Enter the Young

By Lola Wilcox

Sexual Revolution

The Young are shaping a new face on the sex, marriage, and children part of their society. … It is possible that all forms and possible combinations of human “togetherness” will be accepted, or at least not persecuted, by the general public. It is even possible that single people will be allowed to be single – perhaps even to go to a dinner party without being saddled with a prospective mate. … In this most basic area of life the Young have been called “decadent” and “immoral” once too often. I maintain with (Timothy) Leary, that through their extreme innocence (Is it possible they really believe in mutual love, trust, etc.?) they promise to provide the most humane, the most moral answers to the oldest question on earth.

Dual Awareness

There is one other thing I want to say about the Young in this writing. (… In the Hilton plaza) was a congregation of four hundred young men and women. They had long hair, bright clothing, and lean, hard bodies. They were sitting and standing around the sunken center of the area, watching fifteen or so of their number play “Keep-away” with a large rubber ball. … There was a raw, egotistical beauty in the hard movements of those playing “Keep-Away”. There was also a definite sense of ‘being attuned’ among the watchers of this game. It was this undercurrent of common – what? Sentiment? Style? – which the passing people on the street felt and which terrified them. For these Young were together – not because they were involved in doing the same thing at the same time, but because they were aware they were doing it, and then again aware of each other’s sense of awareness.

This dual consciousness of awareness exists among the Young of the world in a bus, classroom, library, street – anywhere. They watch each other and watch themselves watching. “This is the watchbird watching you.” …