THESE TWO EVENTS DEFINED MY GENERATION! And Frankly, They’re Both Overrated

The 60’s changed everything. People between the ages of 16 and 29 made up the majority of the population. They were the most educated of any generation. They changed values, they questioned norms, they explored sexuality, experimented with drugs, and had their own unique? style – for better or worse. Some of it was just the fashion of the time. Some of it positively reshaped the way we think.? Some of it was way off base – ideological wishful thinking.? As it turns out, love is NOT all you need. Whattaya know. Nevertheless,? much of that hippie-esque mentality has filtered through the ages.? Some people are still stuck in the hopeful ideology of what was once embraced. In fact, they’ve taken it to delusional levels. ? But that’s another story.

We can point to several events of the 60’s, but two are a recurring theme.? We go back to one as a symbol of the times greatness and the other is still the gauge of its low point. And both of them are kind of a big…meh. ? At least that’s how I see it.? Hear me out.?

One , is Woodstock.? I get it. It proclaimed a generation in a compact way. It was an event that turned out to be bigger than expected which signified the very enormity of America's youth.? It showcased the music that? shaped the future and even though adverse conditions, it remained peaceful. It couldn’t have been more perfect. Except…that it wasn’t. The fact that hundreds of thousands of kids showed up isn’t really that much of a shock when you realize, an event that big had never been attempted and it was outdoors which pretty much assured it’d be free to all.? As for the show it itself, there are a few? good performances – Joe Cocker being the most outstanding. But overall, it wasn’t a great concert. The sound? system was inadequate, the conditions were sub par and many bands, such as the Who, have much better examples of their live act. Hendrix performing the Star Spangled banner? was a statement, but it’s hardly his best playing and it? was performed at 6 AM when most of the crowd had already left.? A few months later the festival concept was tried again at Altimont? where there were fights and a young man was murdered.? A year later there was the festival at Randalls Island (which I attended) which became overrun by non paying attendees causing cancellation of some of the performers, as well as truncated sets. It was regarded as such a disaster that there weren’t any other outdoor? multi band shows for the next 20 years.??

?I understand the nostalgic connection to Woodstock as a watershed moment, but it didn’t change the world. For the most part, it was a couple of days when a bunch of kids had some fun and not much more.?

The other most overrated event – Watergate.?

Have you noticed that whenever there’s a scandal it has the “gate” moniker stuck to it.? The investigation was considered a brilliant act of strategy, detective work and? courageous commitment that led to the greatest coup of a political party and the downfall of President Nixon.? And honestly, even at the time I thought…so what? ? Think about it. Nixon kept the Viet Nam war going far longer than necessary leading to thousands of deaths of American boys. He ordered the bombing of Cambodia which resulted in the death of thousands of innocent civilians , including children. He? did nothing to stop Pol Pot? from brutally murdering millions of his people. And everyone is up in arms that the Republicans? put a bug in one of the DNC offices to listen in on some campaign strategies?!?! Hell,? Nixon was ahead by 30 points in the polls!? He won by a landslide!? What was the big harm?? Sure, not cool.? Even a tad corrupt. But by today’s standards it’s kid stuff barely worthy of a mention. And Bob Woodward is still crowing about it like he discovered the Holy Grail, and? the bodies of Jimmy Hoffa? and Amelia Earhart along with a cure for cancer.? He? got in touch with some guy who squealed about what a couple of Nixon’s cronies did. Big freakin’ woop.? Let it go already.

We all have our memories.? We all like to re-live the great moments of the past. There were things about the 60’s that are so special to me they can bring me to tears. Much of it is a romantic notion of a time past?, though I truly? believe much of it is precisely because it really was so very damn awesome.

But I don’t view it the way the media tells me to.? I was there. And anyone else who was also there,? knows.??

We wouldn’t have it any other way.?

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