Historical Background
The Counterculture of the 1960s can be described as a reaction to the conformist behavior of American people, especially the American youth, in the one and a half decades following World War II. The post-war "baby boom" resulted in an unheard-of number of young, well-off, and potentially rebellious youth as prospective participants in the rethinking of the direction of the American society. The Counterculture movement 1960s was a rebellion of against the established society standards, including racial and gender discrimination, involvement in the Vietnam War and the social constraints on one's behavior. For the members of the counter culture true freedom was found rebellion, in a way the Counterculture movement was a reenactment of Henry Thoreau's Civil Disobedience. The members of the Counterculture or anti-establishment movement challenged the meaning of freedom and redefined the American dream. For the Counterculture true freedom lay in enjoying life and love the way they desire, without the constraints of a conservative society. As the era unfolded, a dynamic youth subculture, which emphasized creativity, experimentation and new forms of bohemian lifestyles emerged. Experimentation was one of the most distinctive characteristics of the American Counterculture, especially the experimentation with drugs. The 1960s saw a growth in drug experimentation and consumption. Celebrities, musicians, scientists, etc popularized hallucinogens, also known as psychedelic drugs. The recreational use of psychedelic drugs was widely accepted by the end of the decade. The experimentation with drugs not only revolutionized the values of the American society but also impacted the music and media industries. The counterculture movement of the 1960’s changed the American mentality from conservative to liberal, encouraging ideas including protests, drugs, and new kinds of artistic expressions that exemplified alternative lifestyles.