Counterculture of the 1960s

A poster from the early 1950’s titled The Sex Impulse and Achievement reads, “The sex instinct in a boy or man makes him want to act, dare, possess, strive…when controlled it gives ENERGY, ENDURANCE, FITNESS.” The poster features the image of track stars jumping over hurdles which is the perfect allusion to represent American society’s view of sex in the 1950’s and prior. Sex was seen as something necessary but dirty and taboo; sex was something you kept behind closed doors. The unclean aspect…

THE HIPPIES CHALLENGED THE SOCIAL STRUCTURES AND VALUES OF AMERICA IN THE 1960’S A ‘hippie’ can be defined as someone of an alternative appearance and typically ‘associated with a subculture involving the rejection of conventional values.’ The hippies challenged various aspects of American society in the 1960’s, including their mainstream culture and ‘The Establishment.’ They ‘believed the dominant mainstream culture was corrupt and inherently flawed and sought to replace it with a utopian…

International was founded by David Brandt Berg and originally named The Children of God. Berg was a Christian missionary in 1944 and in the 1960s he began to try to appeal to the “lost and confused youth of America.” The new religions appearing at this time period were “a fusion of an evangelical Christian awakening and the youth counterculture of the 1960s.” David Berg focused his preaching on rejecting the old and accepting the new. David Berg was deemed a prophet and eventually the king…

For the counterculture that embraced it, the Halbstarke movement expressed an appreciation of America and American culture. The idea of the rebel, free to do as he pleased as embodied by Rock n’ Roll with Elvis Presley and through movies with James Dean in Rebel Without…

The American Dream is defined as the pursuance of freedom and prosperity through hard work and perseverance. Ken Kesey, the Merry Pranksters and Hunter S. Thompson all saw themselves pursuing this dream through several different endeavors. Their writing and expression of self was one of the primary means of their reaching for freedom. The heavy drug usage that was a major part of the culture of the day and also attributed to the pursuance of freedom for this band of countercultural icons. These…

During the 1960’s, young Americans challenged conventional lifestyles. These protestors were called “the new left”. They protested materialism and consumerism and the much looked for success that drove American society. They felt compelled to explore alternative lifestyles including traditions surrounding sex and marriage. They were determined that there was deeper meaning to life, and wanted to try anything to make it happen - even illicit drugs could be justified with their thought process.…

Forrest Gump Forrest Gump is a famous fictional film that documents the life of a simple man who experiences many historical occurrences from the 1950’s to the early 1980’s. Written under the genres of both Drama, Romance and Comedy, it manages to capture the essence of all three (mostly doing its best work between comedy and drama). Its wit and humor will make you laugh while its honesty, tragedy and sentimentality encourage reflection. The movie succeeds not only in content, but execution,…

In his book "Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story", Martin Luther King Jr. states it best: "Nonviolent resistance was one of the most potent weapons available to oppressed people in their quest for social justice.(1)" Time and time again, throughout history, this has been proven true; civil disobedience can positively alter our nation's policies and sociological behavior. Not only do nonviolent protesting acts change certain legislation, like when the Court ruled 2-1 that the city’s bus…

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson chronicles Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo in their search for The American Dream. Duke is Thompson’s alter ego and Gonzo represents Thompson’s actual attorney, Oscar Zeta Acosta. The setting, Las Vegas, is very economically significant, especially in the early 1970s where its buzzing economy and money are the focal points of the non-stop city. Believing The American Dream has…

Death Has a Purpose The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom centers around the life of Eddie, a man who spends his time alive fixing things. Over the course of the novel, Eddie’s past is told through birthdays and post-mortem teachings. The Five People You Meet in Heaven provides a philosophical look into the purpose of death, and what happens after it. The thesis of the book becomes clear with the first lesson taught: all lives are connected. This idea, that all life is connected by a…