The Burning of Woodstock

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Woodstock '99 lost the idealism of the original and kept the hedonism. A purposeful focus is the difference between warming the world and burning it.

The icon of "Woodstock" represents peace,
love and goodwill. But that image quickly
exploded as the world watched the 1999
edition of the massive rally turn into a
spontaneous riot. I doubt my initial
reaction of disgust mixed with incredulity was , but I
wonder if others also found themselves
dumbfounded at how life could be so
absolutely ironic. Using "love candles" to
spark destruction?


How did this happen? Was this event a
realistic representation of American
culture? A possible reflection on its
current lacking and yearnings? What lesson
can we learn upon witnessing the world's
most famous love-in erupting into flames?


The original Woodstock was a collection of
musicians, entertainers and thousands of
youth, who shared an interest for not only
music, drugs and sex, but also for an
alternative philosophy of life. This
philosophy embraced a "spirituality" based
upon feeling good and a freedom from
oppressive materialism and societal
constraints.


I believe these people were, for the most part,
idealists seeking happiness for themselves
and the world around them. But the "feeling
good" was not linked to any defined,
concrete goal for how to build the world and
repair its ills. Perhaps more problematic is
that its primary focus on instant
gratification and unbridled fulfilment of
desires, is a philosophy of "taking," and
ultimately escape.


The spiritual system described through Torah
is based not on "taking," but on "giving."
Only when we break free from our self-centeredness can
we truly relate to others. An outward focus means we care and
enables us to become like God, the ultimate Giver.


This year's Woodstock attracted a different
crowd than the original. The idealism, as
well as the rejection of materialism, is
gone to a great degree. But what remains,
and what draws the world's attention, is how
vast numbers of young people are still
searching for the "spirituality" that last
generation's hippies strived for. People
realize there is more to the world than the
physical, and they realize that in some way,
the idea of Woodstock represents an avenue
for searching for what is beyond.


But the finale of this year's festival makes quite clear that this
"spirituality" has not been attained, or even worse, has been found to be
destructive. While the combination of music, drugs and dancing may tap someone
into aspects of spirituality, once one realizes the lack of deeper, more
meaningful aspects of responsibility towards oneself and others, one can't
avoid feeling a degree of despair and emptiness. A "spirituality" based upon
freedom from responsibility can only lead to destruction. Even with the best
intentions.


The Talmud says that fire has a potential
which is both good and bad. Fire can warm.
But it can also burn. The chaos at Woodstock
will hopefully enable this generation of
searchers to realize that the answer lies in
giving to others, not taking. It's the
difference between warming the world and
burning it.


Elliot Mathias studies at Aish HaTorah
Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He graduated from
Northwestern University in 1997 with a
degree in Political Communications and is
originally from Buffalo Grove, Illinois.

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