′S Essay, Research Paper
Through out history the world has seen some generations that have made an
impact more than all of its predecessors. The decade from 1960 to 1970 was
definitely one of those eras. The people didn’t follow the teachings of its
elders, but rejected them for an alternative culture which was their very
own(Harris 14). Made up of the younger population of the time this new
culture was such a radical society that they were given their own name which
is still used today. They came to be called the Hippies. The Hippie
movement started in San Francisco, California and spread across the United
States, through Canada, and into parts of Europe (World Book). But it had its
greatest influence in America. During the 1960’s a radical group called the
Hippies shocked America with their alternative lifestyle and radical
beliefs.
Hippies came from many different places and had many different backgrounds.
All Hippies were young, from the ages of 15 to 25(Worldbook). They left
their families and did it for many different reasons. Some rejected their
parents’ ideas, some just wanted to get away, and others simply were
outcasts, who could only fit in with the Hippie population. “Under 25 became
a magical age, and young people all over the world were united by this bond”
(Harris 15). This bond was of Non-conformity and it was the “Creed of the
Young” (Harris 15). Most Hippies came from wealthy middle class families.
Some people said that they were spoiled and wasting their lives away. But to
Hippies themselves this was a way of life and no one was going to get in the
way of their dreams and ambitions.
Hippies flocked to a certain area of San Francisco on the corner of Haight
Street and Ashbury Street, where the world got their first view of this
unique group. This place came to be known as the Haight Ashbury District.
There were tours of the district and it was said that the tour “was the only
foreign tour within the continental limits of the United States” (Stern 147).
The Hippies were so different that the conservative middle class could not
relate to them and saw them as aliens. The Haight Ashbury district lies in
the very center of San Francisco. In the years of 1965 and 1966 the Hippies
took over the Haight Ashbury district(Cavan 49). There they lived and spread
their psychedelic theme through out the whole area. In the Haight Ashbury
district there were two parks that that all Hippies knew well. The most
famous of the two was the Golden Gate Park(Cavan 43). The single most
important event that put the Hippies on the map was held at the Golden Gate
Park. It was called the Trips Festival. The Trips Festival was a week long
festival designed to celebrate the LSD experience(Stern 148). Besides this
festival dozens of other events took place at Golden Gate Park, some of which
were free concerts by The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane and Anti-War
rallies held by Hippie political leaders. The other park is called the Buena
Vista park and is known for housing hippies at night and for socializing
during the day.
As the 1960’s progressed, the youth in America united. “In 1969 400,000
young people materialized for three dizzying days to listen to rock and blues
music, to wear funny clothing or no clothes at all, to talk, sing, dance,
clap hands, to drink beer or smoke pot and make love-but mostly to marvel
again and again that they were all there together” (This Fabulous Century
64). This festival was held in a small town in up-state New York and came to
be called Woodstock, after the town it was held in. Also in Greenwich
Village, New York Hippies had a place. The Village on every Sunday was known
to have hordes of singers with banjos and drums celebrating their youth
together(Stern 103).
One of the basic foundations of the Hippie movement was the flagrant use of
illegal drugs. There were many drugs that the Hippies used but none was more
used then marijuana. From 1960 to 1970 the number of Americans who had tried
marijuana had increased from a few hundred thousand to 8,000,000. The
majority of these new users were from 12 years old to college seniors(This
Fabulous Century 84). To some Hippies, drugs and music were the most
important aspects of their lives. Another drug that was prevalent in the
Hippie population was LSD. Some Hippies thought that “LSD puts you in touch
with your surroundings” (Cavan 114). But that was not what always the case.
On occasion a hippie would take bad LSD and would experience a “bad trip” or
would “freak out” (Cavan 115). When someone took bad LSD, freak out is
exactly what they would do and sometimes they never came back. Bad LSD was
so common that even at Woodstock people were having bad trips and freaking
out. Even with this bad LSD everywhere people still used it, they went as
far as to make a religion out of it. A man by the name of Dr. Timothy Leary
was a Harvard professor who had ideas about LSD. He said “LSD is western
yoga. The aim of all Eastern religion, like the aim of LSD, is basically to
get high; that is to expand your consciousness and find ecstasy and
revelation within” (This Fabulous Century 84). Another preacher of the use of
LSD was an author by the name of Ken Keasey. He traveled around the United
States in a psychedelic bus giving LSD to anyone and everyone who would take
it.
Hippies were notorious for there out of the ordinary music. Many Hippies
were actually musicians themselves. Hippies used music as a way to get their
thoughts and ideas out. One of the most influential musicians of the time
was Bob Dylan. The lyrics of the song “Like Rolling Stone” express the
thoughts of many Hippies. They say:
How does it feel How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?(Harris 69)
These ly
him. He did feel “like a rolling stone” and so did his peers. His simple
but meaningful lyrics are what made him so popular and successful. Many
Hippies considered Dylan as a spokesman for their beliefs. Drugs were also
themes in many bands songs. Jimmy Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” is about
marijuana. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” is a Beatles song about LSD.
