Weird. I had not read the PJ quote, but I was just telling my wife this weekend that Thoreau was "the spiritual father of all hippies" and a thoroughgoing fraud.

I then related how we had to read the execrable "tribute" to him by B.F. Skinner, Walden Two, in college.

My solution to that assignment?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0822013614/ref=pd_sxp_elt_l1/002-9283224-2382435

In college I heard the argument made the other way 'round, from a professor who called the hippies "belated Transcendentalists." Unfortunately, he meant it as a compliment. I kept my opinions to myself, always a good idea whenever the topic of the Glorious Sixties came up in the classroom.

No truer words were spoken, Utron. A nephew of mine, headed off to college, asked me what he should do if he disagreed with a professor. I told him that in college there was no illusion of fair-mindedness anymore, and if he did anything but parrot back the professor's views, he would only bring punishment upon himself. I told him "get the credential, and mock him freely behind his back AFTER the grades are recorded. And don't even do that if he is a) in your department, or b) will ever grade you in hte future.

My nephew seemed surprised that this was my response -- he apparently expected a "stand up for yourself" speech from me. But I assured him that "go along to get along" was the much wiser course.

Sad to say it.

What was the part about holding one's manhood?

Double Heh - one to Robert, one to Julie.