the-sad-young-man

unit1thesadyoungmenRodW.HortonandHerbertW.Edwards1NoaspectoflifeintheTwentieshasbeenmorecommenteduponandsensationallyromanticizedthantheso-calledRevoltoftheYoungerGeneration.Theslightestmentionofthedecadebringsnostalgicrecollectionstothemiddle-agedandcuriousquestioningsbytheyoung:memoriesofthedeliciouslyillicitthrillofthefirstvisittoaspeakeasy,ofthebravedenunciationofPuritanmorality,andofthefashionableexperimentationsinamourintheparkedsedanonacountryroad;questionsaboutthenaughty,jazzyparties,theflask-totingsheik,andthemoralandstylisticvagariesoftheflapperandthedrug-storecowboy.Wereyoungpeoplereallysowild?present-daystudentsasktheirparentsandteachers.WastherereallyaYoungerGenerationproblem?Theanswerstosuchinquiriesmustofnecessitybeyesandno--YesbecausethebusinessofgrowingupisalwaysaccompaniedbyaYoungerGenerationProblem;nobecausewhatseemedsowild,irresponsible,andimmoralinsocialbehavioratthetimecannowbeseeninperspectiveasbeingsomethingconsiderablylesssensationalthanthedegenerauonofourjazzmadyouth.2Actually,therevoltoftheyoungpeoplewasalogicaloutcomeofconditionsintheage:Firstofall,itmustberememberedthattherebellionwasnotconfinedtotheUnit-edStates,butaffectedtheentireWesternworldasaresultoftheaftermathofthefirstseriouswarinacentury.Second,intheUnitedStatesitwasreluctantlyrealizedbysome-subconsciouslyifnotopenly--thatourcountrywasnolongerisolatedineitherpoliticsortraditionandthatwehadreachedaninternationalstaturethatwouldforeverpreventusfromretreatingbehindtheartificialwallsofaprovincialmoralityorthegeographicalprotectionofourtwoborderingoceans.3TherejectionofVictoriangentilitywas,inanycase,inevitable.TheboomingofAmericanindustry,withitsgigantic,roaringfactories,itscorporateimpersonality,anditslargescaleaggressiveness,nolongerleftanyroomforthecodeofpolitebehaviorandwell-bredmoralityfashionedinaquieterandlesscompetitiveage.Warornowar,asthegenerationspassed,itbecameincreasinglydifficultforouryoungpeopletoacceptstandardsofbehaviorthatborenorelationshiptothebustlingbusinessmediuminwhichtheywereexpectedtobattleforsuccess.ThewaractedmerelyasacatalyticagentinthisbreakdownoftheVictoriansocialstructure,andbyprecipitatingouryoungpeopleintoapatternofmassmurderitreleasedtheirinhibitedviolentenergieswhich,aftertheshootingwasover,wereturnedinbothEuropeandAmericatothedestructionofanobsolescentnineteenth-centurysociety.4Thusinachangingworldyouthwasfacedwiththechallengeofbringingourmoresuptodate.Butatthesametimeitwastempted,inAmericaatleast,toescapeitsresponsibilitiesandretreatbehindanairofnaughtyalcoholicsophisticationandaposeofBohemianimmorality.Thefaddishness,thewildspendingofmoneyontransitorypleasuresandmomentarynovelties,thehecticairofgaiety,theexperimentationinsensation--sex,drugs,alcohol,perversions--wereallpartofthepatternofescape,anescapemadepossiblebyageneralprosperityandapost-warfatiguewithpolitics,economicrestrictions,andinternationalresponsibilities.Prohibitionaffordedtheyoungtheadditionalopportunityofmakingtheirpleasuresillicit,andthemuch-publicizedorgiesanddefiantmanifestoesoftheintellectualscrowdingintoGreenwichVillagegavethemapatternandaphilosophicdefensefortheirescapism.Andlikemostescapistsprees,thisonelasteduntilthemoneyranout,untilthecrashoftheworldeconomicstructureattheendofthedecadecalledthepartytoahaltandforcedtherevelerstosoberupandfacetheproblemsofthenewage.5TherebellionstartedwithWorldWarI.Theprolongedstalemateof1915--1916,theincreasinginsolenceofGermanytowardtheUnitedStates,andourofficialreluctancetodeclareourstatusasabelligerentwereintolerabletomanyofouridealisticcitizens,andwithtypicalAmericanadventurousnessenhancedsomewhatbythestrenuousjingoismofTheodoreRoosevelt,ouryoungmenbegantoenlistunderforeignflags.InthewordsofJoeWilliams,inJohnDosPassos'U.S.A.,theywantedtogetintothefunbeforethewholethingturnedbellyup.Formilitaryservice,in1916--1917,wasstillaromanticoccupation.Theyoungmenofcollegeagein1917knewnothingofmodernwarfare.Thestrifeof1861--1865hadpopularlybecome,inmotionpictureandstory,amagnolia-scentedsoapopera,whiletheonehundred-days'fracaswithSpainin1898haddissolvedintoaone-sidedvictoryatManilaandacinematicchargeupSanJuanHill.Furthermore,therewereenoughhighschoolassemblyoratorsproclaimingthecharacter-formingforceofthestrenuouslifetoconvincemorethanenoughotherwisesensibleboysthatserviceintheEuropeanconflictwouldbeofgreatpersonalvalue,inadditiontobeingidealisticandexciting.Accordingly,theybegantojointhevariousarmiesinincreasingnumbers,theintellectualsintheambulancecorps,othersintheinfantry,merchantmarine,orwhereverelsetheycouldfindaplace.ThosewhowerereluctanttoserveinaforeignarmytalkedexcitedlyaboutPreparedness,occasionallyconsideredjoiningtheNationalGuard,andrushedtoenlistwhenwefinallydidentertheconflict.Sotremendouswasthestormingofrecruitmentcentersthatharassedsergeantsactuallypleadedwithvolunteerstogohomeandwaitforthedraft,butsincenoself-respectingpersonwantedtosufferthedisgraceofbeingdrafted,theenlistmentcrazecontinuedunabated.6Naturally,thespiritofcarnivalandtheenthusiasmforhighmilitaryadventurewe