How 1960s Music Shaped a Generation, Managing Medications as You Age, and Wealth Strategies Used by the Affluent

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For those who lived through it, music in the 1960s wasn’t just something you listened to — it was something you participated in. Songs were tied to what stage of life you were in, what you believed at the time, and how the world around you was changing. The music didn’t play quietly in the background; it asked for attention.

During the 1960s, a subtle shift happened in the way people consumed music. While singles were still popular in the early part of this decade, by the mid-to-late 60s, albums became dominant. Listening meant commitment. When a record was placed on the turntable, people stayed put. Albums by The Beatles and Bob Dylan weren’t skimmed for individual radio hits — they were absorbed and experienced as complete works. Friends gathered on living room floors, passed around album covers, and talked about lyrics as if they mattered — because they did.

Folk music carried weight during this decade. Listening to Bob Dylan wasn’t casual; it often sparked thought-provoking conversation. Songs like Blowin’ in the Wind or The Times They Are A-Changin’ mirrored questions people were already asking about war, civil rights, generational tension, and personal freedom. Music became a way for people of this generation to process the uncertainty they were feeling.

In the 1960s, music often drew a clear line between generations — and that was part of its power. What parents listened to and what their children listened to were often very different — and that difference meant something. Turning on the radio could feel like choosing sides and immediately signaled whether a household was tuned to the past or leaning into something new. Motown artists like The Supremes and Marvin Gaye filled kitchens, basement parties, and car radios with a sound that felt modern and confident. Younger listeners embraced the rhythm and emotion, while older generations sometimes listened cautiously, unsure what to make of the changing tone. These songs became markers of independence — music you chose for yourself — and hearing them now often brings back that feeling of claiming your own taste, separate from what came before.

Portable radios and record players meant music traveled with you — to the beach, the car, or a friend’s house. People gathered around and shared music in living rooms, dorms, and back seats of cars, creating strong memory anchors. Hearing Simon & Garfunkel late at night, for example, often meant sitting quietly, listening closely, and letting the words land.

What made 1960s music so defining wasn’t just the sound — it was the way people gathered around it, talked about it, and remembered it. Those songs still bring back memories of specific rooms, voices, and moments in time because they were woven directly into daily life. That’s why, even today, hearing a song from that era recalls not just a melody, but a feeling of who you were becoming at the time.

“The Extra Plate at Thanksgiving”
From the life overview of Helen W., 90, Springfield, MO. Shared with permission.

The year my youngest son moved across the country, I set the table for Thanksgiving the way I always had, without thinking. Plates for six. Water glasses filled. Napkins folded the same way my mother taught me, tucked neatly beneath the forks. It wasn’t until I stepped back that I noticed the extra place setting at the end of the table, waiting for someone who wouldn’t be walking through the door.

I considered removing it, but something stopped me. Instead, I left it there while I worked in the kitchen, basting the turkey and listening to the parade on television. The house felt quieter than usual. Not empty, just different. When my husband noticed the extra plate, he didn’t say anything. He just gave me a look that said he understood.

When we finally sat down to eat, that empty chair felt like part of the gathering. We retold stories, laughed at the same old jokes, passed the cranberry sauce like we always did. The food tasted right. Familiar. Comforting. The empty spot didn’t ruin anything; it simply took its place among the rest of what the day held.

After dinner, I cleared the table and stacked the plates, including the unused one. I didn’t feel sad exactly. Just aware of how families stretch and change, how love doesn’t disappear when someone leaves. It just learns how to sit quietly, saving a place.

***

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Unwanted text messages—especially scam or spam texts—are more than annoying. They can also be confusing or risky. The good news is that modern phones make it fairly easy to stop them once you know where to look.

If you receive a spam or unwanted text, the simplest step is to block the sender directly.

On an iPhone, open the message, tap the sender’s name or number at the top, tap Info, then select Block this Caller. Apple also automatically filters many spam texts into a separate folder called Unknown Senders. You can turn this on by going to Settings > Messages > Filter Unknown Senders. Apple explains this clearly here.

On Android phones, open the message, tap the three dots in the corner, and choose Block or Report spam. Exact wording may vary slightly by phone brand, but the option is always in the message menu. Google’s guide is here.

If the message is clearly a scam, do not reply—even with “STOP.” Blocking and reporting is safer.

If spam texts keep coming, your wireless carrier may already offer free tools to help.

These services automatically identify and block many scam messages before you ever see them.

You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry. While this won’t stop scammers, it can reduce legitimate marketing texts.

Finally, if a message claims to be from a bank, delivery service, or government agency, contact that organization directly using the phone number on their official website—not the one in the text.

Blocking unwanted texts won’t stop every scam, but using these tools together can dramatically cut down on interruptions and keep your phone quieter—and safer.

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