Outlaws and Onions
"So let's begin by talking about rebels," Doc said to his young adult audience. "Why do you think people rebel? What makes a person fight against society, or turn away from it? No right answers here, just tell me what ya think.""You feel different than everyone else." said Bill."Yeah, you don't fit in," added Pete."Nobody listens to you," said another."Someone hurts you real bad.""You're treated unfairly." said Miles."Yeah, like you're always gettin' the shaft," says Eddy."Or the short end of the stick," says Susan.After a bit of a pause, Doc says, "Anything else?""I suppose just about anything that makes you feel cheated or left out," said Marti."And just about anything that forces you to belong where you don't feel you do," says Eddy."Ok," said Doc with a slight smile, "Now can you name some famous rebels in history?" "Jesus," blurts out Bill, in an unusual display of emotion."Samuel Adams, and I suppose all the founders of this country really," said Miles."What's the difference between an outlaw and a rebel?" asks Pete."Hmmmm..." ponders Doc. " Anybody wanna take-on that one?""Or what's the difference between an outlaw and a criminal for that matter?" says Carol, a usually quiet and reserved girl."How 'bout Spartacus?! " exclaims Miles."Huh?!" retorts Pete, as the rest of the teenagers turn their heads with quizzical looks."Spartacus is the main character in a book by Howard Fast." said Miles. "He led a huge slave revolt against the Romans in 71 B.C.""I understand Fast was a bit of rebel himself." added Doc. "A lot of good history in these parallel stories of writers and rebels. A lot to learn in there, about politics and literature, the nature of the human condition and rebellion, slavery and freedom.""That's a lot to swallow Doc." could we slow down said Pete, "Because now I'm confused about this whole rebel-outlaw-criminal thing. I'm not even sure what a hero is anymore."Doc chuckled, "It's ok Pete, join the club. It's not always easy to tell which is which, as the definitions are often relative.""Yeah," said Eddy, "I just figure the heroes always wear white and the criminals black.""If only it were that simple," said Carol. As the teens began talking amongst themselves. Doc headed to the back. And when he returned he carried with him two onions and a balance. Of course as a druggist, the double-panned balance was one of the main tools he worked with. But the onions? He must have seen this one coming. "Until we meet next time," said Doc, "I'd like you to keep thinking about this whole rebel-outlaw-criminal-hero question: What's the difference between one and another? Does society play a role in defining, and even helping to create these? How so? Finally, consider this: What responsibility, if any, does society have to the individual? And what responsibility, if any, does the individual have to society? See you all next week!"Ding.
