--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People talk about the 1960s in a…" description: "\"People talk about the 1960s in a nostalgic way, but to me it was terrifying. People were getting assassinated. There was Vietnam. There were race riots..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/sam-shepard-2232_1960s_people-talk-about-the-1960s-in-a-nostalg_982133.jpg" --- # People talk about the 1960s in a nostalgic way, but to me… ![“People talk about the 1960s in a nostalgic way, but to me it was terrifying. People were getting assassinated. There was Vietnam. There were race riots. It felt like everything was going to get blown up sky-high. It didn’t feel like flower power. It felt like Armageddon.” quote by Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/sam-shepard-2232_1960s_people-talk-about-the-1960s-in-a-nostalg_982133.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/sam-shepard-2232_1960s_people-talk-about-the-1960s-in-a-nostalg_982133.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/sam-shepard-2232_1960s_people-talk-about-the-1960s-in-a-nostalg_982133.jpg) > “People talk about the 1960s in a nostalgic way, but to me it was terrifying. People were getting assassinated. There was Vietnam. There were race riots. It felt like everything was going to get blown up sky-high. It didn’t feel like flower power. It felt like Armageddon.” [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) ## 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, often romanticized, were also marked by violence and societal upheaval, challenging idealized narratives. **In simple terms:** The era was both hopeful and terrifying. Key Takeaway Recognize complexity behind nostalgia. Themes history culture conflict Mood critical thoughtful Type historical analytical When to use this quote - historical analysis - media critique Key Concepts social upheaval political activism civil rights movements Questions to Reflect On - How does your view of the 1960s compare to popular culture? - What lessons can we draw from that turbulence? A Different Perspective Nostalgia can obscure harsh realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armageddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armageddon/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Nostalgic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgic/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Riot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riot/) [Sixties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixties/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Sky high](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky-high/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) ## Related quotes > [Im gonna love you like there no regretting, like its armageddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-sebastian/im-gonna-love-you-like-there-no-regretting-like-its-armageddon/) [Guy Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-sebastian/) > [I got frustrated with films like "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact," where the only answer to deal with a Near-Earth Object is basically Bruce Willis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly-ben-hayoun/i-got-frustrated-with-films-like-armageddon-and-deep-impact-where-the/) [Nelly Ben Hayoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelly-ben-hayoun/) > [In the '90s there were these great end of the world movies like 'Armageddon' and 'Deep Impact'... I always liked the idea of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorene-scafaria/in-the-90s-there-were-these-great-end-of-the-world-movies-like/) [Lorene Scafaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorene-scafaria/) > [If you go into a forest of film stories, you never can get right through the forest straight ahead; you always have to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/if-you-go-into-a-forest-of-film-stories-you-never-can-get-right/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [This was a very progressive group of clergy who foresaw the race riots that were going to take place when Dr. King started helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/this-was-a-very-progressive-group-of-clergy-who-foresaw-the-race/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [“It was 1970, and America was scarred by racial violence. Civil rights leaders had been gunned down in the streets, and communities across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/it-was-1970-and-america-was-scarred-by-racial-violence-civil-rights/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [This is the most exciting place in the world to live. Oh yeah! There are so many ways to die in New York City!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/this-is-the-most-exciting-place-in-the-world-to-live-oh-yeah-there/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [News footage came on the TV during dinner of bloody bodies coming back from battle in Vietnam, or the race riots in the South,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/news-footage-came-on-the-tv-during-dinner-of-bloody-bodies-coming/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [I expect to see trade wars, foreign policy disasters, a few race riots, a decrease in personal liberty, higher taxes, higher inflation and probably,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/i-expect-to-see-trade-wars-foreign-policy-disasters-a-few-race-riots/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [They say people can think for themselves? Do you honestly believe that the chap who can’t pass primary six knows the consequence of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/they-say-people-can-think-for-themselves-do-you-honestly-believe-that/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Since its founding, Detroit has been a place of perpetual flames. Three times the city has suffered race riots and three times the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-leduff/since-its-founding-detroit-has-been-a-place-of-perpetual-flames-three/) [Charlie LeDuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-leduff/) > [If you haven't read Zomburbia, you haven't read about zombies. This is a new take and it is scary, freaky, and original. Gallardo resets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-holder/if-you-haven-t-read-zomburbia-you-haven-t-read-about-zombies-this-is/) [Nancy Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-holder/) > [“The sky was high and clear and the cool morning air held an omen of autumn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-wahl-maj-sj-wall/the-sky-was-high-and-clear-and-the-cool-morning-air-held-an-omen-of/) Per Wahlöö Maj Sjöwall > [If you want your energy bills to go up, you should support an ever greater dependence on foreign oil, because the rate of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/if-you-want-your-energy-bills-to-go-up-you-should-support-an-ever/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Scobe's Eighth Law: The moron will enter the single deck game when the count is sky high and the dealer is deciding whether or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-scoblete/scobe-s-eighth-law-the-moron-will-enter-the-single-deck-game-when-the/) [Frank Scoblete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-scoblete/) ## More by Sam Shepard > [I guess what I like is mostly country & western or else stuff that has a real blues feel to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-guess-what-i-like-is-mostly-country-western-or-else-stuff-that-has/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [You can write 16 plays and not make as much money as you did doing one movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/you-can-write-16-plays-and-not-make-as-much-money-as-you-did-doing/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [It's funny, in a way the actor is a writer. It's