The American Dream

Thompson's version of the American dream is deranged and listless.

His novels are a testament to what is possible during fits of reckless self indulgence. Eloquent disclosure of his experiences define a modern variety of anti-hero that has reshaped world culture, so that genius and drug use are seldom considered mutually exclusive character traits.

Some call Thompson a product of the experimental 60's and 70's, while others feel he was a visionary who paid respect to a dying breed, those disillusioned by the restrictions of contemporary society. In recent times, the definition of "freedom" has spurred on considerable debate. Between the war on drugs, the war on terror, and the war on anti-west sentiment around the globe, the word "freedom" has been a validating point for the majority of international American occupation over the last two decades. Perhaps Thompson's version of freedom has become a timeless cultural asset due to modern society's distrust of nationalism, what with the inevitable economic and cultural trials that challenge our belief structures annually.

But lets not kid ourselves, Thompson's version of freedom is not sustainable and often degenerates the social fabric that protects us from dangerous, unwieldily behaviors. This is a pertinent problem regarding Hunter's cult following, because few take time aside to consider that the core of the novel's thematic purpose is not necessarily about maniacal drug abuse and irresponsible violence. People mimic Thompson's personality with little due respect to his most important cultural contribution: the reinvention of satire by interjecting the status quo with insanity. More often than not, people go insane when faced with unmitigated reality.