访谈录 2009-11-08&11-11 叛逆，怪癖，伯克利

（单词翻译）

So last week I spoke¹ at my old school, UC Berkeley. The city is as delightful² as ever, a mix of fall leaves, bright sun and tramp feces. But now thinking back to my arrival there as a freshman³ 25 years ago. I realized this city had not only transformed me politically, but reinforced my growing cynicism concerning the nature of true rebellion.

I was a punk in high school and embraced left-wing dogma, for it impressed teachers and won me extra credit. As a teen, it also got me attention, relevance⁴ and a chance to get lucky with hippie chicks. That last desire was never achieved and I blame that on my retainer. But when I got to Cal, I saw what true subversion⁶ was, and it wasn't the subversives⁷ at Berkeley. See, rebellion means nothing when it's turned into a personal identity. Dipping yourself in tattoo⁸ ink and getting 10 nipple rings, these are not markers of rebellion but markers of conformity⁹. The engineering major with back acne was far more bad ass¹⁰ than the coffee house commie.

Berkeley embraced subversives and they were often called "eccentrics", even if it was a real mental illness. And I'm pretty certain the folks they lauded¹¹ for their non-conformity would die alone with no one there to tell them how cool their suffering was. And so in 1983, I realized that a true rebel blends in, embraces discipline, hard work and clean pants. I cut my hair. I started tanning. It seemed the opposite of heroin¹² chic⁵. I also took up the banjo, just to keep it real.

So if you're starting college now, my friends, I suggest you do the same. And if you disagree with me, then you're probably a racist¹³.