Legacy of the Hippie Culture
In retrospect, the 1960’s had an significant impact on the culture of United States. The hippie movement was central to the cultural identity of young Americans and it caused consternation among older Americans and the government. The height of the Hippie movement, exacerbated the sense of cultural anxiety in a country that was steeped in an unwinnable war and experiencing massive protests for greater civil rights. Although, in the end, the “establishment, loathing the hippies’ hedonistic lifestyle and disregard for ‘American’ values, had, it seemed, declared war on the hippies” (McWilliams, page 76). In fact, hippie culture was eventually rejected by the American mainstream, even if their music and art were embraced by popular culture. Even after the Hippie movement “burned itself out,” their influence on ending the Vietnam War and fighting for greater civil rights for minorities is undeniable. (McWilliam, page 76). The United States has a history people conflicted between maintaining the status quo or changing the country to improve lives. The Hippies succeeded in capturing the attention of the media and the government and helped to move the country in a more progressive direction.
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