--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The sixties have a reputation for being…" description: "\"“The sixties have a reputation for being open and free and cool, but the reality was that everybody was straight. Everybody was totally straight and th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/legs-mcneil-32249_long-hair_the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being_3179090.jpg" --- # The sixties have a reputation for being open and free and… ![“The sixties have a reputation for being open and free and cool, but the reality was that everybody was straight. Everybody was totally straight and then there was Us - this pocketful of nuts. We had long hair, and we'd get chased down the block. People would chase you for ten blocks, screaming…” quote by Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/legs-mcneil-32249_long-hair_the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being_3179090.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/legs-mcneil-32249_long-hair_the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being_3179090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/legs-mcneil-32249_long-hair_the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being_3179090.jpg) > ““The sixties have a reputation for being open and free and cool, but the reality was that everybody was straight. Everybody was totally straight and then there was Us - this pocketful of nuts. We had long hair, and we'd get chased down the block. People would chase you for ten blocks, screaming, "Beatle!" They were out of their fucking minds- that was the reality of the sixties. Nobody had long hair- you were a fucking freack, you were a fruit, you were not like the rest of the world. - Ronnie Cutrone (1965-1968)”” [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The 1960s are depicted as a paradox of outward openness and underlying conformity, with nonconformists facing hostility. **In simple terms:** The '60s seemed free but punished differences. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden social pressures of the era. Themes culture conformity rebellion Mood nostalgic critical Type cultural historical When to use this quote - college campuses - music scenes - street encounters Key Concepts counterculture social norms media portrayal personal identity Questions to Reflect On - How did mainstream society truly react? - What were the benefits of nonconformity? A Different Perspective The quote may exaggerate hostility for dramatic effect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sixties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixties/) ## Related quotes > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [We now know how things were in the '60s and how things have changed, but I don't think we appreciate how much things have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-vanasse/we-now-know-how-things-were-in-the-60s-and-how-things-have-changed/) [Karine Vanasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-vanasse/) > [The best and only authentic book written on the sixties underground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-hopper/the-best-and-only-authentic-book-written-on-the-sixties-underground/) [Dennis Hopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-hopper/) > [Obviously, the Sixties was a time when everyone wanted to experiment, and then everything became very formulated and corporate, so artists tended to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/obviously-the-sixties-was-a-time-when-everyone-wanted-to-experiment/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [The Sixties was a time of breaking down class barriers, although I think class still exists today in some areas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/the-sixties-was-a-time-of-breaking-down-class-barriers-although-i/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I was involved in the Great Folk Music scare back in the sixties, when it almost caught on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mull/i-was-involved-in-the-great-folk-music-scare-back-in-the-sixties-when/) [Martin Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mull/) > [After world war all we got was a lot of conformity, and conservatism and when I was in college at the university of Illinois…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/after-world-war-all-we-got-was-a-lot-of-conformity-and-conservatism/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [In the Sixties, it was mods and rockers, and hippies and casuals, whereas in the early Eighties, there was Goths, punks, mods, skinheads, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-meadows/in-the-sixties-it-was-mods-and-rockers-and-hippies-and-casuals/) [Shane Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-meadows/) > [I've liked country music for forever. And Buck Owens is just one of many country guitarists I like. I think Buck's Sixties records are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-osborne/i-ve-liked-country-music-for-forever-and-buck-owens-is-just-one-of/) [Buzz Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-osborne/) > [“If you'll excuse a brief history lesson: most people didn't experience 'the sixties' until the seventies. Which meant, logically, that most people in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/if-you-ll-excuse-a-brief-history-lesson-most-people-didn-t-experience/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Many things happened in the sixties, but the period is no more significant, better, or more 'political' than today. It's time to turn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/many-things-happened-in-the-sixties-but-the-period-is-no-more/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [I was initially recruited while I was in business school back in the late sixties by the National Security Agency, the nation's largest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-was-initially-recruited-while-i-was-in-business-school-back-in-the/) [John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/) > [In the 60s there were a lot of things which were anarchistic. May-June '68 was riddled by anarchistic sentiments, dreams and ideals, but insofar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/in-the-60s-there-were-a-lot-of-things-which-were-anarchistic-may-june/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [I feel that if your soul was branded by the sixties, you never lost the brand. It's like going into a nightclub and having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-feel-that-if-your-soul-was-branded-by-the-sixties-you-never-lost/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I always knew the Sixties wasn't a revolution. It really was just a bunch of university students with wealthy parents having fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-always-knew-the-sixties-wasn-t-a-revolution-it-really-was-just-a/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) ## More by Legs McNeil > [ So rich people could go slumming? Come on, give me a break \[it’s a\] masturbatory fantasy for Anna Wintour and Vogue. They always go… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/so-rich-people-could-go-slumming-come-on-give-me-a-break-it-s-a/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“Penny Arcade said: At that time, the DRUG world and the ART world ran through each other. (1971 - 1974)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/penny-arcade-said-at-that-time-the-drug-world-and-the-art-world-ran/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“Everyone thought in the early days of punk, certainly once English punk got going, and even American punk, everyone thought it was a horrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/everyone-thought-in-the-early-days-of-punk-certainly-once-english/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [Overnight, punk had become as stupid as everything else. This wonderful vital force that was articulated by the music was really about corrupting every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/overnight-punk-had-become-as-stupid-as-everything-else-this-wonderful/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“I remember my favorite nights were just getting drunk and walking around outside the East Village kicking over garbage cans. Just the night. