PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation

Subject: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 12:22 AM

Did anyone else watch "The Sixties: the years that shaped a generation," tonight, on PBS? I thought it was excellent and good that it ran right after the two nights of the Dylan docu. As I was still in grade school for most of the sixties, I didn't know the full extent of some of the stuff they showed, tonight, esp. the protests, etc. around the world.

Here's a LINK and a small blurb about the show:

A defining chapter in America's past, the '60s shaped a generation and sculpted a political landscape that can still be seen today. The story of the '60s is illuminated with images of freedom protests, atom bombs, flower power, and a nation divided by war.

BTW, I have posted this in the music section because there was a LOT of music featured, plus some musicians making comments, from today's perspective, as well as archival footage....it was the sixties, there HAD to have been music!:-)

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 01:14 PM

Shouldn't that be "the years that WARPED a generation"?

Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 01:16 PM

Did you watch it, Stephen?

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: M.Ted
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 01:36 PM

I saw this post, looked up the website for times, and found that it was to be re-broadcast today at 1pm-tuned in and there was a Charlie Rose rerun--

So Stephen Lee--are you one of those folks who is bitter about the 60's?

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: Don Firth
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 02:19 PM

I was too young to be a beatnik and too old to be a hippie, so the remark, "If you can remember the Sixties, you weren't really there," didn't particularly apply to me. As the whole thing developed, I watched, fascinated, sometimes participating, sometimes viewing with alarm. I had a chance last evening to watch the whole thing condensed into a two-hour overview. Excellent!

Here's a blurb that my local PBS affiliate's web site has on the program:   

Examine one of the 20th century's most turbulent and influential periods of political and cultural upheaval in THE SIXTIES: THE YEARS THAT SHAPED A GENERATION. The two-hour film chronicles this era of widespread democratic activism and provocative music, focusing on the critical events from civil rights, to the women's liberation movement, the youth counter-culture and the Vietnam War. Through film footage, rare archival photographs and interviews with historians, critics, participants and those on both sides of the generation gap, the documentary captures the electricity, fervor and anger of an era full of great hope and turmoil. It reflects on the enormous changes that swept the globe during that time and profiles the coming of age of the baby boomers.

There is another quote that someone contributed to a thread elsewhere that I have copied down and am having made into a sampler:   

"Science has discovered the missing link between early primates and civilized man. It's us."

During the Sixties, I think that missing link took a few good, long steps, sometimes faltering a bit, but moving a goodly distance along that upward path toward civilization. But the path seems to be quite steep, and like Sisyphus laboring to push the huge boulder to the top of the hill, within the past few decades we seem to had slid backward quite a bit. . . .

Don Firth

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: MissouriMud
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 05:05 PM

I didnt see the program - but I was there - and I remember a lot of it. I went from 13 to 23 between 1960 and 1970 (which covered the time politically between the Kennedy election and Kent State and culturally between The Twist and Let it Be). The first five years I was mostly on the east coast the second five years mostly on the west coast.   It was an amazing time to "grow up" in as the big wave of post WW2 baby boomers moved through that decade and basically demanded to be heard. I dont think we will see that level of aggressive involved activism again in our life times. Some of it was good some of it was bad - but there is no denying that those ten years shaped the people who grew up during it more than any other decade.

I don't spend much time looking back but once in a while I cant help thinking about that period and smile. We were all so energized by everything going on - if we saw an injustice we just charged in shouting - or singing or whatever we could think of. But we cared and we tried to make a difference, and we thought we could make a difference - I hope we did, despite our youthful follies and lack of patience - I think so. And at the same time it was such a fantastic period of experimentation and individuality - both personally and artisitcally. The music was wonderful. Regardless of what I may think of Dylan's music in general - I still get chills when I hear or play (mostly to myself these days) The Times They Are a Changing - they certainly did.

