Comparing the Books, Destructive Generation: Second Thoughts About the Sixties and The Sixties: Y :: American America History

Comparing the Books, Destructive Generation: Second Thoughts About the Sixties and The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage The preface to Peter Collier and David Horowitz's Destructive Generation: Second Thoughts About the Sixties and the introduction to Todd Gitlin's The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage both try to explain the authors' reasons for writing their books. Both books, based on nostalgia, deal with the good and the bad which have come out of the sixties. However, while Collier and Horowitz describe the sixties more as a time of destruction, Gitlin places more emphasis on the spirited atmosphere which led to the destruction. This destruction they all refer to includes the diminished placement of trust in America, the rising problem of drugs, and the overall havoc created throughout the country. Therefore, the authors give two very different descriptions of the era of which they were all a part. Even in the beginnings of the works, the differences are very noticeable. Collier and Horowitz begin by trying to describe a "summary moment" (Collier and Horowitz 11) of the decade. This "moment" involves a revolutionary group known as the Black Panther Party. The authors seem to criticize this group by commenting on their appearances and their actions in certain events. For example, at a cocktail party, one Panther spit in the face of an army draftee because he brought a black friend from the army home while on leave. When the Panther returned to the party, the people present pretended not to notice that anything had happened. Later, when misunderstandings occurred between two guests at the party which resulted in one of them making a racial remark, anger was fueled in the group and among others who had heard about the event. Collier and Horowitz, when remarking on their reactions, emphasize that while in ordinary times the event would not have caused many problems, during the sixties, people considered it more of a sign that revolution was worthwhile. Perhaps the authors were suggesting that the revolution was created out of exaggerated problems or that those leading the revolution, such as the Black Panthers, did not quite understand why they were leading it. Collier and Horowitz seem imply this belief through the portrayal of the Panthers as uneducated when listening to Genet speak on their behalf: "The Panthers milled around in sullen incomprehension as he talked" (P.12). These tend to be their reasons for why the revolution caused so much destruction. On the other hand, Gitlin begins his introduction by describing his Comparing the Books, Destructive Generation: Second Thoughts About the Sixties and The Sixties: Y :: American America History Comparing the Books, Destructive Generation: Second Thoughts About the Sixties and The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage The preface to Peter Collier and David Horowitz's Destructive Generation: Second Thoughts About the Sixties and the introduction to Todd Gitlin's The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage both try to explain the authors' reasons for writing their books. Both books, based on nostalgia, deal with the good and the bad which have come out of the sixties. However, while Collier and Horowitz describe the sixties more as a time of destruction, Gitlin places more emphasis on the spirited atmosphere which led to the destruction. This destruction they all refer to includes the diminished placement of trust in America, the rising problem of drugs, and the overall havoc created throughout the country. Therefore, the authors give two very different descriptions of the era of which they were all a part. Even in the beginnings of the works, the differences are very noticeable. Collier and Horowitz begin by trying to describe a "summary moment" (Collier and Horowitz 11) of the decade. This "moment" involves a revolutionary group known as the Black Panther Party. The authors seem to criticize this group by commenting on their appearances and their actions in certain events. For example, at a cocktail party, one Panther spit in the face of an army draftee because he brought a black friend from the army home while on leave. When the Panther returned to the party, the people present pretended not to notice that anything had happened. Later, when misunderstandings occurred between two guests at the party which resulted in one of them making a racial remark, anger was fueled in the group and among others who had heard about the event. Collier and Horowitz, when remarking on their reactions, emphasize that while in ordinary times the event would not have caused many problems, during the sixties, people considered it more of a sign that revolution was worthwhile. Perhaps the authors were suggesting that the revolution was created out of exaggerated problems or that those leading the revolution, such as the Black Panthers, did not quite understand why they were leading it. Collier and Horowitz seem imply this belief through the portrayal of the Panthers as uneducated when listening to Genet speak on their behalf: "The Panthers milled around in sullen incomprehension as he talked" (P.12). These tend to be their reasons for why the revolution caused so much destruction. On the other hand, Gitlin begins his introduction by describing his