Voices of Protest The 1960’s
The Counterculture
A culture of young people with values that ran counter to those of the established culture Generation Gap: the differences in attitudes between people of different age groups
New Views Rejection of middle class values and beliefs of the “establishment” Establishment was materialistic, youth culture tried to break away from regular employment and consumerism Inner feelings over intellect (science and reason had us to the Brink of nuclear disaster)
Hippie Movement Looked for emotional highs in sex and drugs Timothy Leary – LSD “turn on, tune in, drop out” Marijuana
City Hangouts Groups sharing living quarters without regard for marital status or sex “Free Love” Thousands of young people converged on cities San Francisco: Haight-Ashbury “Summer of Love”
Summer of Love, 1967 More than 100,000 young people San Francisco, Berkeley “If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair... your hair... If you're going to San Francisco, You're gonna meet some gentle people there.”
Communes Small groups began retreating to the country where they shared property in common
Counterculture and the Mainstream Through cultural diffusion the mainstream of society adopted some aspects of the counterculture Diet Fashion Music Art
New Music
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
Monterey Pop Festival
WOODSTOCK
Woodstock…August, ,000 + people Organizers only expected about 100,000 Jammed roads, abandoned cars Shocked adults, raised hopes of young people for peaceful, alternative culture
The Counterculture Appraised Forced people across the country to question fundamental values individually and societally Music was forever changed, so was style Dangers and Divisions: Casual sex and drug use took their toll
Overwhelming Social Issue of the Time? ….Vietnam