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Hippie influence on modern society
Effects of the hippie era
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Hippies
The 1960’s. A time when many events arose and occurred. One particular movement, which many people referred to as a culture, had the name that most know of as hippies. They rejected mainstream life style and displayed love and peace, they were also known as “Flower Children” (Flower Child). Hippies created anti-war movements in the 1960‘s and maintained these movements for a long stretch in time. For as long as hippies lasted through America’s history, they did not inspire the youth during the hippie generation(1960-1970). Hippies did not embolden youthful people in a positive way. They conducted many experiments that effected the young immensely. Hippies did not galvanize the nation because of their lack of control over drug use, their laziness, and their access to free love.
Hippies were known for their large amounts of drug consumption and at the time the anti- war movement contained a bulk amount of younger people. In the 60’s, drugs were not seen as corrupt or as a threat. They were seen as a cure for disease. Specifically, drugs were seen as pain relievers, they help with sleeping, they lessened worry, etc (Hippies and drugs). Also, in the 50’s, there was lots of cigarette use. Citizens did not know the influence cigarettes’ had, causing people in the 60‘s to naturally not realize how unacceptable drugs were. Additionally, hippies mostly used hallucinogenic drugs, particularly marijuana and lysergic acid diethyl amide (LSD). In the article “Hippies,” it mentions how hippies were “justifying the practice as a way of expanding consciousness” (hippies). Moreover, hippies undertook the largest drug use in human history that was completely uncontrolled (Hippies and drugs). Youthful people were exposed to the kind of b...
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...imenting with free love is ghastly to think about. An article refers to free love being a well known trait for a hippie, “There’s no denying that many hippies were involved in temporary sexual relationships and sexual experimentation unlike any generation before them” (Sex, Love, and Hippies). This generation was the first to open up free love, they had lots of sexual attitudes and hang-ups (Sex, Love, and Hippies).
Flower child, bohemian, free spirit, or hippie, they did not change their generation positively. Hippies changed the youth of their generation ferociously, they taught horrific habits and lifestyles. Adolescence were impacted strongly, specifically because most of the hippies were made up of them. Hippies taught the use of drugs, laziness, and free love. Even though hippies were peaceful in their person, they had many problems that lots could not see.
Freedom has been discussed and debated for a while now and yet no one can completely agree that it exists. Since the Civil, War America has been conditioned to be divided politically. The conflict over the meaning of freedom continues to exist from the civil war, throughout the sixties and in the present. The Civil War was fought over the question of what freedom means in America. The issue was in the open for all to see: slavery. Human slavery was the shameless face of the idea of freedom. The cultural war in the sixties was once more about the question of what freedom is and what it means to Americans. No slaves. Instead, in the sixties and seventies four main issues dominated the struggle for racial equality: opposition to discriminatory immigration controls; the fight against racist attacks; the struggle for equality in the workplace; and, most explosively, the issue of police brutality. For more than two centuries, Americans demanded successive expansions of freedom; progressive freedom. Americans wanted freedom that grants expansions of voting rights, civil rights, education, public health, scientific knowledge and protections from fear.
Drug usage demonstrated how Americans lived a rebellious life style. Drugs would be used for medical and non-medical reasons. Consequences of the unbridled use of drugs cannot be measured precisely (The Sixties in America). This displayed how Americans no longer were concerned about the consequences for their actions. Drugs can take a big toll on one’s body if over used too much. During the 60s, non-medical consumptions tended to be confined largely to the artistic and minority communities (the Sixties in America). With many citizens in poverty, they would reach out to drugs as a method to get their minds off of their circumstances. Artist would use drugs as a way to further enhance their ideas for an artistic demonstration. Drug consumptions woul...
The 60s was the period of time when the baby boomers began to grow up and supplement their own ideas. The post World War II Baby Boom created 70 million teenagers for the sixties. This youth swayed fashion into their own favor by moving away from the conservative fifties. Also the fads and the politics of the decade were also influenced by the new generation.
