Life in America during the 1950 's was often described as somewhat sterile, orderly, and convenient.The media made this time period out to look like families were happy and joyous , when in reality it was time of stressed out families in the pursuit of the suburban dream life. The children of these families began to reject the lifestyles and values that their parents lead. As these children matured the 60 's began and this was the beginning of the counterculture movement. These children matured and began to make their own counter culture, consisting of sex, drugs, and rock 'n ' roll. The violence in Vietnam inspired these kids. They grew tired of it and wanted to spread peace and love. These times were characterized by passionate idealists seeking peace and a more loving world, dangerous radicals fomenting revolution, as well as non-conformists refusing to live by the laws in America. Some of these people were on ending the Vietnam war, Civil rights, or starting…
Despite initial support for the war, the counterculture movement of the 1960s contributed to the growing opposition of the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam…
1. Describe what is meant by "counterculture" and "psychedelia." What are some of the important elements of the hippie worldview? How can music be psychedelic?…
The hippie subculture that was born in San Francisco in the 1960’s came from nowhere. As unlikely as life forming on Earth billions of years ago, new political ideals oozed from a seemingly disengaged primordial ooze of activists and idealists. Foner says, “the rise of a protest movement among white youth came as a complete surprise” (Give me Liberty!, 1103). A new age of free thinkers, inspired by a variety of factors found themselves questioning their government, challenging the steady diet of “propoganda” they had been force-fed. The counterculture was historic in that “millions of young people openly rejected the values and behaviors of their elders” (Give me Libery!, 1112) Historically, the difference between oppression and revolution…
Belton, John. "The 1960 's: The Counterculture Strikes Back." American Cinema/American Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994. 339-61. Print.…
The causes for which there was a boom in social activism in the 1960 ’s are very complex and varied. From the changes in the patterns of accumulation of the American economy and the role of the United States in the Cold War world to the new intellectual and cultural trends and the discovery of the contraceptive pill, all were explanatory factors of the democratic insurgency of the time. During the decade after the Second World War, American society was characterized by an unprecedented prosperity and an important process of social equalization. The prosperity was the result of the virtuous circle that was generated from the deferred consumption of the crisis of the thirties and war, coupled with the spread of technological changes produced…
The 1960’s was first and foremost a rising up of freedom: freedom of choice, freedom of lifestyle, of gender, of government, of human rights, and of artistic expression. And it was an era of individualism as opposed to accepting the society and roles of society as ordered. But what is hard to understand now is how this wasn’t nearly as all pervasive as it might now seem, but at the same time how far reaching this energy was. In the sixties, more people pursued freedom than any periods.…
“As the 1960s progressed, young Americans’ understanding of freedom increasingly expanded to include cultural freedom”(Foner, E. 2006). The generational rebellion that became to be known as counterculture would soon descend upon the hills of Bethel in upstate New York to what would be “the counterculture’s biggest bash”. The 1969 Woodstock Music Festival forever left a footprint in the lives of all those who had a hand in the staging of the festival, whether it be a hippie, planner, resident, or a business owner. It “brought together hundreds of thousands of young people to celebrate their alternative lifestyle and independence from adult authority.” (Foner, E. 2006). On August 15 to August 18, 1969, more than 450,000 people gathered on Max Yasgure’s pasture in Sullivan County to listen to music from artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Joan Baez. The town of Bethel was hit with a huge impact. While some good came out of it, such as local motels and gas stations profiting from the influx of hippies, farmers lost income and land were destroyed. Residents were left to clean up the mess left behind. Woodstock can be attributed to bringing the community of Bethel together as well as the young Americans who now had a stronger sense of community. Local government had to intervene by creating zoning laws. The residents of Bethel were promised future traffic jams would be prevented. Political fallout also resulted after Woodstock.…
“The Last Hippie” is a short chapter from Oliver Sacks’ An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales. The chapter is centered around Greg, one of Dr. Sacks’ patients, and how his troubling teenager years subsequently led to him become an amnesiac who, “seemed bland, placid, and emptied of all feeling,” (Sacks, 1996, p.46). Although Greg’s story was very interesting to read, I did find it relatively difficult to follow along, and encountered many challenges while reading the chapter.…
Lastly, the increased participation in alternative religions in America was heavily influenced by this lost generation. It can be inferred that these changes in society’s views eventually catalyzed movements such as women liberation and black liberation as well. The beatniks overall encouraged people to look at life from the “underside” and make a difference (“The Beat Movement”…
Despite the negative portrayal in mainstream 1960s media, justifications expressed by counterculture activists for further investigation, education and experimentation under government control of LSD were rational and valid arguments. Sex, drugs, protests, war, political upheaval, cultural chaos, and social rebellion; the many comforts TV dinner eating, republican voting, church going, suburbia conformists tried to escape through conservative ideals, town meetings, and The Andy Williams Family Hour. National consciousness in 1960s United States was alive, but existed differently in every mind it dwelled, and stirred uninterrupted in every life to which it was introduced. A dream of money, success, and a house with a white picket fence still…
In addition to changing Canadian mentality , Hippies have created an era of pop culture and lifestyle that has been carried into present times . During the early 60’s , many Hippies migrated to rural areas of Canada and lived off the land as a way to get in touch with nature . For those who could not afford to live in remote locations , communal living was the next best option as many Hippies were homeless and could only live comfortably by sharing with others . Communal living was the most preferred way of living as it promoted the concept of sharing utilities (slightly communist) although it was not always effective as depicted in the Rochdale College experiment of 1968 . Rochdale college in Yorkville was considered a “Hippie Haven”…
During the 1960s their were many changes and social movements. A few of these include movements centred around race, feminism, anti-war protests and counter culture. The most notable of these movements was the counter culture revolution because it involved all the other topics within itself. The counter culture movement of the 1960s contains the concerns of race, feminism, status quo’s & war. This movement changed the identity of the newest generations and has changed the way our modern world is perceived today. One of the strongest influences that motivated this change and that still induces today, was the pop culture of that time, including, fashion, media and music.…
Cited: Boyer, Paul S. "The Turbulent Sixties." The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath, 1990. Print.…
revolution’. The activities of the minorities in the ‘counterculture’, the New Left, the student movement, played some…