Counterculture of the 1960s

The counterculture of the 1960s was a social movement characterized by a rejection of mainstream values, authority, and traditional norms. Young people and others challenged societal expectations around politics, war (notably opposition to the Vietnam War), race, gender roles, and lifestyle choices. They embraced peace, love, personal freedom, and experimentation with new ways of living, including alternative music, fashion, and spiritual practices. This movement influenced culture significantly, contributing to changes in attitudes toward civil rights, environmentalism, and individual expression, and it remains a defining period of social and cultural transformation in modern history.