The prevailing material affluence of the period con tributed to the emergence of a new ethos of personal consumption and experimentation. Unfortunately since that time our society has experienced a substantial increase in family breakdown, drug abuse, youth suicide and other serious social problems. These phenomena were not caused by the 1960s revolution, but are consequences of the same social and economic forces which produced that revolution. British researchers Michael Schluter and David Lee argue that the entire social dynamics of Western societies have changed radically since this time. They contend that human relationships are now much more governed by choice and much less by obligation than in previous times.
Relationships are more conditional, and much less determined by traditional social structures.
As a result, individuals are more able to avoid the bonds of inherently unequal relationships, where they give more and receive less. They can move away from socially dependent grandparents, or distance themselves from unpopular and unattractive class-mates. It is time to rethink our approach to relationships and social inclusion. This does not imply turning back the clock, or reimposing the social constraints of the past. Nostalgia for a world that has passed is no foundation for good policy.