In my opinion, groups like Widespread Panic and Phish are at best mediocre imitators of the Dead, they will never be able to duplicate the Grateful Dead. The Dead basically created an entire musical genre. They sold out every show for decades, but had never had a top selling album or any real on-air coverage (except for Truckin and Casey Jones to a small extent) until 1987. I dont think anyone who never went to a show will ever be able to fully appreciate what the Grateful Dead experience is all about. Deadheads by and large were from upper-middle class families who discovered the Dead in high school or college; however, they continued to enjoy the music and the shows as they got older. And as I said before, except for their opposition to Vietnam and the rainforests, the Deads politics were basically straight libertarian.
So basically, you missed out! -:)