“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is Hunter S. Thompson’s magnum opus of a novel, exemplifying gonzo journalism in popular culture. It was adapted into a film starring Johnny Depp, but its message remains intact: The American dream has been dead longer than we thought, but we were too dumb to notice.
For those unfamiliar with “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” the story is told from Thompson’s perspective. Under the moniker “Raoul Duke,” he and his lawyer, Dr. Gonzo, head to Las Vegas. Thompson was tasked to document the Mint-400 motorcycle race for a Rolling Stone article.
Note that Thompson was also an avid drug collector, with his substances ranging from common types like marijuana, to lesser known ones like ether and mescaline. Throughout its duration, he and Dr. Gonzo indulges in his drugs until the narrative becomes more about the two surviving Las Vegas under the influence.
Anyone that has read or watched “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” usually recalls this aspect: how bizarre and trippy it was. They might reminisce on how Thompson hallucinated that he was being attacked in the Mojave by bats, or how carpet patterns distorted across the floor. People never talk about the race, Thompson’s time in the casinos, or anything pertaining to his journalism.
That’s the point. Funnily enough: it’s unintentional. Psychedelia is on the forefront, but it’s in your face so it distracts you from what’s really going on.
Just as we see the flashy visual aesthetic of things in society, our eyes won’t spot the horrors engulfing the country. Thompson realized Las Vegas had fallen ill to many sicknesses, the most prominent being greed. After all, nothing else comes to mind when you imagine Las Vegas besides money, casino chips, and the high class sitting in a lounge and drinking martinis. We see these things as pleasing without seeing the sin embedded inside.
There’s more places you can see this appeal with one big example being the Universal Studios amusement park. Die-hard Harry Potter fans will buy a wand without contemplating what else an upward payment of $20 could buy, possibly not even what the definition of “expensive” is.
Where all nations run on currency, America has that need front and center in today’s society, obtaining it via taxes, ownership, growth, connections, or advertisements prioritizing emotional appeal. The idea of consumerism has never died, but neither has the vacuum that is the government. It overrules the idea of freedom if the key is constantly in our paychecks, and as inflation increases, the lock keeps needing a bigger key.
Changing perspectives, nobody can see the American dream more dead than immigrants wanting a fresh start based on the zeitgeist they imagined. This is the significance of Dr. Gonzo, who originated from Mexico: he’s unable to comprehend the pride Thompson knew of, even if both knew it was a nationalistic front.
Sure, the United States of America is a developed country, but that doesn’t mean everything you were promised will come true. This especially stands now more than ever underneath the presidential lead of Donald Trump, who claims to “Make America great again,” but like during his first term, it never will come to fruition. It’s just the brutal truth.
All of this creates the titular fear and loathing, which is the result of the combination of politicians, businesses, authorities, and elites that are motivated for power, money, and leadership. Thus, to console themselves, this would be where the distractions settle in, including Thompson’s drugs. Although, the perception can be bent to where his drug consumption also opened his third eye to see corruption everywhere on American soil as a way of free thinking.
A bigger question opens up when you contemplate all of this: When exactly did the American dream die?
The themes of corruption, greed, and under-delivered freedom have been present since the colonization of America began. Every day, the Bill of Rights gets violated in some form or fashion, especially the first amendment pertaining to the freedom of expression. In this case, did the American dream die at birth?
Returning to modern society, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is the medium that called out this travesty that’s bestowed upon our not-so-great nation by seeing the evil in one city. It’s a wonder how many connections can be made everywhere else, but we wouldn’t be able to unless we were to ponder it hard for a moment. We never did, and now, gander at everything. The United States of America isn’t the worst country, but it shouldn’t advertise itself as great when you unveil all the downsides.