Hippie

王思源

【Abstract】This article focuses on the topic of hippies to find out why they appear and what the influences of the group bring about. According to the analysis， it is found that various factors are contributed to hippies. Finally， some reflections are on this phenomenon.

【Key words】Hippie； The Second World War； Vietnam War

I. Introduction

The word hippie came from hipster and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into New York City's Greenwich Village and San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district. The term hippie was first popularized in San Francisco by Herb Caen， who was a journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle. A hippie （or hippy） now refers to a member of a liberal counterculture， originally a youth movement that started in the United States and United Kingdom during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world.

II. Reasons for Hippies Appearing

There are various causes contribute to the word. Politically， After the World War II， the global landscape was shared by USA and former Soviet Union. In Western Europe， Germany was segregated by the Berlin Wall. Notwithstanding WWII was ending， another one—Cold War just kicked off. Economically， in order to revive economy， the White House outlined a blueprint—The Marshall Plan—for rejuvenate the economy. But， the Soviet still adhered to the Planned Economy. As for military， the Vietnam War broke out after some 10 years of the end of the WWII， which is the direct reason to evoke hippies antagonism to the society. Moreover， in the year of 1962， due to the missiles which were set in Cuba， the tension was more ferocious. Given social conditions， in the 1960s， nearly all the Americans were shrouded by the turmoil. People should enjoy their peaceful life after the WWII， but they were involved in the continuous war again. The new landscapes totally change peoples view of the post war， more people resort to another way to enjoy their life.

III. Influences

Facts are self-evident. At that period， people are tired of war， what they want is peaceful life and a stable society. But the US government ignored citizens concerns and trapped in the Vietnam War. People got disappointed and intricate by the White Houses decision. And they lost themselves in the real society. An increasing number of people chose to escape from the noisy life. Hence they opted to demonstrate in the street， stayed outside rather than home， and chose love and peace in a camp rather than got a high salary in a company. More people gathered in Woodstock， they held music and art fair， they sang songs and danced， demanding no war， no interference. All people in that era were eager to live a life in the Utopia， where there would be no bleeding， no death and no misery of losing their intimates in the war. Hippies life style is regarded as a right choice to keep away from chaotic reality.

IV. Reflections

Hippies are the people who want to escape from reality； they hated working and studying， rejected the industrial life but were just dressed chastely， longing for escaping from the real life.

Hippies are like a new force daring to fight for their rights vs the authority. Western communities always highlight the right of freedom， having democratic life and being respected， but the history has always proved that all of those are but illusions. When different interests of different countries got confronted， all the rights disappeared， what is left is nothing but greed， hegemony and plunder. No matter how powerful the country will be， what the people want is peaceful life， without war， disputes， and fighting. So when all of their ideal life cannot get satisfied， they may rise to demonstrate， to fight for rights that they are endowed with.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident， that all men are created equal， that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life， Liberty， and the pursuit of Happiness.” This is a sentence from The Declaration of Independence which generations after generations are adhere to， which reveals that all people from the world have the right to pursue freedom， a democratic life and happiness. But reality has always gone against their ideas， which would leave them nothing but illusions.

Democracy is still a long way for all the people， when we decide to pursue it， not only arduous efforts should we make， but also we must have resolution to fulfill it. Human beings have every right to live a well-off life mentally and physically. Thats the dream for all the people from the global village.