People of the Woodstock generation, please, please help me.

I'm fed up with everything! I can't take it anymore. This longing to have lived in that age is consuming me. I have a weight around my neck, and that is an intense, even obsessive longing for Woodstock. Whenever I watch that Woodstock DVD I feel this ache in my heart and stomache, and I don't know what it is. My soul just throbs for whatever reason. I'm sick of 2006! I'm sick of the other high schoolers. I can't go one day without falling into a fierce argument with one of the stereotype teens. They are fake, shallow, materialistic and ignorant. All they care abot is the way they look, their boyfriends, the parties they go to, and what other people think of them. They think I'm crazy because I don't care about my hair, am against make-up because they can't grasp the concept that people can be beautiful without it, and have a semi-decent taste in music. I was about to explode the other day. this girl comes up to me and says "OMG! The guy from Fall Out Boy has, like, such a good voice!" And I replied "John Lennon has a way better voice." She gave me a derranged stare and said "Like, who's that?" I said casually, "You know the Beatles, right?" And to my complete disgust and astonishment, she said "Like bugs?" Need I say more? Pop, no offense meant, is shallow, disposable made-for-the-moment, throw-away (I can't even bear to call iy) music. It's repetetvie, boring, and completely invalid. They won't even listen. I come with a messgae of love, peace, and fellowship and they stare at me like I'm the wierd one. Just becase I don't dress like them, becase I don't wear clothes that are quote "in style" and don't have or want an iPod or a cell phone, I'm an outcast. Is individality so wrong? Is caring about something other than material thing such a crime? Oh God I want to be back in that beautiflly picturesque summer of 1969. If only I could be on the road to Woodstock, seeing the people seated peacefully on the lawn, hearing the music of my fallen heroes. All I want is to see hearts on fire again, on fire for peace. God why was I born here? Can you tell me what it was like? Please, mend my bleeding empty soul with tales of that golden age which we so often take for granted. Please, tell me of Woodstock, or rock concerts, of John Lennon, of psychedelic-painted Volkswagen buses with orange shag carpet, tell me of peace, of love, and of fellowship. What was it like?

Bethel remembered
Augst 15, 16 and 17th
Summer of '69

-Rani Lee Taylor, future rock star

 

I wasn't at woodstock, not in this life at least, but I sort of feel you dillema, but maybe I can help you feel better.

If you beleive in a divine being of any nature, you should realize they want you in 2006 for SOME reason. In 1969, there wasn't too much of a shortage of people like us. However, nowadays, there are far too few. Even if you count "real" punks in our counting (sex pistols, clash, ramones revolution/anarchy types, not the blink 182 pop punk types) and anyone who is SERIOUSLY into any sort of real counter-culture, then we are still few (I don't mean that to inflict labels. not all "anarchy punks" were truly revolutionary, and not all "pop punks" are really that preppy, so you know what I mean). However, don't forget what the 50's were like just before the 60's. It was a time of materialism, of oppression, hate and living up to society's standards. Much like today, without so much racism.

And do be careful how you use the term "pop". Don't forget, in the 1960's, The Beatles were the pop music of the day! And there were also shallow people who were within the counter culture, the only differance is that it was a more popular thing back then.

You seem like a really cool person, but don't let this get you down. Instead of focusing on why you couldn't live in the 60's, focus on what you can do in the 2000's. Not to make it like the 60's, we have already had that influence. But to make it something new, and just as magical! I am sure these people would be happier living like you, but they don't know any other way than their own. The only reason they think you are crazy is because they don't understand you! Don't get deffensive and just let your message of love and peace and tolerance (yes, even for their shallowness!) shine though!

Remember the words of the Allman Brother's Band "When you can't find the light to guide you on a cloudy day. When the stars aint' shinning bright, and you feel like you've lost your way. When those candlelights of home, burn so very far away. You've gotta let your soul shine, just like my daddy used to say: Soul shine, is better than sunshine. Better than moonshine, and damn sure better than rain. Now people don't mind, we all get this way sometimes. You gotta let your soulshine, and shine 'till the break of day." Those lyrics help me when I start feelin really down about stuff like that.

 

Thanks

 

i just wanted to be a cowboy..well an indian actually.

 

Huh?

 

I know the same exact feeling. I get told by people who were both alive during the era and after it that should have been around then. I agree with on all points except the Ipod, I want to have anysong I want on me at all times.

 

i'm with yah bro... all the materialistic sucks and all people want is money and ego

 

Yeah. Sorry about my episode. I'm fine now for the moment

 

Dear Child-You are mourning and bringing on sadness to yourself by comparing yourself to those around you and to us old 60s survivors-You have the power within you to do wonderful things in your life-make something better happen-find people around you that think the way you do-At your age I was broke -livin in San Francisco and while it was alot of fun at times-there were all too many lean times as well- We also had alot of riots in the cities and violent confrontations to deal with-Our numbers were small at first then grew to include the whole country to put an end to the war-The same thing is now happening-People are waking up-do not give up hope ever-life has many surprises in store for you and God loves the peacemakers-good luck-keep smiling!

