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Laxer, Mark Eliot

"Take Me for a Ride: coming of age in a destructive cult"

I saw
the cover of a book about Mohandas K. Gandhi, autographed by its author,
William L. Shirer. I saw a brochure from the Peace Corps and a
miniature American flag. I saw a sticker for UCSD, John Muir College.
I saw a quote from Thoreau: "If a man does not keep pace with
his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music that he hears, however measured or far away."
My father sent me that.
I saw a picture of anthropologist-explorer Thor Heyerdahl standing
at the bow of Ra I, a papyrus reed boat which he and six others sailed
across the Atlantic. The journey had proved that "primitive" people
could have crossed the great waterways which connect the continents.
My mother sent me that.
And I saw, next to an inflatable globe, written on a small piece
of paper, the name of the chariot: "Sunped I, a solar electric/human
powered vehicle." Below that I saw the name of the quest:
"Tour Del Mundo." I was starting to realize that by leaving
Rama's dream, I had gotten back my world.
Nuna rode shotgun in the passenger seat, I turned the key and--
it started. Leaving the mall, I slowly gained momentum.


Appendix A: Excerpts from WOOF!

In a fabricated advertisement (Issue #4; February, 1981), Atmananda
poked fun at televangelists: "Dear Friends in Christ.


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