The Sixties

Throughout human history people nearly at the bottom of society have engaged in urban riots, peasant uprising, slave revolts, mutinies, mass strikes and insurrections to express grievance, acquire power and or advance their political views (Neuman 2005, 231). Until the 1960’s to early 1970’s political sociologist saw social disruption as a serious social and political unrest. The sixties would mark history forever and create the footstep for today’s revolutionaries. The film The Sixties: The Years that Shaped a Generation demonstrated the occurrences and the social upheaval. With a clear mind on a set goal whether it was to end the War in Vietnam or the fight for civil rights it was all shaped and express through music.

During the 1950’s to early 1960’s it was a period of mass apathy, to be apathetic was positive and necessary for a stable democracy. The future of American democracy depended on the wisdom, responsibility and resourcefulness of nation’s elite (Neuman 2005, 7). It is stated that political sociologist during this classical era distrusted the mass uneducated, low income, marginal, members of society who did not embrace established norms. Social change, political unrest changed direction in the late 1960’s African Americans tried to exercise their democratic right to vote. Summer after summer US soldiers patrolled large US cities after massive riots (Neuman 2005, 9). Images in the film consisted of the Black Panthers, the Columbia students protest, the Chicano Movement, and the African American civil rights movement. The enlightened group believed in an egalitarian society, where everybody was finally going to be treated equally. To some extent these leaders were dreamers but their dreams did set a mark in human history.

During the sixties people were in a political struggle. Political struggle is among groups for power. According to Neuman struggle includes the peaceful and nonpeaceful action by a group or coalition of people to expand or defend their position of power that meets with opposition from others (p.25). Frame conflict is used in a political struggle and can be the site of struggle. To be more specific it was injustice frame for the 1960’s which is part of collective action frame that excites moral indignation or righteous anger towards a concrete target and demands action because a sense of protest can be assign blame, motivates followers and direct action (Neuman 2005, 274). For example African American then referred as negros wanted to be seen and respected as any other American. Rosa Parks became famous for refusing the bus driver’s order to give up her seat for white passenger. She motivated and inspired Martin Luther King who later would be a pivotal pioneer of the civil rights movement. He and his followers had moral indignation that they were not treated equally and fairly thus took action by protesting.

Some political sociologists see the emergence of a social movement society and the new social movement as a culture change and new self identities (Neuman, 2005 228). The sixties were the years that shaped a generation it shaped and open the eyes of many. The sixties was the birth of many movements to come. Women’s Liberation movement a series of campaigns and protest on issues such as reproductive rights (including abortion), domestic violenceequal pay, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. Another minority group that got inspires was LGBT for their gay rights LGBT want social equality and were tired of being sexually oppressed. The fight equality still continues today.

Music idols such as Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones quenched the thirst for spiritual understanding. Black Americans were sustained and healed and nurtured by the translation of their experience into art above all music. My parallel is always music because all of the art out there, All the work that must go into improvisation so that appears that you never touched it music makes you hungry for more (Bradley 2001, 67). With music and the social movement of the people the sixties was a bookmark in history.