With a country in shambles as a result of the Vietnam War, thousands of young men and women took their stand through rallies, protests, and concerts. A large number of young Americans opposed the war; with a common feeling of anti-war, thousands of youths united as one. This new culture of opposition spread like wild fire with alternative lifestyles blossoming, people coming together and reviving their communal efforts, demonstrated in the Woodstock Art and Music festival. The use of drugs, mainly marijuana, became a staple in the community of anti-war youths. The countercultures’ radical views and actions caused American society to turn its head and look to the young. They set themselves out as a group and were going to stand up for their rights as well as the rights of mankind.
The epicenter of the hippie community was Haight- Ashbury in san francisco, Hippies were apart of the organizations that strided to legalize marijuana and sexual freedom (Hippies,1). Thousands of white middle class young people dropped out to live in these hippie communities. People saw the hippies as people without greed, loneliness, or any anxieties of modern society. The Hippies did not make their name up themselves, “Michael Fallon a San Francisco reporter used the term to describe the new bohemian lifestyle…. He shortened the term hipster used by Norman Mailer” (Hippies,1). Furthermore the hippie life was seen as reckless and dangerous they protested by refusing to take part in society. In addition, their life style included use of drugs, marijuana, LSD, and sex out of wedlock which encourage the birth control drug. Crime also skyrocketed in these communities. More problems included homelessness, malnutrition, and drug related problems. Even though the hippies seem to be advocated peace and love not war during the American war in vietnam. The hippies wanted to create a society based on the nation's founding ideals democracy, justice, and
During the sixties Americans saw the rise of the counterculture. The counterculture, which was a group of movements focused on achieving personal and cultural liberation, was embraced by the decade’s young Americans. Because many Americans were members of the different movements in the counterculture, the counterculture influenced American society. As a result of the achievements the counterculture movements made, the United States in the 1960s became a more open, more tolerant, and freer country.
When one mentions the word "hippie" most think about the 1960s. They think about the flowing skirts and long unkempt hair. They cannot forget the LSD and marijuana usage either. The peace loving hippies were more than just happy stoners. They were young people who were redefining their thoughts on the issues of war. This generation of liberals brought about one of the most history defining social movements. The anti-war peace movement was one of the largest movements of its time. These hippies had strong feelings about the Vietnam War and its effects on the country. The people involved in this movement had various ways of showing their displeasure of the ongoing war in Vietnam. Protests, love-ins, music, and anti-war marches are just a few of the ways these hippies displayed their views.
The Hippie Movement changed the politics and the culture in America in the 1960s. When the nineteen fifties turned into the nineteen sixties, not much had changed, people were still extremely patriotic, the society of America seemed to work together, and the youth of America did not have much to worry about, except for how fast their car went or what kind of outfit they should wear to the Prom. After 1963, things started to slowly change in how America viewed its politics, culture, and social beliefs, and the group that was in charge of this change seemed to be the youth of America. The Civil Rights Movement, President Kennedy’s death, new music, the birth control pill, the growing illegal drug market, and the Vietnam War seemed to blend together to form a new counterculture in America, the hippie.
American society and culture experienced an awakening during the 1960s as a result of the diverse civil rights, economic, and political issues it was faced with. At the center of this revolution was the American hippie, the most peculiar and highly influential figure of the time period. Hippies were vital to the American counterculture, fueling a movement to expand awareness and stretch accepted values. The hippies’ solutions to the problems of institutionalized American society were to either participate in mass protests with their alternative lifestyles and radical beliefs or drop out of society completely. The government and the older generations could not understand their way of life.
