How Did Hippies Shaped American Culture

A counter culture is defined as a group that rejects the major values, norms, and practices of the larger society and replaces them with a new set of cultural patterns (Thomas, 2003). The thinking and behavior of younger people who want to be different from the rest of society developed during the 1960s. It was a different way of living chosen by people who would eventually become known as hippies, or freaks. The name came from “hip,” a term applied to the Beats of the 1950s, such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who were generally considered to be the pioneers of hippies (Britannica, 2015). The movement originated on college campuses in the United States, and Members of this counterculture held beliefs almost the same as that of the New Left movement in that they wanted to change domestic policy within the United States.

Yet, numerous Hippies associated themselves with drugs, such as; LSD and Marijuana, as these drugs were effortlessly assessable throughout that era. LSD effects the user and causes them to have hallucinations and effect the person’s mind space and perception of reality; triggering them to hear or see things that do not happen. “Drug experiences shaped many of their symbols and ideas.”(World Book Encyclopedia, 2004

In this essay I will be discussing the ‘hippie’ culture and style, their impact on the 60s and their continued impact in modern life. In today 's world, hippies are known because of the distinct way in which they behave, dress and their overall lifestyles. There are also some who have come to believe that hippies are synonymous with drugs or that they have radical political views on environmentalism, capitalism, religion e.t.c. The dictionary defines a hippie as "one who doesn’t conform to society’s standards and advocates a liberal attitude and lifestyle". What I am interested in is whether this definition is true. Polhemus (2007) says "who is real? Who is a replicant? Who cares? Life is a fancy-dress party, Enjoy”. I will be discussing this quote in more depth, relating it to the hippie culture as well as explaining how the hippie culture developed and what it means to be a hippie today.

The history of how society came about is very old but short, only emerging during the 19th century. Therefore, it is one of the youngest as well as one of the oldest of the social sciences. According to the American Sociological Association sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. In comparison to other majors, sociology has a broad scope with relevance to research, theory, and application of knowledge. Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world, generating new ideas and critiquing the old. Because sociology addresses the most

Because of their nonjudgmental lifestyle, freedom of speech, conduct, and dress were common. The use of psychedelic drugs such as marijuana and LSD was supported because it gave people a “free” feeling. Hippies went against the norm with their clothing choices, often wearing brightly colored, loose fitting items.4 Tie-dyed t-shirts, bell bottoms, beads, and sandals were most commonly seen and both men and women typically had long hair.5 Men also grew out their beards and women wore little to no makeup.6

Drugs greatly deepened the willingness and desire to love one another and satisfy oneself. Drug use was very prevalent in the 1960’s and the main reason was the counterculture. Drugs were promoted through many of the admired musical groups whom were the heads of the counterculture revolution. As a result many of their fans got addicted to drug use and influenced society in an altered drug state. The counterculture was founded by personal satisfaction and the main source of satisfaction was drugs. Drugs negatively affected the social revolution because it instilled complacency and a lack of desire to impact society within the members of the movement. Without the drug abuses, society would look much different today and the War on Drugs would not have affected as many people as it has throughout the history of the United

The counterculture and hippies are becoming extremely popular in our society today. The hippie culture focused on outward signs of nonconformity. The counterculture promoted rock music, free love, and the use of psychedelic drugs. Haight-Ashbury is the place is if you want to be a part of the culture, and go to San Francisco and be a part of love. The counterculture is about new ideas, and going against the social norms. The bright colors, feathers, leather, and hair. There are pop art and rock music. Go have fun, and be a part of the

Hippie drug use was more than just use, it was the practice of psychedelic drugs, in order to spread love and happiness. Some of the many drugs hippies used were LSD (acid), mushrooms, DMT, marijuana, amphetamines, and narcotics. Hippies most often used the drugs and others that fall into the psychedelic hallucinogenic category. Hippies were referred to as “drug using counterculture shared belief in better living through chemistry” (Wesson). The hallucinogen drugs were for mind-expansion, seeing the world through colors. All in order to get crazy high to spread love, peace, and happiness. This was more of a spiritual practice for hippies. The easiest and most common way for them to use these drugs was by rolling them in paper and smoking them. As one can see, the drug use in the hippie culture was a very important toll for the peace, love, and happiness aspect of the culture.

From the 1960s to the 1970s, the Hippie Movement was apart of the counterculture era. This was an age of renewal and change amongst society. People known as Hippies focused on pursuing a life different from the one proposed by mainstream culture. Hippies followed transcendentalism, which influenced their idealism of their understanding of nature and society. They often used drugs such as psychedelics, amphetamines, methamphetamine, and marijuana to experience spiritual and artistic awareness as well as self-fulfillment. They created a new culture of teenagers and young adults who dressed and acted differently from those before them. Hippies focused on experimentation and redefining themselves. Hippies helped influenced music, television, film, literature, and the arts and changed the societal norms.

Like the Beats before them, the Hippies came to believe that using drugs could expand their minds and help them to discover hidden truths and be more creative. The two main Hippie drugs were marijuana (pot) and the powerful hallucinogen LSD - called "acid."

The Hippie Counter Culture began in 1960. The hippie era was influenced more by personal happiness in which books, music, and fashion followed as result of their personification of a blissful society. Hippies did not care what others thought of them and their motto was “if it feels good, do it”. Hippies were seeking a utopian society. They participated in street theater and listened to psychedelic rock. As part of their culture they embraced more open sexual encounters amongst each other in their community and believed in use of psychedelic drugs which consisted of marijuana and LSD. The fashion choice that hippies dressed in was due to set them apart from the mainstream society. They choose to buy their clothing from thrift shops and flea markets (Haddock, 2011). Clothing choices are described as “brightly colored, ragged clothes, tie-dyed t-shirts, beads, sandals (or barefoot), and jewelry” (Haddock, 2011, para 7). Hippies also referred

The rise of the hippy culture in 1960s challenges the cultural normativity of America. According to Blouin & Shipley (2013) that, this hippy phenomena is an extension of human individualism. This has been the trend, not just in America but also in western Europe and people view this new formed group rather unique because it is deeply rooted in; “rock music, greater sexual freedom….[and] drug culture among young people” (Risch 2005, p.566). According to Carrier (2011) that, by understanding post-modern deviant behaviour, it is unnecessary to use the old criteria in deviance and crime, as it will only lead to negative side-effects. Thus, new set of theory was formed to make sense on what was happening on 1960s and all fall under the

The emergence of alternative cultures and movements during the 1960s were remarkably distinctive in which it contributed to the overall characteristics of the 1960s America. In particular, the hippie counter-culture was developed and it was popular amongst the younger Americans because they believed in peace. They wanted to live differently and wanted to be free from the mainstream society. In the film Easy Rider, it portrayed the hippie culture and at the same time, it portrayed the rejection of the culture by the Americans in the 1960s. Hippie culture and other movements alike were the reactions to the changes in society and political atmosphere in the 1960s.The film was an excellent film work that captured the characteristics of the

Love not war. Peaceful protesting against the Vietnam War. Tie dye and vegetarian diets. Living life to the fullest and changing your lifestyle to help the environment. Hippies in the 1960s made a very big impact on the government and society.

One of the basic foundations of the Hippie movement was the excessive use of illegal drugs. The Hippies used many drugs, but