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(Having read The Fourth Turning...)
During the 30s-40s, the country was in a crisis mode, with the depression and WW2. In order to get through the time of crisis, the society adapted a more singular mind-set. Everyone was encouraged to think alike, and it was considered a good thing as it helped get through the crisis.
During the crisis period, the President might lie to the people -- but the people would not mind, figuring that it was necessary for the good of the country. At the same time though, during the crisis period, the President would actually be trying to do the right thing, with a lot of the stupid politics simply thrown out. During the crisis period, the political nonsense is unacceptable.
When the crisis was over, then, the slow unraveling of this unified mind-set is what led to "Don't trust anyone over 30", because it was important for the society to throw off this mind-set. Partly because it was no longer needed because the crisis was over, and partly because the mind-set was broken in many ways. Such as treatment of minorities for example.
If "Don't trust anyone over 30" was said in 1970, it really meant that the line of trust was those born as baby-boomers: Don't trust anyone who lived through the crisis and was indoctrinated by the unified mind-set.
I can tell you for certain that, by the time I got to college in 1981, "Don't trust anyone over 30" didn't really resonate. 30? Why 30? Since I was early in the first generation POST boomer, the counter-culture had become the culture. We didn't like the Stones because they were revolutionary and liberating. We liked them because they rocked.
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