The Grateful Dead also took part in the fad with their song “Casey Jones,”
with lyrics such as “High on Cocaine” and “You better watch your Speed.”
Besides their music and drugs Hippies did some out of the ordinary things
that were as shocking as their day-glo clothing. It was common for hippies
in the Haight Ashbury District to put a nickel in a parking meter, then set
up blankets and lie down in the space for a half hour(Stern 161). This was
unusual behavior so it is not strange that the public did not take them
seriously. “People thought Hippies were the next funniest thing to the Three
Stooges”(Stern 161). Television shows like the successful Laugh In made fun
of this counter culture. Movies made fun of them as well. One called the
Presidents Analyst was extremely successful. The movie was dedicated “to the
life, liberty, and pursuit of happenings,” and was based on the Hippies wacky
antics. People all over the America were outraged at how strange these
people were and at the same time were in tears at how funny they were.
Even though from afar the Hippies were entertaining, in reality they were
devastating the American family and were tearing the country in two. While
the adults of the time were conservative, hard working, and caring mainly
about money, the Hippies didn’t care about any of that. They were party
animals. Many didn’t work unless it was completely necessary, they never
went to church nor did they care for saving their virginity until after they
were married. They were anything but conservative and their families
rejected them for it.
Hippies easy going attitudes and fun and games lifestyles were put away when
the topic of politics came up. Indubitably the instigator for their
existence, politics played a huge role in their lives. Having strongest
feelings for the Vietnam War and for the Civil Rights Movement, the Hippies
made their beliefs known to the world. They did this in many ways including
musical shows, pacifist folk songs, and through peaceful sit-ins(This
Fabulous Century 206). But none of their actions were more seen and heard of
then their protests and rallies. The Hippies were aware that the war was
being lost and that thousands of American soldiers were dying. They took it
upon themselves the make their beliefs heard. They put together a protest
larger then the ever before. Once organized not just Hippies came, but
students, intellectuals, radicals, and citizens of all classes took part in
it(Harris 36). This protest was held in Washington DC in the heart of the
United States. 250,000 protesters gathered for one common goal. They wanted
their troops to come back home and for United States involvement in the war
to be ended. Through the years of the Vietnam War hundreds a anti-war
rallies were held. By the decades end protests seemed to have done some
good. Sixty five percent of all Americans had similar views as the
hippies(This Fabulous Century 206). They wanted their troops back and that’s
what they got in the 1969 when the President gave the word to bring them back
home.
Hippies had other feelings about racism and persecution. They took part in
the civil rights movement, just as they did in the for the Vietnam troops.
When President Kennedy tried to pass his Civil Rights policies and they
never went through, the Hippies were more aggravated(Harris 8) Eventually
some Hippies tried to make their colonies where there was no racism and
persecution. There were Hippie communes all over the United States. Some
communes believed that they were “fighting against the white man’s perverted
society of pollution ,war, and greed(Stern 166). These communes didn’t get
very popular and failed after a few years. Hippies still fought for racial
equality. Finally when the 1960’s were over new laws were put into action
helping racial equality which would not have happened without the Hippies.
During the 1960’s a radical group called the hippies shocked America with
their alternative lifestyle and radical beliefs. They were young people who
enjoyed life to its fullest. They used illegal drugs and listened to rock
and roll music. With their alternative beliefs and practices they stunned
America’s conservative middle class. Concerned chiefly protesting the
Vietnam War
and with civil rights they made a huge impact on the America and the world.
Even today the effects of the Hippie movement is still felt. They made huge
advantages and set examples for the youth of today and years to come.
Works Sited
Cavan, Sherry. Hippies Of The Haight. St.Louis: New Critics Press, Inc.,
1972.
Harris, Nathaniel. The Sixties. London: Macdonald Education Ltd., 1975.
“Hippies” WorldBook Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM.
Stern, Jane and Michael. Sixties People. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
1990.
This Fabulous Century. New York: Time-Life Books, 1970.
Outline
Thesis: During the 1960’s a radical group called the Hippies shocked America
with their alternative lifestyles and radical beliefs.
I. Who were the Hippies?
A.Their backgrounds
B. They gathered in the Haight Ashbury District
II. Their alternative lifestyles
A. Drugs and their influences
B. Music. and its influences
C. Their out of the ordinary antics
D. Effects on the family
III. Radical Beliefs
A. Protesting Vietnam
B. Protecting Civil Rights