Journal Entry #2
I chose two quotes from Bruce Cook’s book The Beats. Both quotes were in the same chapter and pertained to the Woodstock music festival, which is one of the most remembered happenings during the Hippie Movement (my topic).
“The reality of Woodstock mattered a good deal less to everyone – even perhaps to those who were present – than it did as a symbol” (pg. 230).
“What was absent, though, was the sense of open exchange between strangers, of young people coming together and truly enjoying themselves. And yet this was what Woodstock was supposed to be about, wasn’t it?” (pg. 236).
Believing:
Although I am a bit surprised at Cook’s less-than-amazing experience of Woodstock, it’s not something that should be ignored, seeing as he was there to experience it. Sometimes, the meaning of events or things are amplified by people who either did not directly participate, or (in this case) who were not in a clean state of mind for most of the time that they were experiencing the event. I think that either of those reasons may have something to do with why Woodstock sounds like it was such an amazing event to most people. Until I read the chapter on Woodstock in his book, I had always thought that it really was this amazing event, especially for the people who were there. Now, I’m not so sure.
Doubting:
First of all, Bruce Cook’s book was mainly focused on the beatniks, which were a group of people whose form of protest was more philosophical and less action-oriented (from what I gathered) and somewhat spawned the hippie movement. Nevertheless, they were still a different group. When he introduced hippies, his tone was pretty critical of them, since he stressed the drug use so much and deemed rock-n-roll a dumbed-down and shallow form of music. So, it’s fairly obvious here that he was biased in favor of the beatnik’s movement. I should mention that when he said there was a lack of open exchange between strangers, he was only talking about the trek to the property on which Woodstock happened. He did not say how much open exchange there was once everyone got settled into the location.
Comments:
Natasha's Weblog☮ 
A good point of view, time and bias can distort memory, especially of a major event. When we hear people continuously say “It was great” we begin to alter our memories to perceive it as such. In doubting you reveal the author’s own prejudices and inconsistencies, a trait that is all too human. His focuses and inclusions and exclusions can say a lot, or not say say what needs to be said.
alitvin - April 28, 2010 at 10:15 pm |
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Journal Entry #3 « Alitvin's Blog - April 28, 2010 at 10:16 pm |