Yes, the Ever-lasting contrast. Since existence has known, the 'fight' between good & evil has continued. Obviously, this fight can never end. Good things turn bad, bad things become good. My fav. contrasting symbol, because it is so true & means so much – the battle between good & bad never ends… Here we ponder on the tragedy of Dylan Klebold.
Exactly that, the communal community of it was a symbolically appealing aspect because he didn’t feel he fit in anywhere down here. You perfectly summed up in one perfect word what has now taken me several paragraphs and an hour to articulate. haha. Thank you so much. It truly means a lot to me. ❤
Well, I don’t really see Dylan’s interest in Manson as him tripping on manipulating people or tricking them with ‘love’. On the contrary, I think Dylan probably would’ve joined Manson’s family if it felt it would make him also find the love and happiness he was beside himself in longing for. That being a part of something or someone would’ve filled that sense of disconnection and emptiness. So, I think he understands empathically how the cult members ended up at Charlie’s doorstep. I don’t think that he saw himself as you say, to use love to manipulate people. To Dylan, true love was pure and so, when you found real love, you would be in a state of happiness. As I’ve stated before, I do feel as though Dylan was a hippie at heart in his vibe but he was born too late so eh, sort of a cyber hippie that ended up making war because he wouldn’t find the love (down here)? 🙂
I feel that Manson and his family attracted Dylan for many of themes that he is describing in his essay that are a reoccurring motif. Regarding each of the individual family members,he mentions how they didn’t feel as though they fit in to the lifestyle of ‘normal’ or ‘average’ society just as Dylan felt like he didn’t fit in to humanity. They each were on a kind of on a quest seeking “love and happiness”, purpose and belonging.. and Dylan mentions these words a few times which often mirror his own journal. Becoming part of the family was a way for them to finally have a place to fit in outside the social norms of humanity. And they would then find belonging, love and happiness. They would be free from all the rigid rules of society including the loss of time constraints. They would be as one, to love one another and be happy and to only exist in the ‘here and now’ and that’s all that truly mattered. I also think that the loyalty that the family had with each other in their love was appealing to him. Similarly to Mickey and Mallory or Bonnie and Clyde, each romantic partnership would have such a close bond that they would kill together and die together in their close connection. And as with the Manson Family’s love, they were devoted in their love for Charles Manson and their spiritually linked to one another by their loyalty to him and one another and so they would even die for “Charlie”, or even kill for him when things had gone south, in the proof of their love and loyal bond. And I sometimes wonder too whether the theme of the desert oasis at Spahn Ranch held a similar fantasy appeal to Dylan wanting to move to the desert climate for the University of Arizona that subconscious possibility that just maybe things could get better for him down in the dry, hot, heat of the Arizona desert climate.
But also, at the end of his essay, he entertains how the Manson cult following still lingers on today in various forms of influence and manifested in something similar as with David Karesh. So, there is this sort of legacy aspect he sums it all up with. Plus, Dylan constantly weighs in on the unanswerable question as to whether Manson, and his iconoclastic philosophies and belief system, could be argued as legitimately “crazy’ or ‘sane’ in his going against the grain of humanity. I think that it wouldn’t at all be too far of a stretch that Dylan might’ve peripherally entertained the context of all of this in relation to himself and Eric leaving a lasting impression on society and kick-starting a revolution of followers with NBK. And, of course, there’d be that never-ending question as to whether they would be deemed mentally crazy or sane by The Society. “The purpose of life is to be happy & be with your love who is equally happy. Not much more to say. Goodbye.” – DBK
Here is some of Dylan wording in his essay which really underscores his strong longing for love, happiness, ultimate freedom and belonging.
“He inticed (enticed a-hem) her, by words of love and happiness, and to an extent she was happy whenever he was around, and never wanted to leave him”
“She too met him, and fell into what might not be called ‘love’, but possibly an obsession, with the happiness that he appeared to bring with him”
“They found happiness in his and each others presence. It was mainly a piece of the hippie movement. A way to stray from the norm and live opposite of one was raised to learn.”
