From Woodstock to Wallstreet. Did the "Hippies" of the sixties sell out for materialism?

When I was a kid I was told to “keep off the grass”, “you're too young”, and “because I said so”.

But that wasn't so for the Woodstock generation. Their message was simple, “If it feels good, do it.” You can wrap it up in pretty cliches like “free love”, “make love, not war”, and “do your own thing”. But in the end it still had one big false idea behind it. There are no consequences to our actions.

Modern day philosophers glorify the sixties generation for standing up to the establishment. And Woodstock was their crowning achievement. But did they leave the life of “free love” for a mortgage and two car garage?

You had a group of young people that didn't like the way the world was being run. Understandable, considering what they had witnessed. Discrimination, assassination, and conscription. Surly they could do better.

They had one rule. “Don't trust anyone over thirty.” So you had a bunch of children in adult bodies. And as children, they felt whatever they wanted they should have. “Take what you want. Have sex with anyone you want. Get high on anything available.”

Woodstock ticket prices were set at $6.00 single day advanced to $24.00 three day at the gate. But the Woodstock generation would have none of it. "We want a free concert." So the fence came down and the concert became “free”. At least to those who enjoyed the music.

The desire for “things” has been present from Adam till today. The Woodstock generation didn't change. They just can't get what they want for free anymore.