Gimnazija u Leskovcu

Maturski rad iz :

Engleskog jezika

Tema :

Hippie movement

Mentor : Kandidat: Mirjana Nikolić Aleksandra Ristović

Jun 2009

1

CONTENTS

1. Introduction 3

2. “The Times, They Are A – Changing"The fifties and early sixties 3

2.1. Increasing affluence 32.2. Rising danger 42.3. New culture 4

3. “If you’re going to San Francisco…”Hippie Movement 6

3.1. Etymology 63.2. New culture of living 63.3. Hip style of clothing 73.4. Festivals 83.5. “Purple Haze all in my brain” 103.6. Irreconcilable differences 10

4. ”And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam…” 11

4.1. The Vietnam War 114.2. Protest marches 13

5. Hippie music 13

6. Conclusion 16

7. Literature 17

2

1. Introduction

Many associations and images pop up in one’s head when he hears the word “Hippie”: strangely clothed young people with long hair and unshaved

beards, with flowers attached to their tie-dyed shirts, always smiling and having glassy eyes due to smoking marijuana, driving around in colorfully painted VWs and listening to singers like Bob Dylan singing about war and peace and the world where all people can live together without fighting

against each other. Although this image may be true partially, it is a stereotype. The Hippie Movement was far more complex, more than just

sitting together in front of a military installation, singing “where have all the flowers gone” and smoking “grass”. It did not appear from nowhere, there

were several reasons why such an uprising of young people had to take place and several reasons why it had to fail in the end.

2.”The Times, They Are A – Changing"

The fifties and early sixties

2.1. Increasing affluence

To understand what caused the creation of what finally became the Hippie Movement, one has to take a look at the situation after the Second World War and in the 1950s. From an economical point of view, everything seemed perfect for the middle-class American: the victory in the war caused an enthusiastic spirit in the people’s minds, in combination with the late after-effects of Roosevelt’s “New Deal” policy, the private industry fully focusing on civil purposes and the possibility to enter trade with Europe again; economic growth rates were extremely high. With this stable

3

economical background, low unemployment rates and growing personal assets, people could have a big family without the risk of not being able to feed the children. The birth rates in the years directly after the war were extremely high, the generation born in the years between 1945 and about 1957-1960 is known as the “Baby Boomers”. What had been a dream in the years before now became reality: a nice white house in the suburbs, a refrigerator and a TV set inside, a huge car in the yard, the kids playing football with their father in the garden, the mother bringing them chilled Coca-Cola – a perfect idyll of an affluent society.

2.2. Rising danger

To some people, this scenario was only the attempt of the average American to veil the rising political dangers. The Soviet Union, also a winner of World War II, had become the second superpower beside the USA. With the separation of Germany, the Cold War began to reach out his icy fingers. The biggest threat to people not only in America but all over the world was the growing danger of a war led with weapons of mass destruction. This always present danger had big effects in the daily life of the Americans.

2.3. New culture

Not only on a political but also on a cultural level things were changing. Although it was only a subculture of literature, the so-called “beatniks” had a big influence of the upcoming New Left and the Hippie Movement. They called themselves “Beat Generation”, with the meaning of both “beaten” and “beatific”. Their poems were heavily influenced by the mentioned political problems, religions of the Far East and the experiences of World War II. The philosophy of the Beat Generation was the base of the one of the Hippie Movement, although the beatniks had a rather pessimistic view on their topics, they did not try to change anything, whereas the Hippies

4

tried to see the positive things and make the best out of their life, including the protest against current circumstances.

The Times They Are A-Changin’

Bob Dylan

Come gather 'round peoplewherever you roam

and admit that the watersaround you have grownand accept it that soon

you’ll be drenched to the bone.If your time to you

Is worth savingThen you better start swimming

Or you'll sink like a stonefor the times they are a-changing.

Come writers and criticsWho prophesize with your pen

And keep your eyes wideThe chance won't come again

And don't speak too soonFor the wheel's still in spinAnd there's no telling who

That it's naming.For the loser nowwill be later to win

for the times they are a-changing.

