The 60's. A legacy?

**Wildor** · 10-07-2009, 07:38 PM

And by the 60's, I of course mostly mean the years 1967, 68 and 69, when it seemed the whole of our society suddenly espoused ideals and aspirations postulated by the hippie and beatnik movements that had been going on for some time before.

Having been born in 1963, I was aware of a pervasive "new thinking" and attitude among the young and even some of the older people of that time, though I was still a child (you couldn't be alive at that time and not be aware of it. It was being repeated, and debated, ad nauseum.) A "new generation" was coming on it's own, and was going to change the world and our way of life.
The sexual revolution, widespread experimenting with drugs (mostly marijuana and LSD), and protests, protests, protests were the hallmarks of the times.

In the USA, protest were mostly centered on race relations and the Vietnam war, but not exclusively. Denouncing "The Establishment" and the stifling, suffocating lifestyle of the 40's and 50's was also de rigueur, not without justifications I might add.
In Europe, Vietnam was a corollary issue of the Cold War, and though race relations didn't have the importance it had in the US (that happened later), the same denouncing of "Those In Power" really caused havoc in many countries, and brought the civil disorder to such a degree in France during May 1968 as to bring the national government to paralysis and a very serious consideration of, at least, a rethinking of society and it's foundations (until De Gaulle brought in the troops that is. Something many French have never forgiven him!)

As time has passed however, it seems to me that not a lot of that whole "new thinking" remains. To be sure, great strides in equality between the races and sexes have been achieved, but it is highly debatable whether those are a legacy of the 60's or of a much longer social movement that the 60's only gave added impetus. And leaving apart Rock music and all it's subsequent offsprings (granted, that is no small exception), I don't believe the arts in general were much influenced by the whole scene, though some of you may take exception to that.

The point of this thread is to satisfy my curiosity. What is your take on the 60's and it's legacy, if you consider there is one. Or if you don't!

I'm specially interested in hearing some of our bright young people on this subject. HOWEVER...

I must ask all of you to keep this discussion on the social aspect, and not go to the political aspect unless you absolutely have to. I realize it might be necessary in order to make a valid point, but please! Let's keep this as free of controversy as possible.

Thank you.

**Hroðgar** · 10-07-2009, 07:47 PM

Even though many great things came out of that time period (equal rights being the primary), I believe the primary legacy of the time period you speak of is the current state of the worlds economy.

I will stop at that to avoid controversy

**Rodri** · 10-07-2009, 08:12 PM

In the late 60's I was also still a child.
I was aware of what was happening but only became more aware after the events had long passed.
What happened?
Madison Avenue and Hollywood got hold of the "Hippy" culture and turned it into a triviallity and marketing tool. So we had the fashion excesses of the 70's and some very silly television shows, and eventually the deeper meanings were lost.

So what happened to the hippies?
Some lost their way in drugs (there's a legacy from the 60's!), others simply grew out of it (possibly because they were never strongly involved and were just following the trends) and went back to raising families in the burbs.

Some held strong with their beliefs and kept trying to achieve change, but usually it was change on a personal level. Many took to the hills and still live there in peace, growing their food and trying to live a simple life.

So what is the legacy?
Enviromental awareness?
A willingness to question the status quo?

Other than that, I can't think of much that has lasted. If anything, we seem to be more materialistic and reactionary than my parents were. We also seem to be less socially active in many ways.
(My parents were never hippies, very far from it.)

**~~Nerevar2~~** · 10-07-2009, 09:07 PM

I think the ideals of the sixties deepened racial tensions and gave birth to the sense of entitlement that so plagues society today. The whole "equality" thing created even more extremists on all sides to the point that now you can't even hear the moderate voice. Hippes also left many people with the thought that they deserve something just because someone more successful then themselves have it (Sense of entitlement) and want said thing to be handed to them instead of working for it like the more successful person did. People with a sense of entitlement will attack anyone who suggests they work because they think they shouldn't have to work when someone else can do it. (Which then causes the problems of illegal immigrants having all the jobs and all production being moved to Asia)

**Hroðgar** · 10-07-2009, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Nerevar2

I think the ideals of the sixties deepened racial tensions and gave birth to the sense of entitlement that so plagues society today. The whole "equality" thing created even more extremists on all sides to the point that now you can't even hear the moderate voice. Hippes also left many people with the thought that they deserve something just because someone more successful then themselves have it (Sense of entitlement) and want said thing to be handed to them instead of working for it like the more successful person did. People with a sense of entitlement will attack anyone who suggests they work because they think they shouldn't have to work when someone else can do it. (Which then causes the problems of illegal immigrants having all the jobs and all production being moved to Asia)

I agree with the second part of your statement but their belief of entitlement was seeded the generation or two before.

As for the comments on the progress of race relations in the US, I am not real sure you understand what happened in the age of segregation and before and the changes that occurred in the 60's. As for your comment on it creating more extremists; Nazis and the KKK were much more active before the 60's and black nationalists are not and have never been a significant number of the black population, much less the whole US.

**~~CandleLite~~** · 10-07-2009, 09:46 PM

I’m sorry to say that I am only familiar with the music of that time. And I would like to say that I rarely hear anything that is so full of heart and meaning. None of the "pop" music manufactured by the main stream and preformed by sell outs has the same depth to it. I think that the music of that time leaves one wanting more out of modern artiest. Like art. There are some now who actually make music; I’m not saying that all modern music is so devoid of heart and meaning. But the artists of that time put thought and time and part of themselves into the music they created. Messages that resonate, that, like classic literature are as true today as when they were written.
As I said all I know is the music. and music is my passion.

**King Alboin** · 10-08-2009, 03:17 AM

Honestly, i think that none but a few of us remember the good ol' sixties. I do, and like Wildor, was born early in the sixties, 1961 to be almost exact. (yeah yeah i'm old)
Anyway, I still would like to give my assessment of the ghost gerneration fondly known as the 'Hippies'.

The Hippies were born out of the 'Beatnicks', ya know, the guys with the goaties who played the bongos and recited eclectic poetry and drank expresso coffee. Yep them guys. The Beatnicks stood for 'freedom of expression' and conversly the Hippies expounded on that notion and took it to the level of 'freedom of love'. The main idea was that love is free and accepts without rules. Later because of the Police
action in the Republic of Vietnam, the mantra of 'Peace and Love' bagan to seep into the consiousness of the stoned.

Seriously, the only thing the Hippies wanted was to love everybody, get high, enjoy peace and live in freedom for free. They realized that the only way to attain peace was to love... um... everybody, and i mean everybody in every circumstance, no matter who they where, where they were, or what they were. They strived to see beauty in every created thing, except spiders. Nothing that was created was ammune to this love, (cept spiders) and no love possessed could be withheld from any creature, (no need to repeat except spiders). Such a simple idea, no?

No.

The 'Establishment' said, "why, you can only be free the way i say you can be free, you can only have peace after we fight these neverending wars, you can only love those whom i say you can love and you must hate those who i say you must hate, get a haircut, get a job and turn down that loud music."

....and thus began the counter-revolution.

The rest is history.