The era of hippies was also the time period when teenage drug consumption was at the peak. Nonetheless, it was not a coincidence. The hippie culture promoted consumption of drugs—especially
To some, the 60s were a decade of discovery as Americans first journeyed to the moon. Others remember the time as a decade of America’s moral decline with the advent of rock and roll and its representation of "sinful", inappropriate ideals. Yet for many people, the 60s symbolized a decade of love and harmony. Hippies exemplified these beliefs, and in 1969 they gathered at a music festival known as Woodstock to celebrate their music, their love, and their freedom in a concert that has remained on of the most influential events of the 60s. The youth of the 60s were known as the "Love generation". They made love promiscuously and openly, and preferred open to formal marriages. Weekend "love-ins", free form gatherings, communal living quarters, and rock festivals were held in response to the "love movement". The "love movement" was the hippie belief for peace and harmony. It reached its peak in the summer of 1967, and by then it had over 300,000 followers who referred to themselves as the "love children" or the "gentle people". They gathered in San Francisco, the hippie center of the world, during the summers. During these "Summers of love", they lived on the streets of Haight-Ashbury, sitting in groups along the street and strumming their guitars (Frike 62). These "love children", otherwise known as the hippies were the result of the antiwar movement that was sweeping the nation during the Vietnam war. Hippies were resolutely against the war. They participated loudly, and often violently in countless anti-war protest rallies and marches. They were known to publicly burn draft cards, and some even renounced military service for prison (Hertsgard 124). Hippies were not only antiwar, they were predominantly antiestablishment. The status symbols of their elders were decisively rejected: wealth, social position, culture, physical attractiveness, and economic security. They held in disdain, cosmetics, expensive jewelry, nightclubs and restaurants and all other refinements of the affluent society. Wealth meant nothing to them. Personal freedom to express oneself was believed to be the most important thing in life. They were antiauthority, antirace discrimination, and antipollution, in short they were rebels against the society, fighting against the moral standards of America they felt were unjust (Hertsgard 153). Events such...
Hippie Culture was a major movement during the 70’s as people began to campaign against violence in favour of peace and love. The peace sign was a key symbol and appeared often on clothes, jewellery and accessories. Through their ethos and characteristics they tried to free themselves from the social norms, dressing and behaving as they wished in order to promote free will and happiness. They dressed in loose, flowing clothes such as blouses, kaftans, maxi dresses and floaty skirts. Floral patterns and tie dye were also iconic symbols for their identity as well as bare feet; minimal makeup; long, bluntly cut hair; and eccentric jewellery; all of these representing their relaxed approach toward life. Recreational drugs such as cannabis were
During the 1960's a radical group called the hippies shocked America with their alternative lifestyle and radical beliefs. No movement in our history defines a culture change more accurately than the hippie movement in the 60?s. They had their own laws, music, clothes, and writings. The view of what a society should be was common among all hippies. Their ideas were big all throughout the late 60?s and early 70?s. The effects of the hippie movement are still felt to this day, and to this day there is still large hippie population in America .
When people hear the term hippie, they think of men and woman in loose clothing with flowers weaved in their hair. Although these men and women did in fact wear these things, they left a significant impact on society. Hippies were a part of the Counterculture movement, which basic ideals were to reject the ideas of mainstream society. The movement itself began with the protesting of the Vietnam War. Eventually, the movement was more than just protesting the war. Hippies promoted the use of recreational drugs, religious tolerance; they also changed society’s views and attitudes about lifestyle and social behavior. The Counterculture movement was the most influential era in the 20th century because the people of this time changed society’s outlook, and broached the topics of drugs, fashion, and sexual freedom.
The sixties was a decade of liberation and revolution, a time of great change and exciting exploration for the generations to come. It was a time of anti-war protests, free love, sit-ins, naked hippie chicks and mind-altering drugs. In big cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Paris, there was a passionate exchange of ideas, fiery protests against the Vietnam War, and a time for love, peace and equality. The coming together of like-minded people from around the world was spontaneous and unstoppable. This group of people, which included writers, musicians, thinkers and tokers, came to be known as the popular counterculture, better known as hippies. The dawning of the Age of Aquarius in the late sixties was more than just a musical orgy. It was a time of spiritual missions to fight for change and everything they believed in. Freedom, love, justice, equality and peace were at the very forefront of this movement (West, 2008). Some wore beads. Some had long hair. Some wore tie-dye and others wore turtle-neck sweaters. The Hippie generation was a wild bunch, to say the least, that opened the cookie jar of possibilities politically, sexually, spiritually and socially to forever be known as one of the most memorable social movements of all time (Hippie Generation, 2003).