Over the last few months, I’ve been thinking about how the Uranus Pluto conjunction of the late 1960’s ties in with the event occurring now, with the same planets squared off.
I started here: Looking Back At The Uranus Pluto Conjunction (Late 1960′s) For Insight In 2014.
More recently I posted this: Uranus Conjunct Pluto In Virgo People (Tweaked By Uranus Square Pluto)
The conjunction of these planets in the late 1960’s started something. At this point we can look back at those events with some perspective. I believe there’s great value in this, so I’m studying it in depth.
I came across the phrase, “perpetual adolescence” in a book I’m reading, written in 2001.
I googled the phrase before writing this. It was used in an article about “manning up”, published by Salon in 2011. The article was read by many and prompted a lot of discussion. Someone emailed me a link to the piece. I’m pretty sure someone linked in the forum as well.
I found another use of the phrase on American Thinker in December, 2013, but then I found this, written in 1969.
Education in America: 6. The Perpetual Adolescent
“…Dr. Douglass appears to be suggesting that “adjustment” is now aimed at slowing those of college caliber to the mental pace of the majority.
Our American educational ideal is being molded more and more to that image. We now place special emphasis upon training the dropouts, upon making the curriculum so soft that no one can flunk. Thus, we are caught up in one of the fundamental “democratic” dilemmas of our age. It is no longer enough merely to provide schools for all; today we must determine what purpose those schools are to serve. If we make our schools sufficiently mindless to accommodate those least able, we run the grave risk of turning out a totally mindless graduate…”
This was written nearly 50 years ago and look where we are today. I’m not specifically looking for people from this era who seem prescient in hindsight…but I am finding them. Knowing that what we’re witnessing today was both predictable and predicted, fifty years ago is liberating (Uranus) and empowering (Pluto).
If you’re interested in this topic, also check out “rantares’ post in the forum: Uranus square Pluto: 2072-2076 He takes a look at the history of the clash between these two planets.
His post is interesting, but my focus in regards to Uranus / Pluto is on the individual and their free will.
The 90 degree aspect allows us to see the results of what was begun fifty years ago. Society could make an adjustment based on what is being revealed at this time…or they can hurtle forward.
I expect the latter, but this does not mean an individual has to follow suit. I don’t intend to!
For example, I will do everything in my power to make sure my son does not become a “mindless graduate” or a “perpetual adolescent”. If this goes against the cultural norm – that’s too bad (see Opposing the Majority).
I was a kid in 1960’s. I had little to say about the direction my life took. That’s not the case today. It’s not the case for most of the people who will read this. Maybe you’ll realize this. If not, the moment you do, your future will be a lot brighter.
Can you see the lines between the late 1960’s and our current day?
“Society could make an adjustment based on what is being revealed at this time…or they can hurtle forward.” Sadly, I expect the latter too =/
I’ve given up thinking of the human race, as a whole, as “intelligent”. History keeps repeating… we go round & round in circles. We learn nothing. Yes, I am Cynical.
Intriguing post, Elsa – thank you for sharing it. As one of those with the aforementioned conjunction, and with some overarching analysis & hindsight, it appears that the commentary from Dr. Douglass are very on point for what is (has been) evolving since that era. It appears its been a stop.start/stop.start/ LEAP. FALL / LEAP again manner of “progressing’ towards the formulation of what does ideal mean in terms of education/living. Democratizing should be taken towards collective formulating/agreement on those means by which ideals that truly work for reaching the ‘heights’ of one’s capacity are offered up for those willing to do the work to get there OR it can be used to making ‘things equal’ so that everyone appears to achieve some level of achievement (referred to in pop parlance as ‘dummying down’) Currently its seems that it is the latter that has supplanted the former and thus, in reality, actually “succeeds” at undermining the former’s search for best practices in how to “reach for/establish the best” in a universally sensitive manner. True is that people/cultures/groups are not equal across many domains and to each their own should be allowed insomuch as it allows for a collective yet prudent sense of merited pride that respects the same process in all (e.g. avoiding everyone ruthlessly vying to implement the self-righteous / self-serving “Its My Way or the Highway/There’s Only One Top Dog” mentality). That conjunction generation of the mid-to-late sixties appears to very conflicted still as to how to relinquish their sense of culturally derived (read bias) justifications for control (Pluto in Virgo) just enough to allow for the natural processes of entropy (Uranus in Virgo) to seek a unified sense of a coherent ‘better’ and thus the observed upheavals. Its an outward macro reflection of the micro physics, in that balance, despite its seemingly pleasing symmetries, is never a fixed static but rather is a continual state of many parts adjusting to each other to achieve a sense of working order wholeness until the next usurp that comes along in order to beget a new (needed) instability that will eventually yield yet a better(?) working holistic system. (Ahh, such are the musings of a long time member of the ‘a work-in-progress’ club who is actually very glad to have the opportunities in this lifetime to be sculpted, both externally & internally, towards understanding what having the ‘best’ really means in a sincerely authentic way:-)
I really like the pluto in scorps and sag that I know. They are finding their way. The times and the prevailing forces challenge every generation. And maybe perhaps the kids I know are exceptions, but they are exceptional individuals in my eyes. Okay maybe mama moon is a little biased. :D.
