian culture and mythology were again hijacked to the plight of today’s Indian. How evil the White man is and what he has done.
The interesting part was that most of the round-table participants and discussion leaders were not interested in going this rout. Its the angry mob that takes you there. Most of the “Native Americans” were more concerned with moving forward and remembering their culture. Finding hope in the long term and looking at magnificent metaphors like grass growing thorough cracked pavement. One VietNam war veteran was hijacked into speaking about his experiences but he didn’t really want to go against what we are doing in Iraq or Afghanistan. He did get caught up in it and did make his points. But people lost the point of the session – made it a GW bashing session. At one point a man in the back spoke up and said that he was disappointed about this and also that he supported our troops in Iraq – the woman behind me was filled with so much fear and hate I thought she would burst a blood vessel in her head. I think so many of these people were protesters in the 70’s that blamed the soldiers and hated them – now with guilt and remorse, now with fear and loathing. Its very odd to me and so counterproductive.
Except perhaps to cause discussion and move people to action. But even then it doesn’t happen. I will go back to Mythology. Joseph Campbell who was so exonerated in this conference, was one of George Lucas’ inspiration for Star Wars. Perhaps you may think I’m a bit shallow going to that movie as sort of gospel but then you can judge all you want – that’s not what this is about. You see, the reason Star Wars worked is that it was about man’s mythic journeys. Campbell consulted with Lucas and the story line is the same that we have heard for thousands of years – from ancient Greek myths to bible stories to those of England and Europe and even Indian, Asian and American Indian stories. One key point in the movie – one key point I teach my children. Fear…. Fear leads to Hate, Hate leads to Anger, Anger leads to Suffering. You heard Yoda say it again and again. And I sense much fear in these angry people.
So am I a Bohemian at heart, perhaps. I have often fancied myself a philosopher – but I don’t have the temperament for it. My POV on many of these people is that either they had money or they don’t need it. I’m not one of the latter and I’m certainly not the former. If I had a million dollars…. as the song goes, I often fancy myself on a beach with a Grecian style parthenon type building behind me gazing at the sea in linen cloths blowing in the breeze – my hair a little longer my face a little tanner. Eyes closed and facing the wind. As my ancestors did, riding a sailboat on the sea. As my heros did, fighting for my family, my culture, my way of life. Beating monsters, forming opinions, capturing memories, living dreams. But so I toil now, working at this current path. I am that middle aged man of America – the one Bohemians may call a sell out – the one who makes more then most, embraces capitalism and promotes conservative, pragmatic values. I have my practical, pretty wife – my three lovely children, my house in the suburbs and my mini-van.
So I finally begin my journey – here in this public place that no-one really knows about except those that stumble upon it and find it. What is next…
