Though the “Peace and Love” counterculture of the 1960s had a definite affinity for drug use‘ (particularly marijuana and psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline), much of the movement was rooted in the struggle for civil rights and ending the Vietnam War. The era’s popular music was in clear harmony with its generation’s ideals, and artists such as The Beatles and Bob Dylan used their music as a form of activism. There was a spirit of unity among much of the youth at this time, and a fierce rejection of the delusional contentment pervasive in the previous decade.  The era was more than free-spirits versus prudes.  There was a visionary youth in this time, bonded by optimism and an enlightened fervor.  They challenged the socially (and legally) sanctioned discrimination of … Read entire article »