Book Review: Retroculture

I first became familiar with William S. Lind through his fictional survival account Victoria (published online, it is a rather enjoyable jaunt of reinventing the country although, like my own writings, the sort of thing that is a theoretical exercise rather than an actual implementable plan).  In this online novel - and in some of his other writings -he introduces the idea of Retroculture, of choosing a time period (in this case of American history) and living according the mores and practices of that era.

It was an interesting concept - as someone that has at least a passing interest in doing things with my hands instead of electronically and the sense that I am "out of time" with the current mores and practices, the idea inherently appealed to me.  If only, I thought, there was a book on it.

Turns out there is.

The premise of Lind's book is simple:  "Retroculture is the discovery of the past and the good things that it has to offer."

Why?  "Conventional wisdom says we have no choice but to drive blindly onward into an undefined but increasingly threatening future.  Retroculture says "Hold on a minute." We do have a choice.  Through a dialogue with the past, we can shape that future.  We can find ways, by looking back, to make the future promising than threatening.  We can regain control of our destiny.  And in the process, we can reunify the generations instead of pitting one age group against another."

(Before someone goes there with all the bad things that the past had in it such as slavery, Jim Crow Laws, etc., Lind explicitly states - multiple times - that those sorts of things are not the sorts of things that he is talking about.  He could not state it more plainly.  So just let us not have that conversation, shall we?)

Lind notes that World War II was the last era in the U.S. where all generations had the same interests and tastes (I laughed for a moment when I read this - then I thought about it.  I think he is entirely correct, upon reflection.).  What happened?  We moved from a tradition of service and discipline and self mastery to a world of "the rapacious demands of the self".  Lind posits that the youth culture of the 1960's brought self to the fore - and when "self-discovery, self -realization, and self-fulfillment" failed, it was replaced by possessions and image:  "The 90s completed the work of the 60s".

Lind's book breaks down Retroculture into several areas:  Retro-Homes, Retro-Families, Retro-Clothing, Retro-Entertainment, Retro-Manners, Retro-Travel, Retro-Business, Retro-Service, and Retro-America.  In each section, he breaks down what a "Retro" life would look like.  For homes, for example, the model of older homes (either original or designed as such) with smaller footprints, larger porches, and to the extent that one would desire, retro-appliances and decorations.  The same concept applies across all of the section listed.

The implementation is simple enough: pick an era that interests you.  Study it.  Then begin to bring that era alive in your own life as much or as little as you like.

I have to admit that I enjoyed the book - partially, as I indicated, because I am wired that way.  But I also enjoyed it because it is a hopeful book.  It exudes almost a utopian appeal, something which I loved (and miss in so many social works).  Lind really and truly believes that Retro-Culture can make the world a better place.  Other than analyzing how we got here, he scarcely talks in negative tones about the present.  His eye is on the past and how it can make the future better. I also loved that Lind does not push an "all or nothing" approach.  He states start where you are, with what you have, and to the level that makes you comfortable.

There are parts that I found less appealing, as with any author:  his love of mass transit (true, a huge element of the early and mid 20th century) is not something that would feasibly work, nor is his vision of trains as the preferred mode of travel (again, true once upon a time but not workable now with serious private investment).  But I would not say that these predilections detracted from the whole; they made the book more authentic.

In the chapter names "Getting Started", Lind motes the following:

"As to the saying "You can't go back", it is a warning, not against trying to recover the good things from the past - which we can do - but against the people who keep telling us we can't go back.  Very often, these people have selfish interests in present trends.  Some are people whose lifestyles might face disapproval if most Americans return to traditional values.  Some have financial interests in rampant consumerism, in selling '"upscale'" goods with "prestige labels".  Some work in industries, such as entertainment, that might have trouble adjusting to Retroculture's recovery of good taste.  Most of them fear the rejection of  "selfism" inherent in Retroculture, because their own lives are very self-centered.

So, when you hear, "You can't go back", watch out.  What the person who tells you that is really saying is, "You can go back, and I'm afraid of what might happen to my interests if you do."  Be certain you recognize what that person's interests really are - what his hidden agenda is."

Like most such books, I believe the chances of it actually coming to pass are rather small. But as a thought provoking work, both for an analysis of what is wrong with society and how looking to earlier eras might address this, it is well worth your time.