"I used to think we were going to win in the '60s. Nixon went out and I thought we won"

Ken Kesey's quote reflects the optimism of the 1960s, a time of great social and political modification. The years saw the civil liberties motion, the anti-war motion, and the increase of the counterculture. Kesey was a leader of the counterculture, and his quote reflects the hope and optimism of the time. He thought that the social and political modifications of the decade would result in a much better future. Nevertheless, when Richard Nixon was chosen president in 1968, Kesey's optimism was dashed. He believed that the changes of the decade had won, but Nixon's election revealed that the battle was far from over. Kesey's quote shows the disappointment of the time, however likewise the hope that the modifications of the decade would eventually lead to a better future.