ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

The 1960s - long hair, flowers and morality mash: Ethical appraisal of the clash that helped shape today's Western society

 

Die sestigerjare - lang hare, blomme en 'n moraliteitsmengsel: Etiese beoordeling van die "botsing" wat die teenswoordige Westerse samelewing help vorm het

 

 

H.J.G. Zandman

School of Ecclesiastical Science, Potchefstroom Campus. North-West University. Potchefstroom. E-mail: Zandman1@dodo.com.au

 

 

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ABSTRACT

The 1960s will be remembered as a major clash that helped shape today's Western society. Young people were breaking out of the moulds that had been cast by their parents' post-war era. The conflict brought about significant social change all over Western society. Western man searched frantically for a new world, willing to risk the hardship of revolution.
In a world full of confusing and conflicting approaches in terms of how to view man, the Bible has the clear answer: man is created in the image of God, and is, in this capacity, God's vice-regent and image-bearer. However, the Christian church is by-and-large remarkably indecisive as the social conscience of Western society.
The main thrust of the sixties was anti-status quo, anti-establishment, anti-materialist. In the process of man's self-determination on either side of the conflict, great erosion of man's greatest gift occurred: ethical distinction. The spiritual vacuum created by anti-establishment forces led to confusion and self-destruction.

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OPSOMMING

Die sestigerjare sal onthou word as 'n belangrike tyd van konflik wat vandag se Westerse samelewing help vorm het. Jongmense het uitgebreek uit die streng vorms wat tydens hulle ouers se na-oorlogse era gegiet is. Die konflik het beduidende sosiale veranderings oral in die Westerse samelewing veroorsaak. Die Westerse individu het desperaat gesoek na 'n nuwe wêreld, gewillig om die risiko van swaarkry wat revolusie meebring, te neem.
In 'n wêreld gevul met verwarrende en teenstrydige benaderings van hoe die mens gesien moet word, het die Bybel 'n duidelike antwoord: die mens is geskape na die beeld van God, en is in hierdie kapasiteit God se verteenwoordiger en beelddraer. Die Christelike kerk is egter oor die algemeen merkwaardig besluiteloos wanneer dit moet optree as die gewete van die Westerse wêreld.
Die hoofrigting van die sestigerjare was anti-status quo, anti-instelling en antimaterialisties. In die proses van die mens se selfbeskikking aan albei kante van die konflik het 'n erosie van die mense se grootste gawe plaasgevind: etiese onderskeid. Die spirituele vakuum wat deur die anti-instellingsgesindheid tot stand gebring is, het verwarring en selfdestruksie meegebring.

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