 

For what it's worth...many people describe the Sixties and its aftermath as "a field of broken dreams." I think there is a lot of sorrow and painful "what-if" remembering that goes on. But you know, the Sixties were both a time of great hope and experimentation, and a time of truly terrible things--remember that at that time, most black Americans couldn't even vote without risking their lives. There was still a LOT of male/female stereotyping and role restrictions (much more than now, believe it or not), and of course there was the war...much worse than the one we have now, though the present one is bad enough.

So...it's well to remember that the hippie phenomenon arose in great measure as a response to terrible things as well as an expression of hope for better. Is it really so important that someone know who the artists and bands, etc., of that time were? Isn't holding that as a kind of ruler or measure of someone's worthiness kind of unfortunate? It's no more important than a persons' hairstyle or whatever..."materialism" can be what kind of mental junk we accumulate and insist on storing in our attic, as surely as it can be bank accounts or the clothes we wear.

So...the spirit of the Sixties might be just letting all that go. If you want to connect with that spirit, open to hearing others even if maybe their words and points of reference are to things that exist today--the music they care about, or whatever it is. The heart of hip isn't in being groovier-than-thou, but in listening to the heart, the pulse of Being that runs through all of us, like the electric current of a river/acid trip/hum of voices in the karma chain of people-people-people...

Someone once suggested to me that the beads I was wearing was my crucifix...I sort of boggled at the idea, but finally figured out what they meant. The important thing is the quest, the journey inward, and that doesn't really rely on all the current (or old) stuff like rock personalities or whatever (which is always changing and really just a commercial creation, anyway). What is real, what abides, and what matters is the quality of heart and the integrity of our life's search for meaning. That's what it gets to, I think, and if you can tune in to that, you don't have to feel isolated or alone. After all, there are a heck of a lot of other people trying in their way to sort through the garbage and foolishness...you can connect with them on the basis of your own search for what is true.

Good luck...Blessed Be...Power to the People...Love and Peace.

 

Woodstock was a beautiful dream, but reality bit, every morning when the mail was due there was always the sick feeling of dread. Will the summins from Uncle Sam come today? The one that could land a guy face down in a rice paddy feeding the earth with his life's blood, you see the draft was manditory, that or run for the border.

Sorry if I rained on the birthday cake, so to speak, but for most of us 18- 20something year olds it was a nightmare, and that on the heals of the cold war, you remeber hiding under your desk as protection from A-bombs, right? this as well as social confrontations such as jocks vs. nerds, pretty vs. ordinary, etc. etc.
The gist is every generation has it's own problems now it's terrorists, gas prices, rising prices, etc.etc.
Life is a crusible, each individual is tempered in their own way to learn whatever will get them through this life.

 

Very good-well put indeed!

 

You rock, man! :sunglasse

 

Yeah, well, the moving van is supposed to come tomorrow to cart off all that stuff I had rattling around between my ears.

 

----Good post-It is funny how the mind and memory operate -the brain seems to only want the recall of good things from the past to surface and pretty much block out the bad stuff---The young people need to realize the 60s were not all party-party-but alot of hunger-draft dodging-bad acid-etc-Sure-we had fun and in numbers we were fairly safe and could travel ok-but if you let a guy with long hair walk through a small town by himself-I can gaurentee he would get an ass kickin before he gets to the end of town-I had it happen more then once--Another thing that people think is that hippies hated money or didn't need it-thats nuts-Me and all my friends have always loved havin money-why go hungry if you don't have to?-To fill up the tank on a VW was cheap but it still took $$$$----so-maybe holding money up as the path to happiness is wrong; but it is a nessesary evil way to trade-and working has always been a good thing for the mind and body -and it helps pay the rent-so-to be hip does not mean ya have to be poor or broke-thats dumb--but as long as it's understood that the qwest for love and spiritual guidance is primary!-and the need for money is not the root of happiness---

 

To Child~
Consider yourself very blessed to have the fire within you. Use it to your advantage: to make a difference in this world. Change doesn't come about by hoping, but by doing. Blessed are the peacemakers, man.

 

We'll be marching back to Woodstock, hand in hand before you know it. Who's in favor of a revolution?

 

How can you say pop isn't music?
Do you listen to ANY oldies?
That's pop.
Some of the shit at Woodstock?
Pop.
How about other festivals like The Texas International Pop Festival & The Montery International Pop Festival?
Pop.
Clarify what you're talking about.

 

By "pop" I mean Britney Spears, Usher, the Backstreet Boys, Green Day or whatever they listen to. By "pop", I mean music that expresses musical ignorance and is made-for-the-momentand throw-away.

 

This is a 15 year old from a Catholic school in Texas folks, in case you didn't read her post in the Rainbow family.........

My parents won't let me go. - title

Why does it seem like they have money for everything until I need something? They're a bunch of conservative wackos, that's what they are. I want to go so badly. This is exactly the thing that can heal my desire for the sixties, but no. I can't go.
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my comment........

Healing oneself does not require money, it requires self-confidence and happiness.
"It is in Gods grace we walk this earth with dignity and
healing oneself is a better, longer lasting way.
Listen to your awakened soul, question everything including your dreams."
...Honor Seed