Tell me about the '60s (vanity)

[HungarianGypsy]

I am wanting to write a story based on a young adult in the 1960s. Since I was born in 1973 all I really know is what I studied in books. But, I want to get beyond love beads and LSD. I want to be able to write this as it really was. I know it's said if you remember the '60s you weren't really there. But, if anyone does remember I would appreciate reading your stories and facts. Thank you.

[sionnsar]

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

OMG -- I had forgotten all about that "Monster Of The Week" program!

[Revolting cat!]

[krb]

What does that mean?

[sionnsar]

but about 1967 things started being infected with the Culture of Death: the Viet Nam War and corresponding protests and marches, drug usage, free sex, the music became dark, brooding, and depressing, people became hippies and adopted the "grunge" look before it was called that.

Even science fiction turned dark and dystopic about that time.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

I was born in 1965 so maybe I shouldn't comment : ) I do remember watching the moon landings on our little black and white portable TV we had. I think we got our first color TV in 1970. If you could afford it you could get the kind that had wooden sides & tops and were more like a piece of furniture. Lime-green freezers and refrigerators were also popular. There were no microwaves and you had to boil hot dogs or reheat your food in the oven if you wanted leftovers. Phones were kept on desks or nightstands (or on the wall) and had dials or push-buttons. They were also made of very cheap plastic. Cars were gas guzzlers but that didn't matter because gas was cheap and they were fairly easy to fix without a lot of computerized gadgets. There were no emissions standards. I also had one of those 45 record players. My parents lived in Chicago and my Mom can remember seeing National Guardsmen on the O'Hare (?) expressway during the 1968 riots.

They did have cool toys, though-none of this high-tech stuff and kids were allowed to be kids. And parents actually thought that too much TV was bad for you!

For the most part, I think the hippie stuff was something you mostly saw on T.V. especially if you lived in the Midwest. The counterculture stuff didn't reach some places until well into the Seventies.

[nanetteclaret]

I listened to WLS, too! It seemed so exotic to hear music, djs, and news from the other side of the country. Every once in a while they would play a song not played on KLIF or KBOX and I thought it was so cool, kinda like learning about a foreign culture. :)

[Clemenza]

More baby boomers donned a uniform and served their country (hi dad and Uncle Mark!) during this period than protested. Of course there were many more who did neither.

[Bigg Red]

My mother bought me Danskin pants and you couldn't tell the back from the front.
I hated those pants

&&
Dang! I hope you're a girl!

[IM2MAD]

I don't know if it's been mentioned previously or not but I could go to any doctor I wanted. No government interference. Just make an appointment and go. Those were the good old days and I sure miss them.

[x]

There's a lot to say about the Sixties because we were so different at the end of the era from what we were in the beginning.

If you're writing, you don't have to avoid often treated material. You can give it your own spin. That's what a lot of writers do, and if it's clever enough it works.

But there are an awful lot of sixties movies with that basic plot (uptight guy meets liberated chick). You can also see it in writers like Roth and Updike as well.

One thing, though: those books and movies are mostly from the guy's point of view. You don't see it that often from the girl's.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

"You blew it up, damn you!" : )

On the other hand there was the original Star Trek, which had a positive vision of the future.

[Rte66]

*applause*

I'm a HooDoo Hottie from Houston
And I'm glad I got to see yo stuff!

LOL at you Panhandlers!

[BIGLOOK]

'64......Studebaker no less.

[tacticalogic]

OMG -- I had forgotten all about that "Monster Of The Week" program!

I am convinced that if the 60's did indeed produce a decline of civilization, it started with "My Mother the Car".

[alice_in_bubbaland]

LOL! For a couple of bucks you could go to the Dr. and get a physical! You also didn't need to fill out six pages of forms before the Dr. saw you. I also remember getting my prescriptions in little white envelopes filled by the Dr. himself. No need to visit the Riteaid and wait a half hour to forty five minutes to have your prescription filled.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Ahead of its time:

[Rte66]

I *always* knew, even before I had any idea what gay was. So many girls I knew had crushes on him and my gaydar was just pinging away - all I really knew was that my species did not seem to want to mix with his, lol. Too fey!

[gcruse]

"Premium leaded gasoline sold for $.21/gallon. Regular leaded gas was $.19. '

The showroom sticker price on a 1964 Chevelle Malibu SS was $3290. This was the first year of the Chevelle's being on the market.

[sionnsar]

"I Dream Of Jeannie"

[Rte66]

*OOh, melting* Blue Velvet always gets to me.

*And I still can see blue velvet ... through my tears.* *waaaahhh*