Come senators, congressmenPlease heed the call

Don't stand in the doorwayDon't block up the hallFor he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There's a battle outsideAnd it is raging.

It'll soon shake your windowsand rattle your walls

for the times they are a-changing.

Come mothers and fathersthroughout the land

and don't criticizewhat you can't understand

your sons and your daughtersAre beyond your command

your old road israpidly aging.

Please get out of the new oneif you can't lend your hand

for the times they are a-changing.

The line it is drawnThe curse it is castThe slow one nowWill later be fast

As the present nowWill later be past

The order isRapidly fading.

And the first one nowwill later be last

for the times they are a-changing.

5

This song can be seen as a critical description of the circumstances in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. The world is facing problems never seen before, there is a big threat by the atomic bomb

and the whole country is in rage – the blacks, the Civil Right Movement, the students not willing to take part in the Cold War.

3.”If you’re going to San Francisco…”

The Hippie Movement

Throughout history, the world has seen some generations that have made an impact more than all of its predecessors. The decade between 1960 and

1970 was definitely one of those eras. The people did not follow the teachings of its elders, but rejected them for and alternative culture which

was their very own. The Hippie Movement started in San Francisco, California and during the 1960s a radical group called the Hippies shocked

America with their alternative lifestyle and radical beliefs.

3.1. Etymology

The Hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world. The word “hippie” derives from hipster and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco’s Haight- Ashbury district.

The young people coming to San Francisco adapted the bohemian lifestyle of their beat idols, whose philosophy and wisdom they admired. Old beatniks called them “junior grade hipsters” or in short “Hippies” – a term the countercultural youth soon used for itself in a provocative way. In the Haight- Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, they found a suitable home – old and cheap Victorian houses and liberal inhabitants.

6

3.2 New culture of living

Hippies came from many different places and had many different backgrounds. All Hippies were young, from ages of 15 to 25. 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.

The Hippies established new forms of living together: communes and free love. Communes were households in which everybody had the same rank, independent of the person’s sex, occupation…Ideally, a commune was situated somewhere out in the country – a little farm in the nature, completely build of pure natural materials, growing crops in a very natural way (no use of chemicals), people wearing self-made clothes made of natural fabric. Love should be completely free within such a community, no marriage should be needed and children should not obey a certain couple but being grown up by the whole group. Beside the fact that these communes nearly never worked in reality, the average American was not fond of their new forms of living.

3.3. Hip style of clothing

Clothes and fashion were a big part of the Hippie’s self-identification. From the point of clothing, everything could be worn if it had the right look – a bit dirty, frazzled, with lots of buttons including the obligatory peace symbol. In the early time of the Movement, Army clothing was very popular, green and brown colors, originally thought to be easier for hiding in the woods and meadows, showed the mental connection to everything natural and in the same way, wearing camouflage clothing as a peace-loving rebel was something provocative.

Women wore wide skirts, sometimes tie-dyed, sometimes with “normal”patterns, often showing flowers. Wearing cloths resembling to those of Indians were also very common, especially necklaces of nice stones or

7

colorful headbands, which had a welcome second purpose: they kept the long hair from falling into the face.

3.4. Festivals

Hippies flocked to a certain area of San Francisco on the corner of Haight Street and Ashbury Street. In the years of 1965 and 1966 the Hippies took over the Haight -Ashbury district. There they lived and spread their psychedelic theme throughout the whole area. In the Haight-Ashbury district were two parks that all Hippies knew well. The more famous of the two was the Golden Gate ParkGolden Gate Park. The single most important event that put the Hippies on the map was held at the Golden Gate ParkGolden Gate Park. It was called The Trips Festival.

The Trips Festival was one-week festival designed to celebrate the LSD experience. Besides this festival dozens of other events took place at the 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 VistaThe Buena Vista Park and it is known for housing hippies at night and for socializing during the day. At the 1960s progressed, the youth in America united and 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, drink beer or smoke pot and make

8

love. This festival was held in a small town in up-state New York and came to be called Woodstock.

