1960s Counterculture

The 1960s hippie movement was a social phenomenon that began in the United States and spread throughout the Western world. At its core, the movement was a rejection of the 'Establishment'—the traditional corporate and political systems of the time. Hippies, often called 'flower children,' championed values of peace, love, and personal freedom.

They were strongly defined by their opposition to the Vietnam War, using music and peaceful protests to voice their dissent. Many lived in communal groups, sharing resources to escape the 'rat race' of consumerism. San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district became the epicenter of the movement, culminating in the famous 'Summer of Love.'

While the movement eventually faded, its influence persists in modern environmentalism, civil rights, and even the technology industry.