THEREVIVALOF70SIDEALS

By Coco Ferrari Ross '26

They are known as “Hippies”, “anticonventionalists”or “the leaders of counterculture”; the youth of the 70s who rebelled against their traditionalist parents and government. They may seem like history, but at this moment, a resurgence of counterculture seems to be right around the corner. Young people who disapproved of societal conventions and mainstream American culture were part of the counterculture movement, a youth driven movement of the 70s that criticized consumerism, promoted peace, and yearned for individualism For this new generation, achieving the "American dream" was no longer a priority.

During the 1950s, consumerism reached an alltime high The Second World War had boosted manufacturing, created a multitude of jobs, and inspired people at home to support their country by purchasing goods. For the first time since the Roaring Twenties boom, the economy finally experienced some reprieve People celebrated their new prosperity by starting families, enjoying their stable employment, and purchasing homes. The top three items on consumers' wish lists to outfit their houses were TVs, vehicles, and appliances Consumer credit also became a wellliked method for customers to acquire additional items.

The majority of things that the government endorsed, like consumerism, were met with disapproval by the counterculture movement Frequently, hand-me-downs from second hand stores, yard sales, or flea markets were used to make the hippie-style clothing worn. A conscious effort was made to refrain from shopping at wellknown chain stores and supporting traditional consumerist practices.

The majority of young people involved in the counterculture movement were from middle and upper-class families. They were opposed to all that the previous decades stood for, including work, consumerism, and support for war

The US began the Vietnam War just as civilians in America began to find relief from the Great Depression and enjoy the serenity of post-WWII. The number of drafted American men exceeded two million “The Hippie movement” revolved around rejecting the idea of an “unnecessary” war and denying the fact that lives should revolve around the so-called “American dream” and “nuclear family”.

Turning back to today, artists have been taking influence and inspiration from 70’s music. Harry Styles has embraced the psychedelic stage while Lana del Ray and Tame Impala have used music sets and retro sound Numerous musicians have been influenced by the era's independence and originality to produce some of the most recognizable music ever. Artists today are paying homage to the disco, funk, soul, and rock of the 1970s, as well as its pop culture, fashion, and political movements

The 2020s aren't very different from the 70s Though the internet may have killed a traditional form of counterculture, Generation Z has created a new, not as well known, one. Though it may not have a label, it most definitely has the defining features of a cultural movement and revolution The more widely accepted LGBTQIA+ community has dismantled the need for the nuclear family which is now much less popular than it was in the 70s Same sex partners and single parents are much more common and accepted Though we may not necessarily be in a postwar climate there has still been hardship that Generation Z has had to overcome such as the Covid-19 pandemic, frequent quarantines and growing up in the great recession With climate change and global warming on our doorstep, Generation Z are the first line of defense, constituting a majority of the protesters and change makers, led by young leaders such as Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate, who do more than experienced, adult politicians

A In some ways this resurgence of counterculture and individuality is a good thing, but in other ways it isn't We have had to return to protesting about the same things our grandmothers were fighting for such as women's rights to their own bodily autonomy This fight is ongoing globally Including in America, where Roe v Wade was overturned last year, and in Iran, where the hijab remains official law and women continue to protest across the country by going about their business with their hair uncovered Antianarchist groups in Italy are also protesting the incarceration of a prominent Italian anarchist, and an uproar of some of the biggest protests France has seen in decades occurred when Macron raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 Those protesters claimed that it wasn’t about the age raise itself, but instead the balance between work and life.

Though these protesters may not look like traditional “hippies” the definition in itself of a hippie is a person with a subculture involving a rejection of conventional values. Though we may not look like our grandparents, with long hair and second hand clothing, we have kept their spirit and have kept their anti-conventionalist ideals