by Mark Silva
I came across a child of God.... actually, just a poll:
Forty years after Woodstock, it appears, the generation gap is alive and well. It's less about a long-passed war, free love and weed, however, and more about technology, work ethics and tolerance for other people.
So says a survey today, four decades after the mud-bath at Max Yasgur's farm widely recognized as the day the muzak died.
Yet there is one notable area of consensus between the young and old today, the Pew Research Center reports: The music.
"Rock and roll has made the journey from the defiant soundtrack of the counterculture to the most popular music in the land,'' Pew reports of the findings of its Social and DemographicTrends project, a survey run July 2 through Aug. 2, interviewing 1,815 people 16 and older.
Two-thirds of those surveyed say they listen to rock often (35 percent) or sometimes (30 percent), Pew reports, "placing it ahead of the six other musical genres tested in the survey: country, rhythm and blues, hip-hop, classical, jazz and salsa.
Back in 1966, before the summer of love and before the summer of mud, a national survey1 found that rock and roll was by far the most unpopular music in America. Nearly half of adults surveyed then (44 percent) said they disliked it, and only 4 percent called it their favorite kind of music.
Yet Pew already had found earlier this year that 79 percent of Americans say there are major differences now in the point of view of younger and older adults. That's pretty much the way it was more than 40 years ago, when 74 percent of the public said the same thing.
"Where perceived generational differences exist today about moral values, work ethic and respect for others, today's young adults -- by heavy margins -- believe that these differences have arisen because their generation hasn't lived up to standards set by older adults,'' Pew reports today.
An overwhelming share of the public says "the young and old are different in many aspects of their lives, including in the way they use new technology (87 percent say very or somewhat different), their taste in music (86 percent), their work ethic (80 percent), their moral values (80 percent), the respect they show others (78 percent), their political views (74 percent), their attitudes toward different races and groups (70 percent) and their religious beliefs (68 percent).
People say older Americans are superior to the young "when it comes to their moral values, work ethic and respect for others,'' Pew reports. "Even younger adults share in these assessments.
The one exception: Attitudes toward people of difference races. "Here,'' Pew reports, "a plurality of the public says that younger adults have the upper hand.
Seven in ten of those surveyed, by the way, were able to correctly identify what Woodstock was - though among the youngest people surveyed - those 16 to 24 - only about half could.
Comments
If Rock rules, the majority is bad! And when the majority is bad, this country will be punished, the nation will be defeated and you will go into slavery.
Posted by: Harold Reimann | August 12, 2009 12:54 PM
Harold,
As was announced from the stage at Woodstock: "avoid the brown acid."
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | August 12, 2009 1:26 PM
@Harry Reimann - a black man (Obama) kicked your Wingnut arse and now he's President, get over it!
Posted by: Be a good little Republican - Sacrifice your life for a Health Insurance CEO | August 12, 2009 1:55 PM
I've avoided ALL acid.
Posted by: Harold Reimann | August 12, 2009 1:59 PM
One of the things about Woodstock that doesn't get discussed much is all of the great acts (Hendrix, Joplin, CCR etc) who performed for basically nothing.
There's no way something like that could be pulled off in these days of agents and promoters etc.
Thanks for this, Mark.
Posted by: John E | August 12, 2009 2:01 PM
There's nothing to get over. I mean NOTHING.
Posted by: Harold Reimann | August 12, 2009 2:25 PM
@ Harry Reimann - I've looked at your hateful right-wing White Supremist web site, seems like your still angry that slavery was abolished.
Why the anger Lil' Harry?. Did your Klan meeting get canceled today or something?
Posted by: Be a good little Republican - Sacrifice your life for a Health Insurance CEO | August 12, 2009 2:36 PM
One of the things about Woodstock that doesn't get discussed much is all of the great acts (Hendrix, Joplin, CCR etc) who performed for basically nothing.
There's no way something like that could be pulled off in these days of agents and promoters etc.
Thanks for this, Mark.
Posted by: John E | August 12, 2009 2:01 PM
Commies! That's un-american. Real American Patriots soak the masses for as much as possible to ensure they get rich! Greed is good! Greed is Partriotic!
Posted by: G. Gecko, Republican | August 12, 2009 3:40 PM
I'n not angry. I'm right. You're wrong. I couldn't even look up anything you might have to say if I wanted to. Cause you're not there.
