The Counterculture

Section 19.3

Right: Random hippies in native dress

What is the Counter Culture?Capture: Spiro Agnew holds forth on the ‘effete intellectual snobs’ he blames for the counterculture

Describe the counterculture:• Culture adopted by many

teenage baby boomers• Rejected “The Establishment”

– middleclass values of previous generation (over 30)

– People that represented power, authority, status quo

• Generation gap– Different value, fears,

attitudes• Communicated discontent thru

music• Most prominent group=

Hippies

Above: some hippies on a ‘love bus’; below: some protest music between classes

Describe the differences between Counterculture and the Establishment:

Values of Establishment– Conformity

• Product of 1950s– Hardworking

• 9-5 jobs– Materialistic

• Consumerism– Trusted science,

government

Values of Counterculture– Freewheeling

• “Do your own thing.”

– Unconventional occupations

– Minimalist• Take what you

need, share– Trusted inner feelings

over intellect– Deep distrust of

authority

Who were the Hippies?• Most visible and shocking

group of the counterculture• Believed in “free love”

– Sex without love– Encouraged by “The Pill”

• Advocated – Drug use

• Followed guru Timothy Leary’s call for experiments with LSD

• “Turn on, tune in, drop out.”

– Public nudity

Above: more random hippies; below: university officials remove protestor

Describe the new religious movements that appeared from the Counterculture:

• New fascination with Eastern Religions– Rejected materialism of the West

• Believed the body is a prison!

• Moonies– Formerly called the Unification

Church– Members believe that Reverend

Sun Myung Moon was the new Messiah

• Hare Krishna– Followed ancient Hindu sect that

worshipped the god, Krishna

Above: Rev. Moon; below: a group of Hare Krishnas

Describe City Hangouts:• Most famous

– Haight-Ashbury • Section within San

Francisco– East Village

• Section of NY• coffee houses provided an

empty room with mattresses (Pad)– Anyone could “crash”

there– No regard for sexual or

marital status• “Diggers” operated store with

free clothing• Music, open drug use, street

performances common

Clockwise from upper left: infamous hippie corner in SanFran; drug addict; college kids in the new hippie style

Hangouts

Capture from clip on Haight-Ashbury

Describe Rural Communes:• Isolated counterculture

communities– Tried to set up their

“utopian” society

• Rejected technology, materialistic values of mainstream America

• Praised spontaneity• Rejected rules, order,

etc.• Unsuccessful• Overcrowded with

“Weekend Hipsters• No money, no privacy

Pictures all depict people in 1960s rural communes: no idea why it says ‘me’ in upper left

The Stones

Capture from clip on another invasion: The Stones roll in

How did the Counterculture affect Mainstream America?

• Vietnam War– Protest movement

• Diet– Health food, vegetarian, yogurt,

organically grown veggies• Fashion

– Long hair, military surplus attire, tied-dyed, patched clothing

• Music– Rock & Roll– Elvis, Beatles, Dylan, Hendrix

• Dance– No partner but within a group

• Reflected counterculture stress of individuality within a group

Above: Woodstock; below: Jimi Hendrix

What was Woodstock?• A Music and Art festival

held in Woodstock, NY (August, 1969)

• Culmination of the counterculture

• Three Days of Peace and Love

• 32 of best known performers appeared

• Tickets were $24 but concert became free

• 400 thousands attended

Insert: poster advertising Woodstock

Country Joe Presentation

Country Joe and the Fish on stage

Country Joe and the FishCapture from clip of CJ+F

Janis Joplin Presentation

One of Janis Joplin’s looks: round dark glasses and a cabaret shirt

Janis Joplin

Capture of Joplin performing

Joan Baez Presentation

Joan Baez and a young Bob Dylan

Joan Baez Live

Hendrix Presentation

Jimi Hendrix with his unique guitar

Jimi Hendrix Live

Hendrix at Woodstock

The Counterculture v. The Establishment: Vietnam

Capture shows US Capitol: clip is on clashes over Vietnam policy

Andy Warhol Presentation

Andy Warhol, by Andy Warhol (all orange, in pop art style)

How did the Counterculture affect Art:• Purpose was to

entertain• Poked fun at

Establishment• Andy Warhol

– Created Pop Art– Reproduced “mass

produced” images over and over

– The “gods” of the modern era

– Mocked consumer society

Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe: nine frames with different colors, on one poster

Clip on Andy Warhol and ‘Campbell’s Soup Can’

Capture from clip on Warhol’s can