Last night G. and I went to see The U.S. vs. John Lennon and I found myself getting so furious at how horrifically the world has evolved despite all his exertions. Yoko ( whom G. and I saw on the street a couple of months ago!!) was so transcendently beautiful, I realized over again. I think I want to get an even more Yoko-ish look, with big floppy hat and huge bug glasses. But honestly, what kind of world is this? Certainly not what I thought it would be, as a young beatlemaniac in San Francisco in 1971.

Now it’s like, all you need it BLING. Or all you need is RAW POWER. Or something. But I state the obvious. It’s still early here, I’m not quite awake yet.

I also had the sense watching the film that those people — Angela Davis, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and of course more than anyone John himself — were possessed of the most amazing charisma of which you simply don’t see the like these days. Now everyone is so slick and groomed and polished with products, so remodeled and remade that whatever actual charisma they have seems tainted and elusive. I’m thinking of Madonna, I suppose — how she has wasted her powers.

Oy what a world.