hearing about things such as sex, drugs, and racism. However, what.
they often tend to overlook is the large emphasis "freedoms" had on.
the era. This does not just refer to the freedoms already possessed.
by every American of the time. This focuses on the youth's fight to.
gain freedom or break away from the values and ideas left behind by.
the older generation. These fights were used to help push for.
freedoms from areas such as society's rules and values, competition,.
living for others first, and the older generation's beliefs as a whole.
including the freedom to use drugs. The younger generation just.
wanted a chance to express their own views rather than having to.
constantly succumb to the values and rules left behind by the older.
generation. .
In order to find these unique and different qualities in each other and.
themselves, the younger generation often turned to drugs. This was.
another freedom which they were required to fight for since the older.
generation did not support drug use as a source of pleasure or.
creativity. This could basically be considered an outright rejection of.
the older society's values. Drugs were also seen as a freedom from.
reality. They enabled the youths to escape to a different kind of.
world. Because of the youths' great desire to achieve a universal.
sense of peace and harmony, drugs were sometimes a very important.
part of one's life. Sometimes, they would plan a day or evening.
around the use of a major drug so that they could enjoy it to the.
fullest extent. This could almost be considered ironic in the sense.
that while trying to gain one freedom, the ability to use drugs, the.
youths appeared to have lost another freedom, the ability to live their.
own lives. It seems more as if their live! s were controlled by the.
drugs and the drugs' effects than by the people themselves.
The combination of defiance, revolution, and drugs created a major.
Hippie era. Thousands of hippies would flock to the party capitals of.