Regulations and state testing is a bit of an irk to me. They are really doing the clamp down here in my state. The old crusty legislators (talk about adolescence) want to set the curriculum. We can’t have thinking individuals afoot. the world will really fall apart if people know who they are. So, of course, from my love peace groovy state of mind, I see the backlash. I don’t find love peace and understanding adolescent. And these bright kids don’t lack that either. So I find it a charming blend.
The interesting trend I am hearing about through studies is the coping skills they are teaching in challenging areas where a large percentage of students are homeless. I think that is where we are lacking in these changing times. How to deal instead of self destructing. It’s complicated now with economics the way it is. Also, I have to agree with the dali lama that non-secular ethics should be taught in schools because let’s face it, parents are sometimes too caught up making dollars to provide material survival. Gives them a choice. Let’s them know they have a choice.
I don’t think it is as bleak as what we are being persuaded to believe. It doesn’t play in my life, what I’m seeing. I always look to the brilliance in these kids. They teach me alot about life. Maybe I am just lucky to know them and see them grow. So I guess to be honest, I don’t want to hold the young people captive in my past, I want to see what they create. I have to say, onward young onward.
Oh dear, now I have confused myself again. What the heck is a mediocre person? Oh dear. I think I have to go shovel snow or something.
There is a significant counter-argument in higher education to the downward “adjustment” of expectation that says we should educated all children to the rigorous standards, providing appropriate support for all students as they encounter individual obstacles as they move from novice to expertise in any discipline from algebra to auto mechanics to reading Shakespeare. All humans can learn, and all people will struggle in an area that runs counter to their familiar ways of doing things or that does not tap already established strong skills. The more education is standardized instead of tailored to individuals, the worse the results will be. i saynthis as someone who has been teaching for 35 years. People can learn if they are self-motivated, willing to work hard, and have guidance, support and respectful instruction from someone with expertise.
Where do you see parental role in the learning process? And I really do sympathize with teachers for many times getting a bad rap, ie taking blame.
Sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me. Do your own thing. Yay, that was there. So the societal inequalities were brought forth into the open. And a conversation began. Back to do your own thing. That’s the thing personally I am getting now. Like all this individual focus and force in the people I know. And getting cut off when it’s not about them. Lack of tolerance. That’s what I’m getting, a lack of tolerance for anything that is not about ‘me’ and what I want. A running over the top of others with no second thought because where ‘I’ am going is most important. If you are in my way, I’ll just shoot you. If I can’t get my way, I’ll shoot you and shoot myself. I am not sure what the sense of urgency is about. It sometimes appears to me to be ‘driving blind.’
The mediocrity in schools that some parents see as an obstacle I think dates back to ‘no child left behind.’ Bush 2 stated that jesus christ was his hero, the most important person in his life. It was the time when religion and politics became entwined in the u.s. One of the jesus teachings is that if one sheep is lost from the flock, that sheep must be found and brought back into the fold. With the challenge of dyslexia in his life at a time when no one knew the condition existed, it is not a far reach to understand why he would apply this to education. It’s something he understood. By the way, he’s a painter now and seems at peace. Would love to see him become an arts advocate. The future and how it plays out, don’t know. It’s a weird blend going on now. Full speed ahead from the pace I am experiencing folks travelling at. Wherever it’s going is beyond me.
Hi Elsa, thanks for the interesting insights to this conjunction. Not trying to sound like I’m splitting hairs here, but technically, the conjunction took place in the mid 60’s, not later that decade.
This whole topic has to be taken in context with that conjunctions sextile to Neptune in Scorpio at the time. We would hardly being doing ourselves a service by not considering the influence of that energy in thinking about this overall.
Yes, I do see lines between then and now, especially more so in countries today that are still coming out of the “dark ages” with regards to progressing towards liberal democratic political systems. Sure, this general type of system is not perfect but has far better respect for individuals rights and obligations than what has been before.