Posted by: Harold Reimann | August 12, 2009 3:44 PM
All the cynics could concentrate on were the drugs and occasional displays of "debauchery". But the greatest thing about Woodstock and the "Peaceniks" who attended, was the expression of tolerance, an embrace of diversity, openness, and brotherly love (don't laugh!).
Maybe it was an illusion, but it didn't feel like it at the time. And it was a nice respite from an unpopular war, civil unrest and the violence of the time. And no, I wasn't there, I speak from what I gleaned from friends and family who were. I did attend the Monterrey Music Festival and I believe the environment mirrored Woodstock somewhat, but on a much smaller scale. Anyway, beats a teabagger mob scene.
Posted by: dt☢ | August 12, 2009 4:33 PM
"Rock and roll has made the journey from the defiant soundtrack of the counterculture to the most popular music in the land,'' Pew reports of the findings of its Social and DemographicTrends project, a survey run July 2 through Aug. 2, interviewing 1,815 people 16 and older.
Two-thirds of those surveyed say they listen to rock often (35 percent) or sometimes (30 percent), Pew reports, "placing it ahead of the six other musical genres tested in the survey: country, rhythm and blues, hip-hop, classical, jazz and salsa. ~ M.S.
--------------------------------------------
Music, Mark S., the 2nd greatest thing of passion in my life. But how can this be? How can the current breed of Rock denizens even faintly compare with The Beatles, Doors, Stones, Pink Floyd, Pretenders, Earth Wind and Fire, Moody Blues, Fleetwood Mac, The Starship, Cars, Springsteen, Dylan, Paul Simon, Stevie Ray??? There is No Way. What has been the biggest song of 2009, as of this date??? That song would be……. What was the most popular song of 2008??? And that was….. Who has their grubby finger on the musical pulse of America? Where are my crickets?
Stevie Ray Vaughn was always a micro-second from solo mode even as he maintained the rhythm with his Double Trouble mates. Dave Gilmore or Clapton could sip on a cup of coffee and rip off a delectable, unique riff before the cup leaves their lips and squares up with the table. Django’s associates, who can carry a tune, are typically as good as placeholders 6 – 10 on American Idol on most any day. The Beatles played 14 hours+ a day in clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg. That is how you become good. A.I. folks are o.k., but mostly just lucky. And then there was Hendrix, bad form and all as shown in this picture, but absolutely a spiritual musical force.
There may be more Rock listeners, but they sure are plugged into a vastly inferior product. If all u like is loud, fast, monotone, a good message tailored for democrats direct from the bowels of Hell, then I guess it would be your thing or somebody’s thing. I know that it is always a young man’s game, but, Not seeing this.
Posted by: Django - N Exile In/Around the 30th Parallel | August 12, 2009 6:11 PM
From the hippies that gave us "Rules and Regulations, who needs them", they now want to regulate anything that moves.
As far as teh best band at Woodstock - I'll go with Santana
Posted by: Terry | August 12, 2009 7:20 PM
From the hippies that gave us "Rules and Regulations, who needs them", they now want to regulate anything that moves.
Posted by: Terry | August 12, 2009 7:20 PM
***********************************
.
Yeah, because we've seen the "successful" meltdown that Wall Street had under the BushCo Rethugs.
Mission Accomplished, Trickledown Terri!
Posted by: anti terry | August 12, 2009 7:52 PM
@Harry Reimann - not only am I real, I'm also your worst nightmare, Mr. Grand Wizard.
Posted by: Be a good little Republican - Sacrifice your life for a Health Insurance CEO | August 12, 2009 8:01 PM
Terry,
Best performance by a band at Woodstock or best band? I'd go with CSN&Y over Santana as best band, although the former's performance at Woodstock was only their third together.
Posted by: dt☢ | August 12, 2009 10:44 PM
Trickled-On Anti,
You loons have been doing this since the 80's. Any time any individual achieves success, the flatliners want to confiscate it.
Isn't it time for you to double nothing and get one?
Posted by: Terry | August 12, 2009 10:58 PM
From the hippies that gave us "Rules and Regulations, who needs them", they now want to regulate anything that moves.
Posted by: Terry | August 12, 2009 7:20 PM
-------------------------------------
Ironicly True. The revolutionaries of the 60's and 70's are the control masters in Mustapha's Brave New World. Letting right-brained people run anything is a menace to everyone. They would place a czar in every hamlet.
Carlos Santana, another Ace, versus the current herd of muddlers. He can always extract from the pentatonic scale a strong, coherrent melody.
Posted by: Django - N Exile In/Around the 30th Parallel | August 13, 2009 12:46 AM