The 1960's Counterculture Almost Got It Right, Then It Imploded With Ego
Those involved in the 1960’s counterculture almost had it. I’m convinced the emergence of the movement was a natural, opposite, and equal reaction to the horror of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, not the Vietnam War. Initially it had pure intentions, but drugs, immaturity, & then the War turned what was a movement of togetherness into a “me first” shit storm. Do I believe our rogue government had something to do with supplying the drugs at the time? Yes, it was a simple divide and conquer tactic that they’ve used several times on society. Sure, there were “beatniks” in the 1950’s, but I don’t believe they would have grown beyond an art & intellectual movement, if not for the assassination, the drugs, & the war. Likely all clandestine actions of our own government.
In “Woodstock”, written by Joni Mitchell (who is an incredible musician/song writer) and performed by CSN& Y points out those good intentions. It speaks of the Children of God trying to free their souls. However, the key lines are these two…”But we’ve got to get ourselves back to the Garden…” and “We are caught in the devil’s bargain…” are stark warnings to those in the movement it needs to be “pure” to accomplish anything. Notice that, in the end, this so called “fabled movement” accomplished nothing. Nothing! It didn’t even end the war. The movement ended itself. It’s as is the devil gave our government the “How to Stop A Social Movement 101” book.
So, what’s left 50+ years later? Participants in the movement who talk about how great they were once that still listen to this song and think Joni Mitchell wrote it as a grandiose tribute to them. Excuse me while I gag.
By 1970, the year the song was written, it had become clear to Joni that the counterculture movement had drowned in the egos of many.
In a June 10, 2013, CBC interview Joni is quoted as saying the following, “The parents of baby-boomers were unhappy, and out of it came this liberated, spoiled, selfish generation into the costume ball of free love, free sex, free music, free, free, free, free we're so free. And Woodstock was the culmination of it. But I was not a part of that and I was not a part of the anti-war movement, either. I played in Fort Bragg. I went the Bob Hope route because I had uncles who died in the war, and I thought it was a shame to blame the boys who were drafted.”
Any movement that makes a difference in society needs to have pure intentions and it needs to be done together. Don’t forget that. Ever. Together. Keep praying! May God bless all!
https://web.archive.org/web/20161020070604/http://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/joni-mitchell-on-q-1.1526611
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lx86B6a3kc