You can probably tell, I’m a child from that mid 60’s era and I have grown up in a very multicultural society with solid democratic values that respect individuals rights. On the subject of “individual rights” that doesn’t become real unless you take social responsibility for your actions or even lack of actions into account.. and its also about tolerance for others with different points of view. Democracy doesn’t work unless you respect the results of elections which should have a strong element of transparency about them. Something some parts of the current world are still trying to come to terms with..
My older brother was born in 1969. He was gifted, skipped two elementary grades and then tested out of all four years of HS. He pursued a doctorates at 14. At 17 he was recruited into the US AF. From the time he was 14 he had issues with maturity and attention-seeking. He has major drug problems now (he is a Sag, and probably pisces moon/asc). He saved my life (I almost drowned at 10 at the city pool in nyc and he was the one to rescue me). I was born in 1972. To this day, I feel he is “stuck in adolescence”, and have always felt this way before the Internet and blogs existed to discuss this. I love him so much, but he is stuck.
I agree with perpetual teenager, but at the same time, I think we felt old really young–I certainly did (b. 1962). I’m not stuck being a teenager, but still feel really young, like, perplexed at how there are so many people younger than I.
But I also feel really old and wise, like a bit weathered. I think this feeling is grounded in the Pluto in Virgo/Chiron in Pisces opposition, as well as the Ur conjunction–innocent (Pisces), but also sort of victim-y (Virgo). Don’t forget Chiron! That feels like a big part of all this…
But to your point, we are indeed the generation that has made Halloween cool for adults.
Age is a funny thing. Some of the elderly people I know, have known, get younger at heart, some old and crotchety and crippled with symptoms. I think that’s an important choice.
Great post!
What significant topic !
As I’ve got into my 50’s, I have realised that to an alarming extent, our world today seems to be RULED by juvenile (superficial) values.
Looks matter more than substance, money is more important than people etc etc One can observe this everywhere.. eg
Notice how on public “newsmedia” they use young attractive hosts (people with insufficient life experience to have any indepth understanding of subjects they’re commenting on)..same with journalists in the written media & their shallow viewpoints..
Our whole world ,which is now entirely commerce driven, seems to be going backwards in terms of where we should be at, with regard to human wellbeing overall, – given the advanced technology we have nowadays..
I totallly agree with you Serenda.
Been observing changes over past decades. Changes that because of the FALSE (=profit driven) values now show our society to be DEVOLVING.
Money is indeed the root of all evil… ( = ” live ” spelt backwards.)
Commerce/Profit Driven Values are ANTI LIFE, and have infiltrated every aspect of human life.
False Values>> eg those that decide, that a person who works hard being a Caregiver looking after the elderly in an old people’s home has far less WORTH than ..a CEO of a big multinational Fast Food company.(by $thousands$$), but the caregiver can’t support a family on their wages, so their partner needs to work as well, and not enough time for kids..
.. A Surgeon, is a more valuable person than someone who spends just as much energy collecting garbage (both essential services), but garbage collector can’t survive alone on his wages so wife has to work as well. .Why? – Because. Surgeon go to Med School many years. Smarter + work harder(?) . No just better background + money.
… Values that decide that Profit is more important than Human Wellbeing,
eg Pharmaceutical companies churn out drugs/vaccinations etc that cause more harm than do good, but get away with lying, bec are legally protected from lawsuits..
Values that mean those with $$ =power, CONTROL PUBLIC INFORMATION, (and can suppress what they don’t want the people to know)
.Then there is the “Entertainment ” industry… via TV, movies music, manufacturing “popular culture” -feeding & saturating peoples minds with endless images
of sex & violence, It sells well. More & more needed. Porn. More & more. Try anything. Show everything.
Sex , once a Sacred act , the ONLY act that creates LIFE, has been debased to a crude sport, an itch to scratch, a bit of “fun”..”hooking up” with anyone . Pregnancy just side effect, can easily rid these days, even longterm , no problem just stab through neck while half delivered. Feminism- it’s “woman’s right, her body”
Or keep baby. Kids “bringing up” a kid ..
Marriage? Anything OK now. Man+ man get married? Ok. Woman +woman get married? Ok. (Tomorrow sex with kid Ok.) EVERYTHING Ok .. YES! See we live in “freedom”,(?) “liberty”(?) ( but.. like wage slaves more & more, life hectic, no time to think , so much technology make life so easy (?) Don’t talk about, don’t ask . We live in “democracy” , so good. Everybody equal, life so good for everybody now.( No not true..) Shut up watch TV, see life good.
World with no bounderies any more
(except when it comes to whistleblowers , or truth tellers..they get punished)