Youth Cultures,Youth Movements and the Rise of a ‘Counter-Culture’

The rise of a youth culture, youth movement and, more recently, a counter-culture, may be traced to the reaction of student youth in particular against what they consider to be useless academic processing in our societies. Such characteristics as a belief in mutual aid, a spirit of community, and authenticity in interpersonal relationships are advanced to indicate the actual form and style this youthful reaction has assumed. After presenting some reservations concerning the overall worth and effectiveness of such movements within existing societies, the writer optimistically argues that these movements may well result in the rise of a new social order, dramatically different from the present one.