"You guys who are in your late forties really missed the so called "hippie movement". "

That just isn't true. Those of us in our late 40s would have been around 13 in 1970 and we saw more than you think. We saw the reactions from parents and our "older" brothers and sisters. We may have been better observes than you think!

Every generation goes through a spiritual awakening and a celebration of life. The "hippie movement" played into the hands of the media and became more conformist by creating their own culture - far from what was mainstream. Remember "trust no one over 30?" The hippies celebrated their moment, but unfortunately they were too self-absorbed to look beyond themselves.   The self-discovery that generation made was nothing different from the discoveries made by teenagers throughout the 20th century. Just better press.

Changes? Any generation that succeeds in getting Richard Nixon elected twice has to be considered a failure.