American Culture In The 1960's

The later part of the twentieth century was marked by considerable changes. Changes were in music, art, thinking, technology, design, communication, politics and architecture. It was an era of free thinking and instant communication which fuelled new artistic concepts and a reassessment of values.

The 1960's saw the emergence of the first of the baby boomer generation as late teenagers and young adults able to make their own lifestyle and value judgements. This generation had grown up in relative safety and generous circumstances with abundant work and many opportunities. The Vietnam War was not considered favourably by the younger generation who resisted conscription and protested about the reasons for the war. Many young people however went to the war and did their duty for their country but received little support from their own generation for this duty.

Music was the instant message for the younger generation. Music coming out of England and the USA talked about concepts such as love, beauty, peace and a world unity. Unfortunately these same musicians suffered at the hands of instant fame and a lack of privacy and often took drugs to escape their conditions.

The thoughtless use of the environment was questioned and hippy communes experimented with communal living styles, alternative energy systems, low cost and low energy materials and saw the natural environment as an integrated whole. Concepts of a bio diverse garden horticultural environment that could provide food and sustain the occupants became a difficult ideal. Communes and alternative housing sprang up around Australia and in particular in places such as Byron Bay, Nimbin, and parts of