Archival Thanksgiving Dinner photo – 1965 – 00individual, with the hint of a Devilish grin, casually “flips the bird”.
EXPERIENCE COUNTER-CULTURE ARCHIVES!
This charming Thanksgiving dinner photograph slipped by the family censors. Back then the only one who would have known what the hand gesture meant was 00individual’s Dad, and he was either too cool or never saw the photo as he never said anything. It’s pretty inconspicuous – but like other sore thumbs, once you see it, it sticks out.
On Thursday November 25th, 1965, 00individual was three months away from being fifteen years old. He was at that age where everything was changing, and to express his inward juvenile angst he was forced to “flip the bird” for posterity.
It is pleasing to know of 00individual’s early teen vibe by expressing himself covertly and creatively.
While the expression and meanings for the middle finger can be traced back to Ancient times, its popularity became ubiquitous in Western Culture in the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s – so 00individual was just exhibiting the “Sign of the Times”.
But there was something else – where most photos of our young selves rarely make direct eye contact – this one did.
00individual is looking at his young self, who is looking right back at him.
It was like his own personal Twilight Zone episode – because what is weird is that 00individual knows that subtle Devilish grin, it’s almost like the young 00individual is saying,
“That’s right. This is who we are. The Kid Who Flips The Bird!”
And 00individual is fine with that, and appreciates the transcendent moment of acknowledgement given to him across time from the past to the present by his young self.
Life never ceases to be a Trip!
FUCK YOU!
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