5 Things Hippies Don't Want You To Know About Woodstock

i do understand that i'll never know exactly how it was, but based on stories from people who were there, i came up with my opinion on it.

 

Woodstock was famous because it was one of the early big social events of its kind.
Ideally, social gatherings of that kind should be commonplace and not particularly newsworthy. That doesn't mean that they are not important.
Hip people need to find one another. Even though the idea of a music festival may sound superficial, it has a very positive role to play in bringing us together.

We can also get together for environmental causes, political action, serving the needy, going to places to learn skills to grow healthy food, get off the grid or just make the love connection...
But yeah, music is part of a good life, let's not feel guilty about enjoying things like this.

 

The event wasn't half a million hippies getting together, it was a half million kids (for the most part) getting together to hear music and have a party. I wasn't; but man, I wanted to be. I was only fifteen at the time and lived in Illionois, so I didn't hear about it until the news started covering it.
Important? 40+ years later people still talk about it in a big way, so it was, and is. Influence? A moment in time that captured something for a lot of people. Not everyone certainly, but a lot of those present. And many who weren't there see it as representative of something hoped for, and for a quick second, achieved in a small way.
Lots of people my age (57) talk about those days and young people are tired of the reminiscing-- understandable, as we frequently bore younger generations with our nostalgia. I grew up in a time when the older folks talked about the depression and world war two. For a lot of our generation, memories of youth are concerts and parties and happy events. Unfortunately, too many people our age have memories of first-hand experience of a war, or race prejudice, or injustices that are also part of the history of those times. A lot of kids in those days were reacting to terrible things and trying for something better.
Sadly, there is still plenty of war and injustice to go around, but we don't give up hope. Woodstock, or the Dead shows, or Haight-Ashbury, or raves, whatever events and moments you have in your memory are a glimpse of the peaceful place we all need, and that humanity yearns for. Those are the things that show the possibilities of peace, love and understanding.
I still believe that all you need is love and won't stop in the belief.
Peace out, baby.

 

I was at Woodstock. I've also been to raves. I can understand why you are so jealous, angry and unfulfilled, and I feel sorry for your generation... your raves are empty and meaningless, the music sounds like disco, except there are no lyrics at all. There is no message, no hope, no strength of spiritualism or conviction... only lost kids searching for comfort in a crowd of bouncing bodies gyrating to a mindless thumping beat. Sad.

Woodstock was a lot of things, but the actual event transcended any intention of monetary gain. Most of the bands were told they might not be paid and they played anyway, often against their manager's wishes. Hendrix didn't play until Monday morning because of contractual bullshit. But at least he played, it was a great experience, and I feel fortunate to have seen him.

I've read some of your posts in this thread Duck, and I see you are very young and rather ignorant in the ways of the world. I don't mean ignorant as an insult, it's just that you don't know any better. You have a lot to learn, and much to unlearn. There may be hope for you if you can get over your anger and fear...but first you must recognize it for what it is, and that's the hardest part... especially when your ego blocks your mind from opening and accepting the fact that you are wrong about many things. Pretty hard to be that self-aware at your age. You are ruled by your shallow self-image. You feel the need to be recognized, but you don't have very much to offer. You are all output without any input to sustain it.
My advice to you is to speak less and listen more, you can't learn with your mouth open.

Oh, and when it rained at Woodstock, nobody I know "ran away". We danced. The Grateful Dead played in a rainstorm while the stage flooded and they were being shocked by electrical shorts, lightning was striking in the near distance... but they played on anyway, and we danced. It was a positive experience for most of us, life-changing for many.

You have quite a bad attitude towards Woodstock and hippies in general, even though all this occured before you were even born. I don't blame you as much as I blame the backlash of hate and bitterness which has evolved within the generations since. You've bought into negativity and anger. Sorry you missed out, kid. I hope it doesn't ruin your life. You should listen to the psychedelic and spiritual elders who are still around to teach you. Soon we will be passing on around the Wheel and you will be stuck without a ride.

Peace.

 

Thanks for that post, Blue Sun. Great to hear from you. I hope you join.

 

Sounds belittling to me. And that generalization about raves is ridicilous... which makes it clear again how events can be experienced differently (just like at woodstock) :2thumbsup:

 

Stopped reading.

It's not nice, nor intelligent to be so presumptuous with those of differing opinions. Angry would be the only one of those that is appropriate. (To this subject anyways -- of course I'm unfulfilled, I'm 22 =P)

 

I'm not suprised, but it is disappointing to have my 'presumptions' confirmed... that your ego won't allow you to learn or grow as a person. It is one thing to disagree, it is quite another to simply "stop reading". I can't teach you anything without telling you the truth, and apparent;y the truth is not what you seek. If you want someone to babysit your feelings or stroke your ego and tell you lies, then you'll find plenty of that elsewhere.

This is what raves have taught you... instant gratification without accountability. Ecstacy is not a mind-expanding drug, it is simply a bandaid to make you 'feel good'. The music you dance to at raves is simple, primitive thumping designed for the same purpose as ecstacy... to 'feel good' without risk. It's no wonder you've learned nothing from this futile exercise in group masturbation.