Woodstock was designed as a profit-making venture, aptly titled ‘Woodstock Ventures”. It became a free concert only after it became obvious that the event was going to draw hundreds of thousands of people that the organizers had prepared for. Around 186,000 tickets were sold beforehand and organizers anticipated approximately 200,000 festival-goers would turn up. The festival was held during the time of military conflict abroad and racial discord at home and participants quickly became aware that the event had taken on a meaning beyond its original intent. Although the festival was remarkably peaceful given the number of people and conditions involved, there were two recorded fatalities:

1) a heroin overdose2) an occupied sleeping bag accidentally being run over by a tractor

in a nearby hayfield

There were also two births recorded at the event (one in a car caught in traffic and another in a helicopter) and four miscarriages. Yet, in tune with the idealistic hopes of the 1960s, Woodstock satisfied most attendees. Especially memorable were the sense of social harmony, the quality of music, the overwhelming mass of people, many sporting bohemian dresses, behavior and attitudes.

9

3.5.”Purple Haze all in my brain…”

One of the basic foundations of the Hippie movement was the flagrant use of illegal drugs. 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. To some Hippies, drugs and music were the most important aspects of their lives. LSD was the most important drug of the actual San Francisco scene – not marijuana, as it is often thought. The “real” Hippies preferred due to its far more impressive effects and they thought that LSD “put you in touch

10

with your surroundings”. The city officials were not very happy with drug addicts surging in their town and thus, acid became forbidden in the whole USA on 16th of October 1966 (although from a medical point of view, LSD does not, against public opinion, cause physical dependence). The prohibition did not lead to a lower consuming of LSD, with the Hippie Movement becoming larger and larger in the late sixties, drug usage grew accordingly. Drugs were also very popular theme in many bands songs. Jimmy Hendrix’s “Purple Haze “ is about marijuana, “Lucy in the sky with Diamonds” is a Beatles’ song about LSD.

Flower people showed their complete rejection of the American way of life by wearing long hair parted in the middle, colorful casual clothes, eccentric attire like bell-shaped blue jeans, large Indian hemp shirts, and cotton bands round their foreheads or necks. The hippies' creativity revealed itself in music, too.

3.6. Irreconcilable differences

Hippies did some out of ordinary things that were as shocking as their way of dressing. It was common for them to put a nickel in a parking meter, then set up blankets and lie down in the space for a half an hour. This was unusual behavior so it is not strange that public did not take them seriously. America was outraged at how strange these people were and at the same time in tears at how funny they were. Even though the Hippies were entertaining, in reality they were devastating the American family and were tearing the country in two. All those new styles caused the disapproval of the older generation – which surely was also a purpose, a radically new appearance to distinguish oneself from the narrow-minded parents and the conservative society. This provocation had its effect: a big number of young people were thrown out of their homes by conservative fathers, a boy who did not want to cut his hair – unbelievable! Those homeless teens were only assured in their attitude, seeing that society indeed did not want them. They often found their way to “promised land”, to San Francisco, where the community grew bigger and bigger and no one complained about tie-dyed shirts and too long hairs.

11

While the adults of the time were conservative, hard-working and caring mainly about the money, the Hippies did not care about any of that. They were party animals. Many did not work unless it was completely necessary, they never went to church nor did they care for saving virginity until after they were married. Hippies’ easy going attitudes and fun and games lifestyle were put away when the topic of politics came up.

4.”And it's one, two, three,What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,Next stop is Vietnam…”

4.1. The Vietnam War

The war in Vietnam was one of the most important factors in the whole Hippie Movement and the central political “event” in the late sixties. The USA was never officially in war with North Vietnam; their whole military forces in the area had the status of “military advisors” of the Republic of South Vietnam. This war was terrible for the young American soldiers, who had been drafted in big numbers, not wanting to fight a war against a country they had nothing to do with, so this war became the biggest target of the young people’s rebellion.

Hippie Movement consisted mainly of students, and soon, a lot of young men flew from the army, preferably to San Francisco, and “draft card burnings” were staged in front of military installations, with a lot of media presence. Destroying your draft card was sentenced with jail up to six years, but the police faced the problem that they were not able to take legal action against several thousand young men at one time.

