The 60s: Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll

When I look back at The 60s and the revolutionary ideas, ideals, language, and movements I come to the sad realization that in many ways the main legacy of the era is that old evil trio

Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll.

Nothing else has endured from that era quite as well as those three. That came back to me again as I worked on this series on The 60s inspired by the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love in 1967. It is easy to look back with nostalgia to the good old days and many Golden Oldies stations do it day in and day out. But as in any other eras "good old days" I have the hunch that most of them were neither.

The 60s did have a big impact. Many things- good, bad, and indifferent- came out of that age. But the biggest and most lasting so far have to do with pleasure. We expanded our minds and consciousness into new ways of doing things that feel good. We opened the doors of an older, more rigid view of pleasure and ran into the streets (or bedrooms or concert halls) to experience it. The repercussions are all around us.

AIDS would have been much more difficult to get into the world's consciousness if it weren't for our desires for sexual pleasures. It would have shown up, no doubt about that, but it would have looked a lot different, at least at first. Add the drug connection to AIDS and you got two of the three of The Trio.

The current Draconian drug laws, especially with regards to marijuana, a drug of equal pain and problem as alcohol, is still as illegal as it is because of the reactionary Nixon-era government. They were responding to those "peaceniks" and "hippies" trying to keep them in line. The 60s began the over-justification and broad-based fascination with altering ones mood through chemistry. Our kids and grandkids are following that path quite easily.

Rock and roll remains the standard of music, even after all these years. Of course I have to expand that into a "generic" term since hip hop and rap and hard core are heirs of that revolution as well. But when old guys my age still draw in such crowds and money (Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Dylan, McCartney, etc.) the standard hasn't moved a lot.

Beyond The Trio of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, there is still much going on that started back then. I used the phrase "so far" in an earlier paragraph. I called them the biggest impact "so far." I guess you could say I'm a dreamer. I hope- and I am sure- that I'm not the only one. (Sorry. Lennon is still the poet of that idea.) That great pampered Baby Boomer generation is nearing retirement. They will soon have more time on their hands. The last time they had a lot of extra time on their hands they started this whole thing with the 60s.

Is it too much to hope for that they (we) have matured some? Is it too much to expect that under that gray or bald head is still the passion for life and experience that led us into such craziness in the first place? Is it too much to ask that in a world that continues to be insane, that a little of true craziness might just be sane?

In other words, will we be able to finish at least our part of what we started? Ideas like peace and justice are no less needed today- maybe more so. A feeling of cross-national consciousness and a renewed sense of the needs of Spaceship Earth could go a long way these days. Having hopefully discovered some wisdom and patience in the process of aging do we have something that we can give back to the society and world. I don't think I am talking about a legacy- although every generation has one. I'm talking about living the values we have been challenged for in the past.

We can't undo our errors. We can't forget the Me Generation phase we promoted as a result of losing our way in the 70s. We can, however, take a good long look in the mirror, then turn and listen to our children and grandchildren tell us where they see the world and how they want it to look. It is, after all, almost theirs without us. Then, with a humility we are not known for, reach out our hand, if they want it, and say, tell me how we can help.