not like the two things are so separate as to be like apples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/it-s-funny-in-a-way-the-actor-is-a-writer-it-s-not-like-the-two/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Character is an essential tendency. It can be covered up, it can be messed with, it can be screwed around with, but it can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/character-is-an-essential-tendency-it-can-be-covered-up-it-can-be/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Why would you want to be be counseled in your grief? It's too private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/why-would-you-want-to-be-be-counseled-in-your-grief-it-s-too-private/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Farm country -- you know, hay, horses, cattle. It's the ideal situation for me. I like the physical endeavors that go with the farm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/farm-country-you-know-hay-horses-cattle-it-s-the-ideal-situation-for/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I think comedy's harder to pull off on the screen than on the stage, anyway. Tragedy is easier on the screen... oddly enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-think-comedy-s-harder-to-pull-off-on-the-screen-than-on-the-stage/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [“Those are the most monotonous fuckin' crickets I ever heard in my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/those-are-the-most-monotonous-fuckin-crickets-i-ever-heard-in-my-life/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [All good writing comes out of aloneness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/all-good-writing-comes-out-of-aloneness/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [When I first started in film, I was terrified of the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/when-i-first-started-in-film-i-was-terrified-of-the-camera/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I'll develop my own image. I'm an original man. A one and only. I just need some help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-ll-develop-my-own-image-i-m-an-original-man-a-one-and-only-i-just/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [When I just sit around my house and work, I can work two, three hours, and then I go off and ride a horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/when-i-just-sit-around-my-house-and-work-i-can-work-two-three-hours/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Hollywood is geared toward teenage idiocy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/hollywood-is-geared-toward-teenage-idiocy/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [It's my private life, and it's not up for grabs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/it-s-my-private-life-and-it-s-not-up-for-grabs/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Keep away from fantasy. Shake off the image,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/keep-away-from-fantasy-shake-off-the-image/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) [Explore all 176 Sam Shepard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) ## More 1960s quotes > [We do need different types of propulsion to get to Mars. I wrote one of the first Ph.D. theses on that in the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-do-need-different-types-of-propulsion-to-get-to-mars-i-wrote-one/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/each-year-more-than-100-000-high-school-graduates-with-proved-ability/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Nearly all the writing of our time is likely to disappear in a hundred years. Certainly most readers - and nearly all critics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/nearly-all-the-writing-of-our-time-is-likely-to-disappear-in-a/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [Sometimes a party must sail against the wind. We cannot heed the call of those who say it is time to furl the sail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/sometimes-a-party-must-sail-against-the-wind-we-cannot-heed-the-call/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [ \[In the 1960s\]...you could take LSD but you couldn't wear a pantsuit. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsey-johnson/in-the-1960s-you-could-take-lsd-but-you-couldn-t-wear-a-pantsuit/) [Betsey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsey-johnson/) > [Is it a coincidence that stories from the private life became more popular just as the grand hope for public redemption through revolution was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/is-it-a-coincidence-that-stories-from-the-private-life-became-more/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [I think the general anxiety of the 1960s - '70s spawned our interest in the living dead. When people worry about the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/i-think-the-general-anxiety-of-the-1960s-70s-spawned-our-interest-in/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [“A friend once told me a story about a former Black Panther leader in a Midwest community who in the 1960s had his phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-j-rodr-guez/a-friend-once-told-me-a-story-about-a-former-black-panther-leader-in/) [Luis J. Rodríguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-j-rodr-guez/) > [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. If I had believed in it, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to get ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/i-was-never-bothered-about-my-position-in-the-industry-if-i-had/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) > [Under the system that we now have to nominate presidential candidates, for instance, I would prefer that we have a system that is closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beschloss/under-the-system-that-we-now-have-to-nominate-presidential-candidates/) [Michael Beschloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beschloss/) > [My son Bill, who came to me in 1960-he was 14 then, quoted the old parable to me: "It is not by their words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/my-son-bill-who-came-to-me-in-1960-he-was-14-then-quoted-the-old/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [There is a book called San Francisco Tape Music Centre:1960s Counterculture and the Avant-Garde and this book describes everything that you want to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/there-is-a-book-called-san-francisco-tape-music-centre-1960s/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [Much of the art of the 1960s, from body art to video and direct performance, was concerned with similar issues. And then there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valie-export/much-of-the-art-of-the-1960s-from-body-art-to-video-and-direct/) [Valie Export](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valie-export/) > [I went through college in the 1960s without having any idea that I was going to have to make a living. When I graduated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/i-went-through-college-in-the-1960s-without-having-any-idea-that-i/) [Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/) > [“At the beginning of a decade when everything was beginning to seem possible, nothing seemed impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/at-the-beginning-of-a-decade-when-everything-was-beginning-to-seem/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) Browse all 486 1960s quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People talk about the 1960s in a nostalgic way, but to me it was terrifying. People were getting assassinated. There was Vietnam. There were race riots. It felt like everything was going to get blown up sky-high. It didn’t feel like flower power. 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