GenX Turns Fifty

The end of the American High was marked by the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy on November 22nd, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_John_F._Kennedy?wprov=sfti1#

The nation mourned the end of an era of American progress and gave way to the next generation of what is now called the Consciousness Revolution.

It was an awakening of the cognitive, mentalist and humanist philosophy of the late 1960s and early 1970s. This era saw massive changes in social norms, music, culture and overall moods.

Sixty Years ago this month – July’s #1 Song:

Baby Boomer youth began to break from the traditional norms and structure of their GI Generation parents.

One obvious departure was shown in August of 1969 with the Woodstock Music and Art Fair.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock?wprov=sfti1#

Over 460,000 descended on Bethel, NY for a three day festival of peace and love.

The counterculture of the 60s is described here at Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterculture_of_the_1960s?wprov=sfti1

The Vietnam War became drawn out with direct American deployments lasting from 1965-1973. Many Americans began to protest and call for the end of hostilities in 1969 which the in many ways caused the Americans leaving in 1973 and allowed the North Vietnamese to overtake Southern Vietnam completely by 1975.

Liberalism triumphed in bringing civil rights for minorities and economic and civil justice albeit with a lot of struggle and continued prejudice. The military was no longer seen in a positive light which was a quick and complete reversal of feelings at the end of WWII.

A lot of cultural and political events in this “Awakening” are described here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_(1964%E2%80%931980)?wprov=sfti1#Climax_of_liberalism

Now 1965-1980 the cohort of Generation X were born. In general, Silent and Boomer parents were more preoccupied with their own growing individualism. Many women entered the workforce and creating the “latchkey kids” we became. We were the wild and mostly unsupervised youth of the 70’s.

Towards the end of the 1970s and into the 1980s the upcoming “Unraveling” was already taking form. The Awakening was fading for the Culture Wars were just beginning.

Looking ahead for the next “Awakening” may include “Gen Alpha” youth entering young adulthood rejecting the items that brought us out of the last crisis like technology and social media for more basic cultural interactions. Maybe they will reject artificial intelligence and automation.

Time can only tell.