The real 1960s began on the afternoon of November 22, 1963. It came to seem that Kennedy's murder opened some malign trap door in American culture, and the wild bats flapped out.

Summary

This quote suggests that the true essence of the 1960s, characterized by societal upheaval and cultural transformation, was ignited by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. The metaphorical "malign trap door" symbolizes the dark and unexpected event that served as a catalyst for the subsequent events and attitudes that defined the era. With the loss of Kennedy, it implies that a metaphorical flood of uncertainty, chaos, and radicalism, represented by the "wild bats," was unleashed upon American culture.

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