Think in term of politicians, musicians poets, writers, cartoonists, and speakers. These individuals also influenced each other and the rest of us just followed. Who do you think they were? Many people put on bell-bottoms and grew their hair long way before they had been exposed to the roots, and heard the names of those who were the backbone, while others drew the inspiration form the minds of those who dared speak it (or write it). I know there are more than any of us can mention, but some were obviously the center of the cyclone.
Well, the Beats (whom I love xD) could very well be considered very significant to your question. The Black Mountain poets as well. I can think of others, but I want to read other peoples posts first...Lol.
Casey Stengel and the baby New York Mets baseball club of 1962 who taught us the sheer joy of just being there, even with hand-me-down players in a hand-me-down stadium. Losing 120 games in that season, after having managed the mighty NY Yankees for 12 years.
Ken Kesey and the electric cool-aid acid tests.Allowed people to shed much bullshit and see some truth.Oh yeah-fun too.
Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Timothy Leary, Carlos Castaneda, Linda Goodman, Martin Luther King, The stones, Janis Joplin. All had A different story to tell, but in combination it became what we know as the decade of big change.
Not really. The media was a tool, nothing more. When used incorrectly, or not used at all [as in Seattle back in '99, when the media portrayed the protesters of the WTO as a bunch of raving lunatics] the media is used as a tool for the Ruling Elite who don't like the hip message and portrayed the protesters as a bunch of whackos. Back in the 60s, you had media-savvy hippies (or yippies) such as Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman who publicized what they were doing, such as the time they ran "Pigasus" the pig for President, or their manipulation of the media during the Chicago 7 trial. They knew the power of the media, and used it as a tool to get the message across. The same could be said for the Beatles. They were funny and quick-witted (Reporter: "So, how did you find America?" John: "Turned left at Greenland"), and they used the press to their advantage. The bottom line is: the media was (and is) simply a tool, a tool the hippies of the 60s used rather than letting the media use them.
