Wow, 40 years ago I was twelve years old. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was such a symbol of the promise and optimism that I felt back then.
Then came the Spring of '68. MLK, Bobby....Chicago.

By '69, Woodstock became a symbol of something different than it would have, if 1968 hadn't happened as it did.

I've often wondered what the future could have been in an imaginary book, Spring of '68.

~samwik

Yes. That brings back memories. At least I think it does. I was near the end of my degree and illegal substances were becoming popular.

Well, ( for the benefit of Mr. Kite), I would like to say it was a good album..
odin1

Didn't like Sgt. Pepper's at all. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. It marked the end of the classic "Love Me Do" Beatles of my school years. Finally came Abbey Road, and all was forgiven!

I liked Abbey Road too, Maxwell's Silver Hammer was a little twisted, but what the Hell it was the Beatles!
odin1

Personally, I've never owned a Beatles album, but I have two "orange-crates" full of albums; Emerson, Lake & Palmer was my first real awakening to music.

But my point was that the 40th anniversary strikes me as "such a symbol of the promise and optimism that I felt back then.
Then came the Spring of '68. MLK, Bobby....Chicago."

Is it just me, or have we completed some sort of cycle; now allowing us to pick up where we left off back then and resume on a course toward a Type I civilization (as JFK, RFK, MLK, & Rachael Carson, among others were advocating back then)?

...as opposed to the hideous pyramid-type scheme of an economic system in which we are currently indebted with four planets' worth of resources.

I think there's are many reasons to be optimistic. Here are a few:

(1) I see the European Union as a promising prototype for future regional governments and perhaps, one sunny day, for world government.

(2) There's an ever growing opposition to settling differences by violent means, especially wars.

(3) Related to (2), imperialism, either through action or attitude, is increasingly recognised as indefensible.

(4) Science and technology are mushrooming (oh dear, that was inept).

(5) Evidence suggests that we are moving slowly but inexorably toward a single world language.

(6) More than ever before, people are talking to each other about issues crucial to the future health and sustainability of our Type 0 civilisation.