hippy

A follower of the san-francisco originated psychadelic scene of late 1960's. Pivotal ideals include: sexual liberation, personal freedom, equality and universal love. Definitive people/groups associated: Grateful Dead, Jim Morrison, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. It's cultural context developed a political maturity due to the Vietnam war, so staunch pacifist beliefs and anti-war marches became part of the agenda. Stereotypical labels of hippies that a considerable amount of morons will suggest: dedicate their lives to smoking weed, smell and don't wash, live in weirdo isolated communes. Various irritating notions or beliefs that I regard as misinterpretations or mistakes directed at this period include: the assumption that anything ever changed as a result of hippy protests, that music has since been worthless and artistically devoid of truth or passion and that the hippy counte-culture the culminating point of youth rebellion. The hippy scene owes some of its heritage to the preceding "beat generation" a period born primarily through the writers: Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady (although he didn't actually write much). The beat writers advocated and were fixated and passionate about sexual liberation, personal freedom and a spiritual perception of reality much routed in Eastern philosophy and Buddhism (Kerouac mainly responsible for the spirituality). This was also the first mainstream demonstration of a counter-culture emerging in America. The enjoyment of drugs was another important facet of the hippy scene, although in a manner much different to the stereotypical picture. Morrison's fascination with exploring and cleansing the "doors of perception" most eloquently explains this interest: there was a desire to penetrate into a higher state of consciousness. To my mind the hippy era was a prolific and admirably impassioned literary and muscial epoque. Although those individuals attempting to reprise and regurgitate their heroes should observe how music and art has changed so as not to repeat the same indulgences. Still though very groovy times. A hippy now is a person who wishes to continue these idea's, attitudes and patterns of behaviour despite the forty years that have passed and the innumerable cultural changes that have occurred. But still the intentions are true and pure, and the period really did rock.