After 60 years, Baby Boomers Finally Learn That Life Isn’t All About Them.

Part 1, 50's — 60's.

Hunter Palmer
Jul 24, 2017 · 7 min read

When you think of American culture from any decade since the end of the Second World War, you can be sure, the prevailing image, is of one that was most relevant to Baby Boomers.

The 50s

The greatest decade ever to be a kid.

In the 50's it’s kids playing cowboys and Indians with cap guns and bows; the first generation where junior high school graduation is expected, high school attendance is normal and college is no longer a luxury only afforded to the rich; the birth of teenage rebellion; teen idols like James Dean, Marlon Brando and Ricky Nelson.

With their older siblings fighting in Korea, and the older generations of men decimated by two world wars, teenaged boomers were the first generation to be paid decent money before finishing school. This allowed for car ownership, and with it and entire teen subculture based around fast cars and motorbikes, malt shops, drive in movies, hamburgers, and in their car, they controlled the radio. The world was changing to suit them and their tastes. Nowhere faster than on the radio with Rock Around The Clock, The Twist, Rollover Beethoven, Walk The Line, and everything Elvis Presley. The very essence of America was defined by life as baby boomer in the later years of the Eisenhower administration.


The 60s

The greatest decade ever to come of age.

In the 60's they entered their later years of high school and college and became politically aware. The effect the boomers had on 1960's culture is immeasurable. No decade before or since, was such a large percentage of Americans aged between of 15 and 25. Nor had any nation on earth seen such a large portion of their population enrolled in high school or college.

This had a huge effect on the economy, as businesses popped up and exploded in popularity by targeting the boom. Suddenly a substantial segment of the population was young, with disposable income, attending or recently graduated from college or school and importantly, unmarried.

Had the birth control pill come along at any other time in history it’s effect would have not been nearly as pronounced. But perfect timing favored the boomers. And right as they reached age when sexual experimentation has always occurred, the pill comes along and allows them the freedom to have multiple partners, to continue their studies and continue having fun without the need to focus on paying for and raising a child.

This allowed for the widespread embrace of drugs. and counter culture, pop art, psychedelic art, experimentation with eastern philosophies and religion, mod, sharp and hippie fashion. Best of all, rather than die in some foreign war or raise a family, the boomers spent their teens and twenties at concerts, coffee shops, record stores and high out of their minds, rolling around naked in the mud at festivals. All the while their ears were treated to some of the greatest music of all time. And with that great music came without doubt, the greatest diversification of musical styles, genres and trends ever to be embraced by not just the audience, but the major record labels and radio stations.

They began the decade with the tail end of the original Rock and Rollers like Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison. But those artists were troubled, and as died, retired, were drafted or sent to prison, California had an answer. Surf Culture and the films and music to go with it. Dick Dale single handedly invented surf guitar, and the perfect harmonies and teen targeting lyrics of The Beach Boys carried cool California harmonies and fantasies of Sunkist skin and a carefree life from coast to coast and deep into the heartland. They saw the first commercialization of black soul music on Motown & Atlantic with Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Ben E King and The Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Not to mention the hundreds of black artists produced by Phil Spector.

But all that paled in comparison to what was about to be unleashed by four fab lads from the working class town of Liverpool in Northern England. In 1964, The Beatles have their first number one hit, and start their journey to being the highest selling, and most critically acclaimed band of all time. In doing so, they also set off the British Invasion as they were followed by The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Animals, Manfred Mann, The Bee Gees and the Yardbirds.

Meanwhile, the more sophisticated and politically aware boomers turned their eyes, ears, and consciences to folk heroes like Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger and Peter Paul and Mary. The drugs, campus and counter culture led many to explore radical, experimental music like Pink Floyd, The Velvet Underground and The Doors. They had the hard, electric and loud, psychedelic rock of Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and Cream. Down south Kris Kristofferson, Janis Joplin and the Allman Brothers combined folk music with elements with country, blues and psychedelic rock. As the decade drew to a close, the beginnings of heavy metal in Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple and new sounds like Carlos Santana, Parliament Funkadelic and Chicago set the tone for the decade to come. By 1970 music had changed forever. And the boomers had heard every note.

Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll wasn’t all these college aged boomers were interested in. Having an entire generation show up for college lead to a rapid expansion of consciousness across America. And without having to bear the responsibilities their parents and grandparents, the boomers had lots of time to give speeches, publish student newspapers, organize and march for all manner of causes.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the total effect this new found activism had on society was fairly mixed on all issues. While instrumental in pushing for important reforms and cultural changes like civil rights, second wave feminism, stonewall/gay rights and interracial marriage, they also helped create and support far less peaceful, more militant and ideologically extreme organizations. Most of these were in some way utopian Marxist in ideology, which was a common thread for many movements the baby boomers supported while they were young. From black nationalist movements (Black Panthers, Nation of Islam), bra burning, Andy Warhol shooting militant feminists like (SCUM Society for Cutting Up Men, Cell 16), violent anti-state communists (Weather Underground, Students for a Democratic Society) foreign terrorists(Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Provisional Irish Republican Army, FARC) and many more ranging from ecoterrorists to anarchists.

Some boomers joined the army, many more were conscripted. But unlike their older siblings, parents and grandparents had dutifully marched off to war, and often death in Korea and two world wars, when it was their turn in Vietnam, the baby boomers had other ideas. They took to the streets, engaged in widespread draft dodging, and altered the platform of the Democratic Party in such a way as to eventually force America to abandon an ally for the first and only time, leading to the eventual conquest of South Vietnam by the communist dictatorship of the North.

They might have had a lot of fun, and achieved some lasting good. But a lot of what the boomers did in the 60's, was nothing like the picture of anti-establishment rebellion they claimed to be engaging in, and was really just a lot of good fun. When they did engage in real rebellion, the results were universally negative.

Up next, dancing through the 70's and using just enough cocaine so you can forget your hippie past in time to vote for Reagan. After all, you’re the boss now and you don’t want that GenX kid leaving work early to go smoke weed, listen to the Dooby Brothers and look at their hands. That would be an unproductive waste of yours and everyone else’s time wouldn’t it.

Hunter Palmer

Written by

Just an Aussie in the land of the free with dreams of democracy, federalism, free speech, the constitution...you know, increasingly unpopular ideas.

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