BTW, I was there ... we all were... there was a time that I could remember a lot of it but age has taken a good part of it away from my memory.
ChatGPT says:
The quote "If you can remember the 1960s, you weren't really there" has been attributed to various personalities associated with the 1960s counterculture and beyond, including Paul Kantner, Robin Williams, Grace Slick, and others. Despite its widespread attribution, the earliest known citation credits comedian Charlie Fleischer. This citation appeared in a 1982 column in the Los Angeles Times, suggesting that it might have taken until the 1970s for the quip to be formulated. Therefore, Charlie Fleischer is credited with the saying until further evidence emerges to suggest otherwise.
The phrase has also been attributed to Grace Slick in some sources, including "Bangkok Babylon" by Jerry Hopkins (2006) and cited in relation to others such as Paul Kantner and Dennis Hopper across various publications. However, these attributions seem to reflect the saying's resonance with the era's ethos rather than pinpoint its origin.
This quote encapsulates the tumultuous and transformative nature of the 1960s, marked by significant social, political, and cultural shifts, including the rise of the counterculture movement, which embraced alternative lifestyles and protested against established norms and the Vietnam War. The use of psychedelic drugs was prevalent, influencing music, art, and the broader culture, leading to an era that, for many, defies conventional memory due to its radical departure from the status quo and, for some, due to the mind-altering experiences that characterized the period.
Given the myriad attributions and the lack of a definitive source, the quote has become less about who first said it and more a reflection of the 1960s' spirit and impact on those who lived through it.
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