“Did the Sixties Dream Die in 1969?” is an article by James Riley that critically examines nostalgic romanticist views of the 1960s. Riley is a counterculture expert who works as a Fellow and College Lecturer in English at Girton College. His areas of focus include modern and contemporary literature, popular film, and 1960s culture. He has also published a book on 60's counterculture: The Bad Trip: Dark Omens, New Worlds and the End of the Sixties (Riley).
Riley's article challenges the utopian views of the Sixties as a time of freedom, hope, and idealism among the people. He recounts the popular narrative of the Sixties: that the era was consistently full of positive social and cultural change and the true halt to this positivity and love was due to the violence of the Manson family, the Zodiac killer, and the chaos that ensued during the Altamont Free Concert. He rejects this notion that violence was only present at the end of the era:
The decade did indeed usher in a wave of progressivism and it also had its shadow-side, but such negativity was not limited to its final days. If anything the darkness, so to speak, was present from the start and across the 1960s it hovered particularly close to the decade’s much-vaunted counterculture (Riley).
"Hell's Angels attacking fans at Rolling Stones concert at Altamont, California in 1969" by Michael Ochs Archives./Michael Ochs archives/Redferns
During The Rolling Stone’s Altamont Free Concert, an unruly disorganized crowd, intense alcohol consumption, and the hiring of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang led to chaos. Various assaults and the stabbing of a young man took place. This image shows the Hell's Angels using pool cues to keep the crowd in check (Pollstar Staff).
Riley's main argument is that the nostalgic portrayal of the Sixties as a dream overlooks the darker events of the decade and that history has transformed it into an idealistic myth. He proves his point that the Sixties were a violent era by providing numerous examples of disastrous patterns that plagued the decade: "Assassinations, nuclear tensions, globalised conflict, civil unrest, the growth of apocalyptic religious groups" (Riley). He is actively devaluing reminiscent viewpoints that paint the Sixties as an exemplary and magical time to be alive.
"unbelievable crap we have today?" by georgesbiscuits1969. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/lewronggeneration/comments/i45czn/unbelievable_crap_we_have_today
Riley is not a participant in the action of the Sixties, but rather a detached observer of its events. His detachment from the period aids in his objective viewpoint and analysis of the Sixties. In fact, it seems he is critical of participants of the Sixties and their views of the Sixties as a nostalgic utopia. On the other hand, his exclusion from the events of the Sixties can distance Riley from the actual events and emotions of the Sixties. To help create an accurate overall view of the Sixties, I believe it is important to read a variety of texts that reflect on the positives and negatives of the era. The article does make a great point about how history and nostalgia can influence how specific events are remembered. However, it fails to capture a holistic view of the Sixties from varying perspectives. From what I have read thus far about the Sixties I believe that the Sixties can be both: a period of violence but also of hope. While the period was afflicted with events such as assassinations, nuclear tensions, and civil unrest, there were also several positive aspects. The period yielded great strides in human rights, expanded environmental awareness, and fantastic music. While the era should not be viewed solely in a positive light, it should also not be viewed solely in a negative light.
“President Lyndon Johnson signs into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” AZ Attorney Wordpress. https://azatty.wordpress.com/2014/06/26/civil-rights-act-of-1964-arizona-celebration-planned/
Overall, Riley believes that history has transformed the Sixties into a utopian myth. When referring to the question, "Did the Sixties dream die in 1969?" according to Riley, the dream did not die, but the Sixties was not a dream in the first place. Rather the Sixties were a violent nightmare that has been corrupted by positively biased rose colored lenses. Although his viewpoint may be influenced by his detachment from the decade, Riley reminds us to view historical events from multiple lenses and to always keep a critical eye on how history represents major historical events.
-Paige House
Works Cited
Pollstar Staff. "'Rock’s Darkest Day': A Look Back At Altamont, 50 Years Later." 5 Dec. 2019,
https://news.pollstar.com/2019/12/05/rocks-darkest-day-a-look-back-at-altamont-50-years-later/
Riley, James. “Did the Sixties Dream Die in 1969?” University of Cambridge. https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/did-the-sixties-dream-die-in-1969
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