“He and the family lived with each other, living off, what he would consider love, for each other, and the earth. He told them happiness is in love.”
“We played a lot of music, we did drugs, we loved and we were happy. The family did these things and more. They lost their humanity at the Ranch. Life was lived “now” for “today”.
I’m so glad you enjoyed my latest post. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a breather and the time and energy to actually work on a post so your ❤ doth bring me happiness. 🙂
“Very good” says Veronica Jones
Veronica Jones [004976] said that she did not know anything about Eric Harris, but said she had Dylan Klebold in one of her classes during the first semester. Veronica said this class was a Composition College Bound class that she was in with Dylan. She also said that Robyn Anderson was a student in the same class. Veronica described Dylan Klebold as being nice to her and said that she did remember that Dylan Klebold wore a trench coat made of an unknown type of fabric that hung down to approximately the mid-calf length. She said that this coat was black in color. Veronica said that as far as Robyn Anderson goes, she could only say that Robyn did not wear a trench coat, but wore baggy clothing. Veronica said that she did not get along with Robyn Anderson, and said they fought, verbally, all the time.
Veronica handed a report that Dylan Klebold had written for school and this report is dated 11-03-98, during L.A., period 6. Veronica said she had just found this report as she was moving into the apartment and said she forgot she had it. Veronica said that the reason she had this report was because different students had to exchange reports to be corrected. It should be noted that the name of the report that Dylan Klebold had submitted on 11-03-98 was titled “The Minds and Motives of Charles Manson.”
At the end of Dylan’s paper Veronica sums up her critique: “Your paper is very good. all the little circles are just little mistakes. Just make sure you double space”
I guess Dylan never received his corrected paper back, and I wonder if he knew which classmate was reviewing it or maybe they all anonymously shuffled papers to review and read.
One little thing that I love is that on the very last page that Veronica sums up his paper as ‘very good’, I see that she missed circling his misspelled ‘believing’– he has ‘believeing’. Hey, the dude was gifted but definitely not perfect. lol
And can’t you just imagine Dylan watching Robyn and Veronica throwing shade in class? 😉
Here is what I see and I think is probably apparent to a lot of other people too, and especially those of us who have endured bullying ourselves in school.
1) Firstly, I’d like to say that you can see a few of those guys rush up and group together tight with the other jocks and they seem to make a point of coming together and walking down that one particular side of the hallway. It seems like they intentionally did this because they could clearly see who was coming from the opposite direction and felt like giving a perceived ‘loser group’ a hard time. So, this united wall of jocks barges straight-on into Eric and Mike V., who were already just walking down that section of the hallway minding their own business, chatting casually. Eventually, Mike V. sort of turns to the side to avoid a collision. Meanwhile, Eric H. kind of loses his confident facade and instinctively, submissively lowers his head down in apprehension as to what was going to happen next. The United wall of jocks brush past and then bump hard into a vulnerable Eric V who is busy holding his camcorder and videoing everything. And he cries out in surprise and probably a fair bit of pain. Likely the only reason the jocks didn’t physically bump hard into Eric H and Mike V was because both were posturing hard to appear confident yet unfussed. They were trying to seem casually in-control as this group was unyieldingly coming at them hard and fast.
2) What else should the ‘cameraman’ do after getting whaled on while in the company of dude friends? It’s not like he’s going to whine or cry about it. No, instead, this happens so regularly, it’s business as usual and all they can do is buck up and laugh it off. But I most definitely wouldn’t call that a ‘sarcastic’ groan. Sarcastic, really ?
