Against the background of various revolutions taking place in different parts of the world, some of them being for ideological or political values, while other leading to scientific and technological development. But one of them stands alone and is not discussed often. It was initiated not by the hands of politicians or class antagonists. It did not lead to slaughter and caused no progress in the world of new technologies. Quietly walking barefoot, tinkling bells, beading and plunging in nirvana, the floral revolution introduced the world of hippies. Along with them it changed the mind and worldview of future generations. I believe that the image of hippie hero is very powerful, but not in the classical meaning of today’s world, but in a kind and pleasant way – he can make a difference. In this paper I want to describe how the hippie subculture formed and developed, what their heroes looked like and why we need to remember about this movement.
Who was the first to say "Hi, People!", to weave bracelet, and to wear headband? The history doesn’t give answers to these questions. But it is known that the word hippie was first used on April 22, 1964 in a TV show at one of the New York television stations when a group of long-haired people in old zapped jeans, protesting against the Vietnam War, was called in this way (Grunenberg and Harris 47). The name was contemptuous, a sort of "know-all" (at the time of the subculture origin there was an expression to be hip, meaning to be aware).
However, we know other etymological versions. The first is that the word hippie is derived from the word happy. According to the second version its origin is in the Latin word hypochondria – morbid suspiciousness, bizarre condition of melancholy. It may seem that the versions contradict one another. How can a person be both depressed and happy? In fact, it is a vivid example of the unity of opposites: hippies are happy in their fictional country of dreams and fantasy, even though the outside world may seem withdrawn, depressed and unhappy.
The hippie subculture is for those under thirty. John Updike in his novel "The Witches of Eastwick", when describing one of his heroes, gave the following description of hippie: he was too old to become a soldier in the movement of windows breakers and LSD smokers, which aggravated his restlessness.
Analysis of the hippie movement history shows certain periodicity in the activity of the counterculture. It all started in the distant time of the sixties. The world was so exhausted from the mindless world wars, that the postwar youth had feelings of disdain and aloofness in relation to the militarists. Governments of the United States and the Soviet Union made the situation even worse by trying to involve their people into severe resistance. But as you know, a compressed spring has a specific habit – straighten with a double force. The Cold War, the Caribbean crisis, finally, the U.S. invasion of Vietnam – here was the starting point of the anti-war movement. “Make love, not war!” - long-haired girls were encouraging, putting flowers in the machine guns muzzles (MacFarlane 105). I remember the famous shots from the "Forrest Gump" movie: the square in front of the White House, a huge multi-colored crowd and shouts: "We've seen your war " Who gathered this crowd, who advised them to go on the picket? The names are already forgotten. But the witnesses' memories are still alive: of the mass runaway in communes, hippie free settlements outside the city, marches in front of the government buildings.
Why did the American society encourage idlers and romantics in their free life? It is just another paradox. Perhaps, the industrially developed countries can afford the luxury of free youth. As long as someone is working, others are sitting on the dirty pavement and talking about peace and freedom. Not that the hippies were treated in hostile manner, but rather, they were given the role of external stimuli. The youth did not object and just had a great time in anti-war marches and their communes, traveling in decorated vans through the American villages, shocking the respectable inhabitants of all sorts of antics. The idea, common among hippies of that time, is living the life of pleasure, enjoying it without disturbing others. Again, a paradox: a community that calls itself the counterculture to the world of money and daily routine" lived at the cost of this society (Desmond, McDonagh and O'Donohoe 249).
In a perfect world, dreamed of by the first hippies, there was no violence, false myths about comfort, money and endless consumption. Hippies broke the walls of the usual stereotypes about the American family, strong, reliable work, and a warm house. Walls were considered to be not something that protects the world from us, but rather the opposite us from the world. To merge with nature and to understand what we are inside, under a thick layer of documents, numbers, receipts, rags and makeup – it was the dream of a hippie hero. Passion for the Eastern mysticism and meditation fascinated hippies, while the wall between themselves and the outside world was growing. But inside the informal communities walls were not needed. One hippie would not hesitate to ask another for help, and certainly would receive it. The consciousness expansion involves not only self-cognition, but also comprehension of another as yourself. Although at times not the best tools were chosen to achieve these objectives. Almost the entire first wave of the American hippies died from drug overdoses and suicides. Bright ideas of World Peace turned into a trap for millions of idealists.
In the 1970s, enthusiasm for the hippie culture was gradually decreasing, letting into the scene more aggressive and controversial punks. The second wave of hippies was in the late '80s, when the world felt the victory of capitalism. "No globalization of the world!" – this and similar slogans rocked the world. And again there was a movement – neohippie, which lasted just for five years. Ideas mostly were of the old character – peace, free love and nonviolence. Only at that time society with its problems was not indifferent for hippies, but completely transparent to them.
The third wave of hippies was formed at the edge of the new millennium, and it was so different from the original movement that, it's hard to believe (MacFarlane 167). The main slogan of "Peace at any price!", military style of clothes, and a flag with the image of Che Guevara. These new hippies make moderate wing of the antiglobalist front. As before, the participants of the movement were youth from 18 to 30. And their goal was still the same – to make a difference. But something changed. Modern European and American hippies have learned from the mistakes of their parents. No drugs and reckless sexual relations, the main focus is on peace. Save the life itself, the integrity of this planet among religious, ethnic and political controversies. Does not that sound naive and idealistic? But youth in their twenties really think that they know the right way to the truth.
On the example of the hippie story described above and the further waves that it caused it is clear how important this culture is in any developed society. The hippie hero is young, wise and powerful. His power is not in physical strength, money, high status in society. He is powerful because he can make a difference and he wants to do it. He is not indifferent, and I believe that this idea should be realized by all the people. I think that today society needs more such hippies that could change our way of thinking so as there were no more wars or dissatisfaction in our lives.
Works Cited
Desmond, John, Pierre McDonagh, and Stephanie O'Donohoe. “Counter‐culture and consumer society.” Consumption Markets & Culture 4.3 (2000): 241-279. Print.
Grunenberg, Christoph, and Jonathan Harris, eds. Summer Of Love: Psychedelic Art, Social Crisis And Counterculture In The 1960s. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2005. Print.
MacFarlane, Scott. The Hippie Narrative: A Literary Perspective on the Counterculture. New York: McFarland, 2007. Print.
