The Upside of the Sixties

When someone says, “Hey that reminds me of the Sixties,” many things come to mind.

Some people become nostalgic. For them, the Sixties conjure up romantic memories of love-ins, youth, The Beatles, and the excitement of social change. Aging “flower children” of the generation that ushered in those wild and turbulent times, have lived the promise and despair of those turbulent times—perhaps mud sliding at Woodstock, or, becoming a casualty of the drug scene or the Viet Nam War. They experienced the pain and liberation of rejecting social norms and living in a society divided by politics and philosophy. I think many of us who lived it see this period as both the “Best and Worst of Times.”

Perhaps you were born in another decade, but have heard your parents talk about Woodstock or the death of Janis Joplin. You probably have gotten a romanticized version combined with some hard facts—such as, a draft that resulted in the loss over 59,000 American soldiers. Maybe your parents hitchhiked across the country in bell bottoms jeans, or lived in a painted VW bus. It’s true these times were intense, the country was deeply divided by politics and philosophy and a war was tearing us apart. What was occurring seemed truly revolutionary, grass-roots, and organic. The messaging was a sharp contrast to the values and sacred cows of the fifties.

In many ways, the Sixties was both the Best and Worst of Times.

It’s true that 1960 marked the beginning of tremendous social change in the United States—the rebellion against what many perceived as the repressed fifties was spreading around the world. A new generation questioned our involvement in the Viet Nam War and our country was deeply and sometimes violently divided on the issue. Three political assassinations shocked and devastated our nation—John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. were all murdered within the decade. It seemed all of our belief systems were under attack— the prevailing sexual mores, organized religion, and the conservative nature of our most valued traditional institutions.

The Sixties still arouse intense feelings in people, and there are strong disagreements about what was actually good or bad about this controversial decade, but here are some of the things I feel good about:

• John F. Kennedy - In 1960, the country elected the first Catholic President and the 2^nd youngest President to ever have been elected to the country’s highest office, John F. Kennedy. John Kennedy and his first lady Jackie O, ushered in a new era of youthful enthusiasm and glamor to the white house and the political scene.

• The Anti-War Movement – This movement gained momentum as large numbers of people, especially the youth, protested the Viet Nam war, taking to the streets and protesting by the millions. People were finally taking a stand against a war that could not be won and took the lives of 58,000 American soldiers. Many who were drafted opposed the war and were forced to serve or leave the country and become ex-pats in countries such as Canada.
  

• The Counter Culture and the Social Revolution – The so-called Hippie generation was definitely a mixed bag! The word derives from the word Hipster and originally described the beatniks who had moved into San Francisco’s Haight–Ashbury district. As a social experiment the movement failed to deliver its promise of Nirvana by following leaders, such as Timothy Leary, who promoted “dropping out and tuning in,” and the use of marijuana and psychedelic drugs to reach higher states of consciousness. Many of my friends became addicted to drugs and several died of heroine overdoses. Communal living and experimentation in alternative lifestyles failed in most cases. However, most old Hippies still see the value of lessons learned and opportunities to think outside of the box, and eventually matured to embrace a broader world view.

• The Sexual Revolution – Although this was also a mixed bag, it offered a necessary departure from the extremely rigid sexual mores of the previous generation when unwed mothers were shut away in homes and babies were discretely given up for adoption lest shame fall upon all parties involved.

• The Pill – The sexual revolution had its downside and the pill its side effects, but It prevented a lot of unwanted pregnancies.

• Great music: A Favorite Album - (so much great music was created during this period!) Freewheelin’ by Bob Dylan

• Great fiction: A Favorite Novel - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

• Great non-fiction: A Favorite Non-Fiction Book – Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, a pioneer in environmentalism

• Great feminist writers: A Favorite Book by a Feminist – Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions by Gloria Steinem

• Great art: A Favorite Painting – Portrait of Maurice by Andy Warhol
• Great speeches: A Favorite Speech - I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr.
  

• The Space Program – in 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon and the first humans walked on the moon’s surface.

• The Civil Right’s Movement – the youth of Amerca stepped up to the plate and some even gave their life’s blood to support the rights of minorities.

• Martin Luther King Jr. inspired millions to protest social injustice non-violently.

• Health Food - Betty Crocker and Swanson’s TV Dinners were out, and brown rice, vegetables, and tofu were now in. There was an emerging popularity of whole and healthy organic food and farming – People began to react against the prepackaged and denatured foods of the 50’s.

• Tampons replaced sanitary napkins and belts, and then came Maxi-pads – thank God!

• Panty hose replaced girdles and stockings, and then gave way to bare legs.

• Burning the bra symbolized the rejection of conventional dress codes for women and gave women permission to put away their armor.

• Black became beautiful and African Americans embraced their ethnicity.

• Jeans became a fashion icon as bell bottoms arrived on the scene, and jeans became a wardrobe staple for generations to come.

• The Women’s Liberation movement - women were now given permission to be “not just” housewives and demanded equal rights and equal pay in the workplace.

• Interest in Eastern culture, religion, meditation and the values of other cultures – we realized America is not the center of the universe.

• Granola!

• Herbal tea – Celestial Seasonings was one of the firsts!

• Natural food co-ops – have evolved into the Whole Earth chains of today and become mainstream!

• Protest movements and increased activism – people became involved in organizations to promote justice and address social problems.

• The Peace Corps reached out to build bridges between nations.

• Emma Goldman Clinics for women educated women on contraception and abortion and empowered them to take charge of their bodies.
  

• Tie Dye – anyone can do it!

• The Handmade Movement - it honored artisans and artists - handmade goods, arts, and crafts were highly valued and sold at markets and in stores.

• Peasant skirts and blouses, hoop earrings, Indian prints, mini and maxi skirts, ethnic clothing, beads, and handmade clothing transformed the world’s notions of fashion.

• A resurrected respect for homemade foods, such as bread, sprouts, and yogurt, got people cooking and back to basics and away from the prepackaged and canned foods of the fifties.

• Yoga introduced a new holistic concept of exercise that won the hearts of generations to come.

• A new lexicon – uptight, far out, bummed out, ripped off, outta sight, and groovy, do your own thing, to name a few!

• Gay Pride emerged in its full glory!

The Sixties generated some transformational movements that have survived the test of time. Think of Whole Foods! Bell bottoms and sixties vintage clothing is still a hot fashion statement. The Rolling Stones are still doing their thing. Yoga and yogurt are now main stream. Meditation is prescribed by doctors.

It’s true the nation was divided by ideology and struggling to integrate new ideas into society. The times were a changin’ and change can be painful. New paradigms were demanding equality of the races and sexes, searching for a personal connection with divinity and questioning the validity of organized religion, renouncing a powerful military industrial complex that led us into the Viet Nam war, a war that was to be later recognized by the majority of Americans as a catastrophic mistake. These growing pains were necessary to bring about much needed changes. But many great things emerged from the ashes.