3) Mike V is the kind of extroverted, gregarious type of personality that says funny shit to pretty much anyone (If you watch the entire video, you’ll note that he kind of runs at the mouth regularly to just about anyone without a filter). So, Mike’s coping mechanism is to deflect and throw it back at them with idiotic humor. And Eric is pretty much looking back half relieved/amused as Mike cuts the tension even with some weak-witted quip. Yes, the group of jocks may have been in their video production class – who knows. But you’ll notice, Eric’s not joining in and saying any friendly quips to those dudes. They are clearly not his friends. If anything, he seems to be mumbling sort of disgustedly at yet another mistreatment that went on in the very unsafe halls of his school. You’ll notice too that Eric and Mike don’t even turn around and ask Eric Veik if he’s okay because again, this shit happens all the time and each of them has already experienced their turn at being physically pushed around just as he just was. Today happened to be their lucky day in which they made it through unscathed.that time.
Also, one thing you’ll need to know about the term “jocks’. it’s used loosely and doesn’t specifically, literally reference sports dudes that are muscular and physically buff. ‘Jocks’ are pretty much every self-important, entitled asshole at their school that generally runs with the popular packs and yes, more often than not, participates in acceptable sports activities at their school, wearing certain types of brand name clothing and the white ball caps.
Hmm…I’m going to give you a little homework assignment.: go rewatch that part of the video again and report back to me with 3-5 reasons as to why you specifically think they were their friends.
Harrises – no. Especially not because of the 20th anniversary. Sue will always be open and want to talk about things as she has made herself available to do in the last few years. I don’t see that changing. She wanted to start this conversation and to continue the discussion if it will help to save others lives.
Highly doubtful. Wayne is the reason why this is likely never to happen. Kathy stands by her man. Kevin might be our only hope but he is not about to disrespect dad. or shake up the life he’s made for himself or upturn his aging parents lives all to talk about his younger brother and the atrocity he committed…
Well, that’s not really an accurate statement because, in all of nineteen years, we have not had any information from Wayne and Kathy Harris about their son Eric and what things were like in the context of their family. That is what the depositions are all about: providing a glimpse into their family life. I would expect most of the information from the Klebold’s we’ve already heard primarily through Sue’s articles, interviews, presentations and her book -but there will probably be new little details to glean from. Certainly information from Dylan’s dad about their relationship and also possibly some tidbits about Byron and Dylan will be nteresting. So, no, not the Basement Tapes but certainly interesting stuff that will only help to fill in the blanks more.
Nah, I don’t think so. Dylan was very private about his struggles and much to his detriment, too self-reliant to a fault. Calling one of those would’ve not only meant he was admitting he was way over his head with his problems but also that he couldn’t manage them. But opening up to a mere stranger about his depression?..awkward. And I’m pretty sure crisis helplines were around back in the day, it’s just there wasn’t as much awareness then nor the variety of resources we have available today. In the nineties, it would’ve only been an 800 number and possibly some AOL chat room open forums.
Dylan was always showing his cute shyness and charismatic side when he was a bomb ready to explode on the inside, and Eric was always trying to show he was an actual bomb ready to explode when he was just an insecured boy needed for attention on the inside.
Dylan and Eric were so different on character and internal world as the ice and flames. Their meeting and subsequent friendship is a fatal mistake. This friendship has destroyed the souls of 13 innocent people. Harris’s parents made a mistake when they persuaded Dylan’s mother to allow the boys to be friends after the robbery of the van. The boys could have survived. One of them had good chances to cope with their problems without resorting to violence because his soul was not so sick and exhausted. And without him, the tragedy would not have happened..My personal opinion..
Interesting compare and contrasts here. Thing is, Sue would only have been able to exercise so much control in separating the two unless she moved Dylan to another school. Dylan wasnt working at Blackjack at that point in time, so seriously separating them at school would’ve been the only way to seriously severe their friendship. But I’m not sure if Dylan’s parents would’ve taken things seriously enough to want to do that. Telling Dylan he could no longer be friends wouldnt have easily been the solution to dissuade their long time friendship. The two boys gravitated in one another’s orbit and would’ve likely continued on in the halls and classes at school inspite of ‘them’ being forbidden by their parents.
The Everlasting Contrast 