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/i-remember-my-favorite-nights-were-just-getting-drunk-and-walking/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“How can U say one style is better than another. You ought to be able to be an Abstract Expressionist next week, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/how-can-u-say-one-style-is-better-than-another-you-ought-to-be-able/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [Rock & Roll is so great, people should start dying for it. You don't understand. The music gave you back the beat so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/rock-roll-is-so-great-people-should-start-dying-for-it-you-don-t/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“The old sound was alcoholic. The tradition was finally broken. The music is sex and drugs and happy. And happy is the joke the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/the-old-sound-was-alcoholic-the-tradition-was-finally-broken-the/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“Mass movements are always so unhip. That’s what was great about punk. It was an antimovement, because there was knowledge there from the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/mass-movements-are-always-so-unhip-that-s-what-was-great-about-punk/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“DEE DEE RAMONE: Sid Vicious followed me all over the place...the worst time was one night when we had a big party...They were serving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/dee-dee-ramone-sid-vicious-followed-me-all-over-the-place-the-worst/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“So punk wasn’t about decay, punk was about the apocalypse. Punk was about annihilation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/so-punk-wasn-t-about-decay-punk-was-about-the-apocalypse-punk-was/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [“Arturo Vega: I always thought the ONLY way to really conquer evil is to make love to it. My favourite dream is always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/arturo-vega-i-always-thought-the-only-way-to-really-conquer-evil-is/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) [Explore all 13 Legs McNeil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) ## More Long hair quotes > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [I've got the long hair and kind of androgynous look. It's love-hate; it's sexy, but not sexy. So it's either you get it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrot-top/i-ve-got-the-long-hair-and-kind-of-androgynous-look-it-s-love-hate-it/) [Carrot Top](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrot-top/) > [“While Emma pressed the unlock button on her key fob, Aidan started walking away, but then he stopped. He turned back and shook his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ashley/while-emma-pressed-the-unlock-button-on-her-key-fob-aidan-started/) [Katie Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ashley/) > [You know, if I tell the press that I like long blonde hair, the next day there will be girls with long hair wigs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-lau/you-know-if-i-tell-the-press-that-i-like-long-blonde-hair-the-next/) [Andy Lau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-lau/) > [“Savannah came to him instantly, her face lit up with some emotion he dared not name.She was in a man's silk shirt and nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/savannah-came-to-him-instantly-her-face-lit-up-with-some-emotion-he/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [“So pretty with her long hair and bright eyes. And so pure and damaged at the same time, like a priceless vase threaded with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lane/so-pretty-with-her-long-hair-and-bright-eyes-and-so-pure-and-damaged/) [Nina Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lane/) > [“As far as I could recall, with long hair, she had been just another cute coed. From the girl who sat before me now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/as-far-as-i-could-recall-with-long-hair-she-had-been-just-another/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Tohrment spoke. "Bella's brother called. He's tabled the sehelusion request and asked that she stay here for a couple of days." Z jacked his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/tohrment-spoke-bella-s-brother-called-he-s-tabled-the-sehelusion/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [“Tell me,’ said Damen. Kyrina spoke without lifting her head from her prostration. Her long hair, which had escaped from its bindings during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/tell-me-said-damen-kyrina-spoke-without-lifting-her-head-from-her/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [I remember the first time I went to Italy when I was eighteen, I was in Florence and there were all these eighteen, nineteen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/i-remember-the-first-time-i-went-to-italy-when-i-was-eighteen-i-was/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [“Don't get caught up in a vortex of 'should haves'. Regret is Fear's big sister. The one that should never be let in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-dubusi-ii/don-t-get-caught-up-in-a-vortex-of-should-haves-regret-is-fear-s-big/) Andre Dubusi II > [Long hair, dont care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/long-hair-dont-care/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Yeah, we toured the Orkneys once. In a tiny biplane which they shot out of a catapult. And then we got off the plane.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-evans/yeah-we-toured-the-orkneys-once-in-a-tiny-biplane-which-they-shot-out/) [Lee Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-evans/) > [“J.D. scoffed at this. “Please—as if I’m worried about anything Payton has to say. What’s she going to do, give me another one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/j-d-scoffed-at-this-please-as-if-i-m-worried-about-anything-payton/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [People who work with me think I should cut my hair. They say casting directors are less likely to hire me with long hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-culkin/people-who-work-with-me-think-i-should-cut-my-hair-they-say-casting/) [Rory Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-culkin/) Browse all 375 Long hair quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The sixties have a reputation for being open and free and cool, but the reality was that everybody was straight. Everybody was totally straight and then there was Us - this pocketful of nuts. We had long hair, and we'd get chased down the block. People would chase you for ten blocks, screaming, \"Beatle!\" They were out of their fucking minds- that was the reality of the sixties. Nobody had long hair- you were a fucking freack, you were a fruit, you were not like the rest of the world. - Ronnie Cutrone (1965-1968)”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Legs McNeil" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being-open-and-free-and-cool-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Long hair" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being-open-and-free-and-cool-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/legs-mcneil-32249_long-hair_the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being_3179090.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/legs-mcneil-32249_long-hair_the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being_3179090.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/legs-mcneil-32249_long-hair_the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being_3179090.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The sixties have a reputation for being open and free and cool, but the reality was that everybody was…” — Legs McNeil", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Legs McNeil", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The sixties have a reputation for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being-open-and-free-and-cool-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/the-sixties-have-a-reputation-for-being-open-and-free-and-cool-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```