12

In Vietnam itself, the situation was horrible. The war in the jungle, the fight against an often invisible enemy caused extreme psychological problems among the soldiers. A lot of them retreated into a surreal world of their own, some went completely man, became unbelievably cruel and a far bigger number started taking drugs- marijuana and LSD consume was a very big problem among the military forces in Vietnam.

4.2. Protest marches

13

This situation was reported to the Americans at home and it caused massive protests; thousands of young people went on the street regularly, blockaded roads and governmental buildings, sitting there for days, singing songs, taking drugs…

Having strongest feelings for the Vietnam War and for the Civil Right Movement, the Hippies made their beliefs known to the world. The Hippies were aware that the war was being lost and that thousands of American soldiers were dying. They took it upon themselves to make their beliefs heard. They put together a protest larger than ever before. Once organized not just did Hippies come, but also students, intellectuals and radicals took part in it. This protest was held in Washington DC. 250,000 protesters gathered for one common goal- they wanted their troops to come back home and for the United States involvement in the war to be ended.

5. Hippie music

Flower people showed their complete rejection of the American way of life by wearing long hair parted in the middle, colorful casual clothes, eccentric

attire like bell-shaped blue jeans, large Indian hemp shirts, and cotton bands round their foreheads or necks. The hippies' creativity revealed itself

in music, too. Hippies used music to express themselves emotionally, spiritually, and politically. Music can make a statement, give voice to a

movement, and even unite us. As hippies explore their inner world, music guides them along in their quest for meaning. Without drugs it can get you high. With drugs..., well, let's just say, music can be a religious experience.

Hippie music can be separated in two sectors:

14

On the one hand was the “self-made” music. Sitting together with guitars, tambourines, drums and harmonicas (or anything else which can be used to produce sound) and making music, preferably under the influence of marijuana or LSD, was very popular among Hippies. The songs played were often of Folk origin or had its roots in countries far away. Such performances often took place in public area like parks (there were always some people in the Golden Gate Park making music one could join) or during sit-ins and demonstrations. Singers like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie brought folk music into the sixties with protest themes against government oppression and war. They had taken the words of the beat generation to a new level. Music festivals like the Newport Folk Festival drew large crowd of like thinkers where they could not only enjoy the music but share the common goals. These festivals grew in size and number. Many areas banned the festivals because they were afraid of what might happen.

On the other hand there was a professional music scene. Bands like Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, The Mamas and the Papas or Creedence Clearwater Revival created a completely new sound, unheard before. The songs were often written and performed under influence of psychedelic drugs; electrical guitars were the most important instruments. For some reason drugs have been parts of music for generations, including the blues and jazz performers of the 1920s and 30s. This just was the first time it spread so far. Much of the drug use, dress and such were just a part of the protest. Some, of course, were in it for the drugs alone.

15

In the early ‘60s music became more than just entertainment. It was now music with a message. And the messages our poets sang helped us identify with important

issues and events greater than ourselves. They spurred us to action. These songs had an impact on the consciousness of not just hippies but all society. Some of these songs also broke new ground musically. One way or another they hit us deeply, made us think, made us dream, made us feel as one people. They touched millions of us, each in a unique way.

“How does it feel to be on your own, with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone?” Bob Dylan

16

Conclusion

In spite of its rapid integration into the establishment, the Hippie Movement had an undeniable merit: it represented the most

authentic reaction against the American way of life, imperialism and repression of ethnic minorities.

It was a peaceful moment in history when a lot of people felt the need to come together with thoughts, ideas, and emotions. It was particularly in the music where the beauty of it all joined together

millions of people who needed to free themselves from the

17

everyday repetition that seemed to be misdirected. Hippies looked closely at life tried to enjoy the moment.

“I do my thing, and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live

up to mine. You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful.” Famous hippy quote

Literature:

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippie2. www.hippy.com3. oldhippie.jimgreenlee.com4. www.history.com

18

19

20

21

22

23

24