What I don't understand

... is that in 1969 some south of 500,000 people showed up for a little three day music festival that had posted a few ads around in newspapers and magazines. People from far and wide, all walks of life - hippies, bums, students, teenagers, travellers, musicians, artists and more. Some just wanted to listen to some rocking music and get high, some wanted to be part of something big - but most were there because of hope. When I look back at footage of Woodstock, that's the most resounding vibe I sense - this air of hope everywhere. It's as though, for a few days, hippies could rule the world. The solidarity was beautiful, the belief in change. The magic of all of these kindred souls, from the far corners of the country and beyond, coming together and feeling safe there to be what they are, do what they do, and say what they need to say. It was bold, it was new, and it so wonderfully hopeful. It still gives me hope now, everyday, just knowing that once, something as radical and beautiful as that took place. Mankind can surprise.

But what troubles me greatly now, is that in my 23 years on the planet, I've barely met 1 other young person that shares these same values today. 500,000 was just handful of them in 1969, and now, just 4 decades later, the flower child so full of hope and so boldly free-spirited in the face of conformity seems to have withered away to extinction. This seems like such a shame. It was once the job of the young people to be switched on, to dare to think outside the box, to say NO to all that was expected of them by modern society. They were the future, they WERE change. And yet now, it's terrifying to be different - brand names are worn like lifestyles, and people just accept this like it's the truth and like it actually matters. And creating or liking music with any kind of real political or personal power behind it? Far too challenging. Just give us some booty-shaking rapper princess with fake boobs.

When I see the young people at Woodstock being interviewed and sharing their thoughts, I see the kind of people I want to surround myself with. People making stimulating, meaningful conversation. People with ideas - challenging ideas at that. People exploring themselves and others. People unafraid to live life a little differently to how their folks, their friends, or their teachers told them they should. Living in communes with new, adopted families, exploring sexuality, exploring conciousness. Think how different the world could be if this had continued on throughout the next 4 decades.

I may be 23 years old, and I may not be of the sub or counter-culture of the 1960's, so I guess, no, I can't call myself a hippie by that token. But I am a flower child, through and through, til the day I die. It's in my blood and it's in my soul. All I pray for in life is to find my way back to the garden, with others walking beside me who feel the same way. There must be SOMEONE out there who feels the same way. And if they're reading this, make yourselves known. And if not, all I can hope is to meet those kindred souls on the road out there, somewhere in this big wide world, someday.

Young people, we must keep the dream alive. We are the future. We are the only hope our children have.

 

I feel ya MsDayDream! I'm only 22 years old and most people my age don't have anything different or interesting to say and they only like whatever music the radio stations tell them too like. I'm not hating on rap by any means because I'm a HUGE fan of rap music but most...hell, I may as well just say ALL of the rap music the radio feeds the public these days is thoughtless garbage that is only good for partying too. Partying is fun and there's a time and place for that kind of music but you can't party all the time. Well, I suppose you could, but it definitly wouldn't be productive in the long run. People used to listen too rap music that would make you think. Music like what Tupac made back in the day and political stuff like Public Enemy. Now all everyone wants is a big booty hoe.

 

well, there's plenty of us who think that way. maybe you should get involved in the burning man community!

 

May I ask what the Burning Man Community is?

 

Presto!
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=burning+man

 

Too bad I live in Oklahoma and therefore will not be able to experience Burning Man.

 

Do you not know how to Search on the Web ?

You're in the same country with no intervening oceans !!

 

Come to woodstock festival in Poland. It is there every year.

 

you don't have to go to BURNING MAN to experience the community. its about love, life, improving yourself and the world you live in. be happy! make art, make love, improve your state of being )

 

i'm quite certain all 500,000 people that went to woodstock didn't live in new york. maybe the difference is that in the 60s people made fewer excuses.

 

hitch hike, hop a bus, rent a van, get down there. it seems such a cliche to say, but it should be as much about the journey as the destination.

fuck, typing that made me wanna retch.

 

You have a point. Although a lot of those same people hitch hiked there and hitch hiking was a lot easier back then because someone who looked like you would pick you up and pass you a pipe and take you as far as they could take you. Nowadays the world is so much more crazy and therefore hitch hiking is so much more sketchy.

Or maybe I'm just paranoid.

Probably just paranoid. My ass enjoys its sweet, sweet virginity though. Don't wanna get that ass beat out by some sexually frusterated trucker or something. LMFAO. Or end up dead in a ditch.

 

I think there is a lot of idealism in what you say, and that you are a fairly aware person, so take what I'm gonna say lightly; but it's completely rose-coloured, jaded bullshit.

Woodstock was not about hippies ruling the world. Woodstock wasn't only hippies. Woodstock was just a huge rock event during a time in which, many rock fans were hippies.

Burning Man is a far more revolutionary festival and in a lot of ways far closer to hippie ideals than Woodstock ever was.

And there are scores of other events past, present and future where people have come together that have had values that hippies share (way more than there are hippies even).

At churches, festivals, peace gatherings, bicycle races. Every day people do amazing things: I mean, didn't you hear this story?

And there are certainly millions worldwide that know the world is a shitty place and that man can do better and become more one with itself and nature - most people feel that in some way or another - most just don't focus on peace and love as their one pursuit - or attach a certain image to those ideals -- but basically anyone that people would call 'good' have these values.

 

if you live your life in fear because of what if's, in the end you'll live in regret, because of what if's.
give something a shot. be aware, protect yourself if you need to. people are nice if you're nice.

 

there are way better drugs today..

 

What does that have to do with anything in this thread?

 

About the mindless radio thing, that's why I pay $14.99 a month for SiriusXM. Any type of music I want. And they play a lot of obscure stuff.

 

Maybe they were high? Relax dude.