An excuse to get high: Wouldn't we all be better off without the 60's?

I asked my mother the same question (she's of that era). I said how is it that the freedom loving hippies with there "the Man can't hold me down" mentality become pro regulation and bloated government. Even to the point of communist/socialist ideology. She agreed, but said with out the hippies, questioning of ones government might not be as main stream. So I guess some good came of it.