The Hippie movement started in America in the 1960’s. They believed in equality and peace and exercised an alternative way of living.
The Vietnam war was a major influence for the start of the ‘Hippie Movement’. It made people angry and were outraged by the increasing death poll. People in America did not want war any more.
Allen Ginsberg, considered to be the father of the hippies, started off the idea of using poetry to say what he thought about the world. These poems were then sung by people to show how they supported his words. This was called the Beatniks, a major influence of the hippie movement.
Kral Majales by Allen Ginsberg
A photo of Allen Ginsberg, 1967.
Band and singers such as the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin thrived in the hippie movement and often created songs that opposed the ‘middle class society’ or accepted the idea of a different life style.
The Times They Are A-Changin’ 1964 by aHobo
The main belief in the hippie movement was to be happy, to have peace and free love. A lot of hippies took drugs such as Mauroana and LSD, as they believed this would expand their consciousness. Drugs, sex, music and peace is what they cared most about.
The Hippie fashion was very recognisable. They used bricolage of long hair, beards, ragged loose clothing, bright colours, sandals and jewellery such as lot of beaded necklaces.
The definition of Bricolage – “Something made or put together using whatever materials happen to be available.”
The strong hippie movement began to fade out in the early to mid 1970’s, where other subcultures which had society opposed opinions began to arise such as Punk and Skin heads .
In the modern day I think they are a variety of different people who have taken influence from the the hippie movement and other subcultures, where people are lot more open to new ideas than ever before.
Bibliography
Mortal Journey (2013) The 1960’s Hippie Counter Culture Movement [Online]. Available from: http://www.mortaljourney.com/2011/03/1960-trends/hippie-counter-culture-movement [Accessed 19/11/13]
Truman, N. (2013) The effects of Hippie Subculture. [Online]. Available from: http://www.lifepaths360.com/index.php/the-hippie-subculture-11-21471/ [Accessed 19/11/13]
Ginsberg, A. (1995) Collected poems 1947- 1985/Allen Ginsberg. Harmondsworth: Penguin
aHobo (1964) The times they are a-changin 1964 [Online Video]. Available from: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lkhi_the-times-they-are-a-chooooangin-1964_music [Accessed 19/11/13]
Farlex (2014) The Free Dictionary [Online] Available from: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bricolage [Accessed 19/11/13]
Fig. 1 – Unknown (Unknown) [Online image] Available from: http://www.mortaljourney.com/2011/03/1960-trends/hippie-counter-culture-movement [Accessed 19/11/13]
Fig. 2 – Ludwig, M. (2008) Looking for Mushrooms: Beat Poets, Hippies, Funk, Minimal art: San Francisco 1955-68. Koln: Museum Ludwig
Fig. 3 – Unknown (Unknown) [Online image] Available from: http://revisionistslc.com/2011/11/01/style-and-the-city-urban-theorist-elizabeth-wilson-on-fashion-women-and-modernity-by-ryan-moore/ [Accessed 19/11/13]
Fig. 4 -Unknown (Unknown) [Online image] Available from: https://sixties-social-movements-3.wikispaces.com/Hippie [Accessed 19/11/13]
Fig. 5 – Unknown (Unknown) [Online image] Available from: http://nikeab.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/how-did-hippies-dress-in-1960s.html [Accessed 19/11/13]
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