I'm afraid there are many young people like you who can't be reached. I feel no animosity towards you for being who you are... but I do feel a loss because you are not open-minded enough to accept criticism, and have no desire to improve yourself. Your loss.

Peace

 

oh duck, you're crackin' me up now...:rofl:


....hurray for getting high, dressing down, and fucking...and teenagers! :hurray:

ZW

P.S. Woodstock showed that despite adversity, people can still be groovy to one another...

 

None of those are things I disagree with, by any means (though of course, family values and dressing up have their place too); I just don't think that translates to:

Particularly with all the fucked up shit that happened there.


PS - whoever else I am arguing with currently. Take notes; Mr. Zombiewolf knows how to disagree in a civil manner.

 

I mean yeah, it was a big over-crowded, poorly organized mess that somehow went down with very little or no intentional violence (reported). In todays world, I'm not so sure people could behave as well, for the most part.

I don't think Woodstock intended to be anything more than a big outdoor concert of the day. Only later did folks begin to see it as a sort of symbol of the peace movement.
Its iconic mostly for when it happened.

....not to mention the music of course.
I was 9yrs old when I first heard the Woodstock record. hadnt ever even smoked pot yet.
I had been taking formal guitar lessons for about a year...
when I heard Jimis instrumental piece after the star spangled banner, it blew my mind, it changed my fucking life, no shit.

I wasn't even there and woodstock changed my fucking life.

 

You weren't there. So you are inventing negativity in order to protect your ego from the truth.

You percieve honest criticism as "uncivil". It's your ego talking again, my young friend. You would do well to practice a little humility and honest introspection when presented with advice from your elders.

I'm not here to win any arguments. This is the 'ask the old hippies' forum, where us old farts volunteer knowledge and experience to younger folks who wish to learn. Perhaps it is you who is in the wrong place for the wrong reasons. No matter, some will learn. Just not you, apparently.

Peace

 

I don't think I can make any proper comparison. Rio De Janero's Copacabana beach has had many gigantic concerts, but I don't know if they've had violence problems.
I'm sure whenever concession stands got raided at Woodstock, things weren't so quiet -- I would say I'd have to give some credence to your argument that no major acts of violence happened (or they would've been reported), but then the Lenny Kravitz concert I read about in Copacabana a few years back that was reportedly as big as Woodstock, I didn't hear about violence either.

But that's kinda sort've my point. All this shit gets put onto it, because of the times, "because of what it represents". But the real front lines of the 60s were Chicago; they were Berkeley; they were San Fransisco; they were in the papers, the magazines; the political scene; on the streets. I feel like Woodstock's fame takes the credit away from the things that deserve it most.

Mine too, mine too (but I'd credit that to Jimi, not the concert he played it at, to a mostly empty field)

 

What are you fucking kidding me? Rio's one of the most violent citys in the world..

yeah well credit, fame, whatever, everything contributed to the gestalt of the time. Feel lucky to have an iconic event like Woodstock else folks would likely forget the rest even faster.

That mostly empty field is inseparable from the performance and is of the most profound significance....

I can hear it, feel it in his performance that muddy morning field...

he was playing to the Universe

ZW eace:

 

That doesn't mean every event or happening there is a violent one. If anything, that adds onto my point, that reporting of those events has not come with reporting of violence at those events; so the "non-violence" of Woodstock isn't really that impressive.

I mean, I'm sure there's been other gatherings of half a million people where no one was killed, is all I'm saying.

We're much more lucky to have the Martin Luther King museum. (Which every American should go to at least once.)

You could download the mp3 without even realizing it was a part of Woodstock.. (Hell, Jimi's so good you could listen to it and not even realize what decade it was in, if you aren't familiar with his history.)

I do agree that it really does have that muddy grassy feeling though; what an amazing artist.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBPTd1gdWSM"]Rare clips Woodstock 1969

 

If I wasnt 1/2 a world away in a different "camp" I would,ve loved to go, - -What the hell it rained for friggin 13 months , I could have stood on my head in a 3 day downpour

 

Interesting..I thought it only rained daily during the monsoon season, which in the south is May through September; generally between 3:00 and 4:00 pm for perhaps an hour or two.

 

OK SO IT WAS A facetious comment- -didnt think anyone would take it so literal - - but damn it sure seemed like it rained all the time- -

 

In our rainy season, it is damp and dewy in the morning, hot and sunny for a few hours and then all that moisture boils up from the ocean, lakes, rivers and wet earth into massive soggy clouds and that water comes down in pelting torrents of rain. Then we have an hour of steam as the water vapor rises from the hot earth. And the water drips off the trees for another hour or two until the nighttime dew falls again. So I can see why people say it rains all the time. In a way it does.

I have camped in those conditions. It is tolerable if you have a sleep under a tarp or shed and bed down on a cot or make one of sticks so you can sleep off the ground. You even have to build your fires under a canopy or they will be quickly doused. Wearing as few clothes as possible, preferably none, allows you to dry faster, but in a cold downpour, a nylon poncho wards off the temporary chill. Shoes are a bad idea. Try sandals or go bare. Your feet will thank you.
I don't even want to mention what happens to feet that are confined to wet shoes for days at a time.

The concept of hip people gathering for fun, friendship and music is still a very, very good idea...rain or shine!