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.

In this quote, Lance Morrow argues that the true essence of the 1960s was shaped by the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Morrow suggests that this tragic event marked a significant turning point in American culture, opening the door to societal changes that were chaotic and unpredictable. The "wild bats" metaphor symbolizes the unraveling of order and the surge of social, political, and cultural upheaval that characterized the decade. For Morrow, Kennedy's death was a catalyst that unleashed a wave of uncertainty, disillusionment, and dissent.

The quote also reflects the notion that the Kennedy assassination shattered the optimism and idealism that had been associated with his presidency. Kennedy’s leadership was often seen as a symbol of hope and progress, and his sudden death left the nation vulnerable to the forces of cynicism and chaos that would dominate the 1960s. The cultural shifts that followed, such as the rise of the counterculture, the civil rights movement, and anti-war protests, seemed to emerge from this sense of disillusionment and loss.

The origin of this quote lies in Morrow’s broader commentary on the transformative effects of the 1960s, particularly how the assassination of JFK marked the end of an era and the beginning of a more tumultuous period in American history. Morrow, a journalist, often analyzed cultural shifts and the ways in which events in the political sphere influenced broader societal trends. His reflection on Kennedy’s death encapsulates the collective sense that this tragedy signaled a deeper change in the American psyche.

Ultimately, Morrow’s quote highlights the deep impact of Kennedy’s assassination on the trajectory of American society. It suggests that the 1960s, often remembered for its radical social movements and cultural transformations, was a period defined by the loss of innocence and the emergence of social upheaval. The metaphor of the "malign trap door" and the "wild bats" captures the sense of an irreversible cultural shift, forever altered by one pivotal moment in American history.