Kill in the name of God

As soon as one says "counterculture", by definition it is a reaction to mainstream culture.
It would be naive to think that the Mainstream would not have reacted. When such clashes happen , all parties involved are affected and changed by it. I would tend to think that you got a 'kinder gentler' mainstream ( it may still be imperfect ...). On the other hand many of the counterculturists also joined the mainstream , which underwent change in the impact.
When so many people lived the counterculture , there must have been something in it. It was a time for reflection ,re assessment and idealism. Yes there was an economic cost. The effects went well beyond ,to a more liberal world ( again not perfect), to cross cultural quests , place of women in society , not only in American society , but in the rest of the world. We felt it in India for sure.
I am not sure as to what you referred as "evil" , but perhaps this serves as a reference point for the good that was being conceptualised and lived out.To me , there is always trouble when someone tries to Choke "organise & control" things that come spontaneously.
Perhaps we need to develop more on the "core good" that you mention.
Great intellectual input David. Thank you for it.