The late 1960s and early 1970s marked an era of profound social experimentation and cultural transformation. This period saw an explosion of countercultural movements, ranging from communes and alternative family structures to radical political organizations like SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) and SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army). Alongside these visible upheavals, subtler shifts occurred in societal attitudes toward sexuality, race, religion, and politics, reflecting a broader reimagining of fundamental social norms. These changes collectively signify a pivotal moment in American history, with enduring implications for understanding social conflict and transformation.
This book seeks to explain the underlying forces driving these shifts by focusing on what we term the ‘new consciousness’—a cultural evolution that legitimized and encouraged social experimentation. Departing from traditional analyses that attribute unrest to economic or institutional strains, this study explores symbolic cultural constructions and their role in reshaping societal values. By emphasizing how individuals interpret their circumstances rather than solely examining objective conditions, we align with theoretical traditions like those of Weber and symbolic interactionism. Our inquiry examines four dominant meaning systems in American culture—Theism, Individualism, Social Determinism, and Mysticism—and their varying relationships with social experimentation, aiming to uncover how these symbolic frameworks influence attitudes, behaviors, and societal change.
This title is part of UC Press’s Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1976.
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