Why a culture change has been necessary
after the 1960s
by Jan Lundberg
What happened to author Theodore Roszakís counter
culture? There was great momentum for major cultural change in the mid
1960s onward through the early ë70s. Potential for change seemed
unlimited as power seemed to ebb from the established order with its
outdated values.
Cultural change seemed to be going deeper than fashion
and political issues. Most agree it was about expanded consciousness and
examining oneís way of life to bring about positive change in the face
of a corrupt and materialistic society. However, the idealistic goal was
not met for a change in the whole dominant culture.
Was it that the body bags were no longer coming back
from Vietnam?
As the counter culture started to become the Me
Generation, social issues burned as before, but had become separated from
what was called "The Movement" or, more romantically, "The
Revolution." Factions multiplied daily.
In the beginning days of fervor, female anti-war
activists rebelled against having to "get the coffee" at
meetings. The womenís liberation movement strengthened then faltered and
could not pass the Equal Rights Amendment. One reason was that an equal
wage was commonly seen as the goal. There were improvements in the work
place, but capitalism and bureaucracy persisted alongside deeply seated
sexism. Women found they no longer had the option to stay at home with
their young children or elderly parents, as wage slavery under the
exploitative system continued rolling along, robbing us of time for
ourselves and our communities.
One analysis seldom heard is that cheap oil was
disappearing, ending the post-WWII days of U.S. economic preeminence. One
worker per household able to put the kids through college was actually
just a fleeting age of cheap energy.
To a deep ecologist, the change in pollution levels
resulting from barely changed production modes and consumption patterns,
was only for the worse. There was an illusion of progress as people
learned a lot, but many more people just joined the rat race as they were
added to the rising population.
We saw environmental efforts become more specialized
and fine-tuned, but a fundamental critique of technology was lacking, or
it was suppressed. Even communes continued to rely on motor vehicles and
other products that polluted in their creation, use and disposal. Some
knew such hypocritical "back to the land" practices were not an
exemplary new way of living. For many, driving increasedóon those
country roads. People were not getting closer to the way the native
Americans lived so sustainably.
Nevertheless, people are still trying to reduce their
consumption and dependence on the socioeconomic system of separateness,
individualism and material gain. The consciousness revolution is going on
still, and the few lights of the 1960s have been added to by many more
seekers.
As for me, I soldier on and still enjoy the bright, expansive feeling
of the old Movementís music and artóeven if it means adding a little
pollution to the entropic world to soothe me and get through the day or
night.
