Woodstock Turns 40!

Talking About the Woodstock Legacy.

And how Profound the shift really was.

In reading the various news articles about Woodstock, I am beginning to notice a pattern. The European articles talk about the ’spirit of Woodstock’ and overwhelming youthful Idealism. Also Woodstock as the rallying point  of modern movements such as Green Living, Eco-sustainability, Organic food, Civil Rights, Equal Work for Equal Pay and more.

This is also my View. To me – this is Legacy of Woodstock. And it’s a very important one that has global impact on a daily basis!

On the other hand, American articles about Woodstock point to the drugs (horrors), the sexual activity (should be ashamed, very ashamed) and the general nudity (disgust and outrage). And then note that many people have made a lot of money off the Woodstock franchise. And further, from that fact – draw the smarmy superior conclusion that Woodstock ‘failed’ in its premise.  That the ideals of Woodstock  never existed; just a bunch of capitalists making money, as usual.

If we look around – we can clearly see that many artists have made a comfortable living from Woodstock. (Which, for a music artist, is a miracle in itself!) However – there really were a few magical moments in which Time and Reality as we know it was suspended. New Thoughts came into being as a result of this gathering. And we see them daily now.

Interestingly, this is why Native Americans (and other ‘primitive’ societies) gathered for shamanic ceremonies. It was a way to bring together the critical mass necessary to birth New Ideas necessary to survival. Not a trivial thing.

Today, Green Living and Eco-sustainability (to name only a few Woodstock Ideals) are critically important to the Global well being of our planet itself.

And thanks to the many Baby Boomers who either attended Woodstock (or empathized with it) and then went home to patiently implement their ideals over the next 40 years years – Green Living,  Eco-sustainability, Renewal Resources (and more) are now an integral part of Mainstream thought and action. From Underground and Counter-Culture to Mainstream.

Pretty important stuff. Boomers – you did good.