Every generation has periods that impact it and every time period brings change. Technologically the world has changed far more in the past 20 years than it did during the 60s. But the 60s changed people and attitudes. It changed the way my generation as well as many others look at war and politics and love and other human beings and the world more than any other time- and we sang about all of them.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 05:29 PM

It is full of mixed blessings. Some things had to be done, such as civil rights, and some did not have to be done, and we will forever reap the consequences, such as drugs especially. mg

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: GUEST,Martin Gibson
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 09:54 PM

I was there, especially during the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago.

Times are better now in a lot of ways. Too many, especially here, have never left that era as it was the defining moment in their lives.

Pity...........

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 10:37 PM

It was a fledgling cultural and social revolution here in the U.S. whose wind was taken out of its sails with the assasinations first of JFK, then Martin Luther King, Jr and Bobby Kennedy. After that, the revolution that was the sixties was without a centralized figure around which to evolve.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: Peace
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 10:40 PM

I do not feel like I was 'shaped' by the 60s any more that any other time of life. Circumstances dictate much more than eras.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a gen
From: bobad
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 10:43 PM

It just seems that there were a lot more cicumstances in that era.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: GUEST,DB
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 01:11 PM

There is no doubt that here was a lot of idealism around in the 60s, and some extraordinary people (Martin Luther King, Mohammed Ali etc., etc.). Much progress was made against various types of injustice - particularly racism and sexism. As an aside, we must bear in mind that this only applied in the West - things probably looked very different to a Thai or a Kenyan or a Mongolian or a Tajik etc., etc.
What troubles me is that some of the less positive legacies of the 60s are still with us including more selfish and irresponsible behaviour and a Right Wing backlash that started with Reagan/Thatcher and continues with Bush/Blair. It almost seems that for every 2 steps forward there had to be a step backward and if things carry on the way that they are all of the gains made in the 60s could be reversed.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generatio
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 01:20 PM

I have my days, DB, when I think al the gains of the 60s haven't been reversed, so much as washed away.

But then, nobody ever said changing the world was going to be easy, now did they? If all that was required to accomplish permanent, lasting change was youthful idealism and some catchy songs...

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 01:45 PM

I watched part of the program. It was kind of boring. And no, I'm not bitter about the 1960's, just amused and amazed that we all survived it.

Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generatio
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 01:59 PM

The 1960s are really just a legend in the minds of the boomers who lived through those times. We just know we're special, you see. And unique. Not a product of our parents' past or our children's future. We are just..so uniquely special.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 02:33 PM

There were circumstances that came into play during the sixties that fostered the sort of changes the U.S experienced....affluence for one. It was a pretty affluent time for America ..time to think about things and work to change things when one isn't constantly concerned about mere survival.
Then there was the Vietnam war - its unpopularity was a focal point for the impetus to change our priorities.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: Elmer Fudd
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 03:22 PM

I prefer to think that the several generations on earth at the time shaped the sixties, not the other way around.

Elmer

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Oct 05 - 11:57 PM

If the 60's truly shaped a generation then how did fellow "sixty-ites" such as, oh, say... Peter Yarrow and George Bush turn out so differently?

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generatio
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 01:05 AM

Elmer, I like that! I do think circumstances, environment etc. do shape who we might become, but also thatwe can overcome such things and create/make a difference.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 03:44 AM

I was there and after two nights of Dylan, the Stand Up program and now this, I may have returned! Anybody else looking for the "Sixties Overload" switch?"

Good program btw........very well mixed philosophically.

Spaw

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generatio
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 09:51 AM

All this 60s worshipping is an annoyance. I never watch these shows, as they seem to be nothing more than nostalgia trips for the most part. I've never seen a program that did serious critical analysis of "The Sixties" anyway. Usually just another vacuous exercise in applauding our memories, and idealizing our youth.

A bore, in other words.

Others mileage will vary, of course.

