In Setting of Academic Study

American Beauty by the Grateful Dead surely represents the psychedelic experience which captured the attention of  Americans in the late 1960's and early 1970's. It continues to demand our attention today, as we have devoured the music and literature of this period, fascinated by the hippies' alternate way of life. This period deserves a place in academic study. It was a parallel movement to the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movement, both controversial series of events which shook America forever. We learn in traditional American history courses about the politics of the Cold War and the fight for equality amongst all U.S. citizens, but without learning about the psychedelic movement we would completely ignore a major perspective of the time. A true education takes into account multiple perspectives. In order to be fully informed about the late 1960's and early 1970's the pop music created then should be studied. It grew into a strong form of expression, lending insight about the mood of the U.S. at the time. Pop music belongs in a course of the 20th century. Zeroing in the music in a course on just the 1960's undermines the psychedelic movement's role in the general course of history. The U.S. went to fight in Vietnam because of communism fear which began way before the 1960's. African-American citizens were discriminated for numerous years before the Civil Rights Movement sparked. The pent up frustration of African-American citizens from years of discrimination is what caused the movement to be so strong. Furthermore, the psychedelic movement affected the future. Cultural shifts to a more conservative society ensued later. Today the drugs of the 1960's are illegal because of the dangers they were found to cause during the period the pop music was recorded. Pop music should be studied in a course of the 20th century. It provides context to the history of America. Multiple mediums should be utilized: music, film and literature, however challenging it may be. Using multiple mediums requires constant shift of focus. The 1960's were crazy and all over the place, so studying it should be no different.