Baby Boomers

The 1960’s was a decade of global revolution. Sexual and social mores, political values, music and film all reflected a major tectonic shift in how a generation in the west perceived itself and its world. 

The baby boomer generation (born between 1945-60) grew up after World War II. In the 1950’s which was relatively conservative in its values and outlook and which saw a major post war economic boom.

The 1960’s saw the boomers grow up in relative prosperity in many parts of the world. Especially in the west, they lived through a major sexual revolution as the pill freed everyone from the reproductive consequences of sexual encounters and enabled women to explore their sexuality with increasing freedom.

The decade also saw a global movement seeking independence for former colonies in Asia and Africa. This battle was caught up in the east-west polarization whose opposing sides were led by the United States and the Soviet Union.

Revolution was in the air as the younger generation questioned the political, moral, and social values of their parents.

Music was the medium, and the evolution from big bands to folk ballad and basic rock and roll to the Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Byrds and Peter Paul and Mary heralded this new era. The major broadway musical of the decade – Hair – heralded the Age of Aquarius – an era of love and peace while Scott McKenzie invited all of us to go to San Francisco and live the experience with “flowers in our hair”. 

Monterey, California saw the birth of major rock concerts in 1967, and Woodstock saw hundreds of thousands of young and not so young people gather at Yasgur’s Farm in upstate New York in 1969, peacefully celebrating this new era of flower power.

As someone who grew up at this time, I have been forever marked by the revolutionary sentiments of the day. 

Indeed, my generation thinks of itself as special and unique and even today, when we reminisce in our advancing years, we wax effusive about the privilege we have had over generations before or since for having grown up in the sixties.

However, not all was love and peace during the formative years of the baby boomer generation. 

The Vietnam war loomed large, with massive anti-war protests weekly all over the world as society became polarized between supporters and opponents of the U.S. effort.

Amercian cities burned with stunning regularity during the summers between 1965 and 1970 as riots underscored the deep racism that continued to plague the country even after the Johnson administration introduced the Great Society initiative, replete with legislation to enhance the lives of African Americans as well as lift millions out of poverty.

Around the world instability and violence were in the air.

France saw a major political upheaval in 1968 that ultimately led to the downfall of President Charles de Gaulle. Mexico saw a massacre at Tlatelolco on October 2, 1968, and many European capitals saw massive political demonstrations during that summer that led to the formation of various terrorist groups that were to become very active and remain so well into the seventies.

So, as a product of those times, I remember both the good and the bad.

I still enjoy the music and treasure many memories of the time. 

However, I often wonder where the idealism of that decade has gone and whether we can strive to find it once again. Indeed we are now the elder states-persons of the establishment, and are still light years away from the dreams of the sixties.

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Edición: Elsa Torres