Did "The Sixties" talk at all about the homophile movement and the Stonewall riots? The Fred Hampton murders? Birmingham church bombing? Prague spring? And how did they discuss the Tet offensive, where we got our asses kicked in Vietnam? The Idaho Falls nuke explosion? The war in Angola? Bay of Pigs? The Iraqi annexation of Kuwait by then Iraqi president Kassem? Creation of the CIA's Domestic Operations Division, which was used to spy on political dissenters like civil rights and peace activists? The occupation of Alcatraz? The sinking of the nuke sub the Thresher? Vatican II? The US' misadventures in Central America & the Caribbean? The war in Algiers?

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: GUEST,Auggie
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 01:23 PM

If you think we got our asses kicked during Tet, then I'll bet you weren't there.
PR defeat? Assuredly.
Military defeat? Go back and read some more.

Your milage will likely be immaterial because it appears you have very little in your tank anyway.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 01:25 PM

GUEST, if you had watched the documentaries, then you'd know that they did talk about some of the things you list. Not all, otherwise the films would have taken a couple of weeks to run. Or longer!

I wasn't all that enthralled with much of what was going on during the Sixties. As I said above, I was too young to be a beatnik and and too old to be a hippie--and I was not into drugs, so I was conscious and observing all that time. Nobody said that the Sixties were some kind of Utopia on Earth. But there was a lot of social progress that was made, which, unfortunately, is now in the process of being eroded.

This series of documentaries was not perfect. But you can't condense a decade into a couple of hours without leaving out a few things, and this, of course, is going to leave some people unhappy. Nevertheless, it was not just a nostalgia trip. It was a pretty good overview of the Sixties.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 03:19 PM

Stephen Lee,

I am glad you're not bitter about the 60's--a surprising number are, for various reasons--GUEST, above, seems to think that his series of events(or am I being a sexist by assuming that someone so seemingly strident is a man?) have unique and unappreciated meaning--

Maybe I thought that those things had unique meaning once, but forty odd years later, I realize that there are thousands new outrages against humanity every year---

I hope to see the program, though I suspect that I will agree with the eminent Mr. Firth--

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: GUEST,Drop in.
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 11:17 AM

The GUEST who seems to be so annoyed has IBS. Hope he gets over that and the condescending tone that seems to accompany him where he goes.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: jaze
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 07:20 PM

I thought Saddam tried to annex Kuwait in the early 90's. Wasn't that the reason for the 1st Gulf War?

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 04 Oct 05 - 03:12 AM

yeh like we give a shit about who rules Kuwait.........I'm not sure I could point it out on the map now.

The real mystery about that war was why didn't they finish off sadam there and then, if he was such an obnoxious bastard.

Re the sixties

of course we idealise our youth
its better than facing the truth
which for most of us runs along the lines:-
we got railroaded into jobs we hated - and no one cared
picked up the habits that would kill us years before our time
Like Jeff Nuttall said in Bomb Culture - our freedom was to give The Beatles their freedom, most of us lived lives of stifling conventionality - we spectated
At least the TV programmes were so awful, that most of us can take it or leave it, as opposed to today's kids who are addicted to 'soaps'
The music was better - Beatles , Dylan etc - we won't see its like again
There more good folk venues

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 04 Oct 05 - 03:46 AM

"They came to the revolution in their daddy's cars" - John Sebastian, Woodstock 1969.

Subject: RE: PBS-the 60s- the years that shaped a generation
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Oct 05 - 08:23 AM

weelittle .... at least the U.S. gave a shit about who ruled Kuwait - we didn't want someone who wasn't exactly on friendly terms with the U.S.A. to have control of all of his oil and Kuwait's too...I forget the figures but that would've put Saddam in control of about 33% (I think) of the whole world's oil resources....

First Daddy Bush said the Gulf War was about hostile agression against a defenseless country (yeah, sort of) ...then he said it was about liberating Kuwait (yeah, kind of the opposite side of the same coin) ...then he said it was about oil (bingo!) ...at least he was totally honest the third time.