courtney

Hippie Chick Courtney


 * The term “hippies”, derived from the word “hipster”, was coined in the early 1960’s to describe the anti conformist, youth groups that began invading New York’s Greenwich Village and San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. Well, invading may not be the word we would have used. It makes our approach and our message sound so negative! It was more of a gathering. Yes, a gathering in the name of self-expression and anti-consumerism! Hippies were a group of people who accepted individualistic freedom and worldwide peace as the only acceptable ways of life. They did not stress over day-to-day responsibilities or money and they actually regarded those things as unnecessary. Hippies identified their movement with the characteristics found within counterculture. The counterculture of the 1960’s gained a great deal of attention and momentum during the United States’ participation in the Vietnam War. However, counterculture was also greatly driven by race relations, sex, women’s rights, drugs and the overall idea of freedom of expression. The counterculture of the hippie movement was also influenced greatly by many external variables including music, drugs and fashion. **


 * Music inspired hippies to act free and it also defined their lifestyle. The music of the 1960’s was redirected and reinvented into a new, psychedelic form of music. Lyrics became very complex and songs extended beyond the normal minute to two-minute time span. The Monterey Pop Festival introduced rock music to the world and this festival ultimately impacted the Summer of Love in 1967. Drugs played a large and significant role in the hippie counterculture. Hippies considered drugs to be an integral part of who they were. In a world driven by war and fear, hippies found that drugs such as marijuana and LSD elevated them to a place where the world was peaceful and calm. **
 * The impact of the hippie counterculture on American society in the 1960’s was also significant. Hippies led a revolution within an otherwise traditional society to expand social awareness and accept new social values. The hippies were the most influential group in the 1960’s. **

Indie's Story


 * When I was a junior in high school, I defied my parents for the first time! I was always a rule follower, but what I did not realize was that the rules were never mine. I learned a lot in the spring of 1967 and it all began with an opportunity to make my own destiny instead of following the cookie cutter life that my parents thought they had already laid out for me. My name is Indie and this is my story!**

March 1st 1967

Spring break is coming up. Every year during this time I go with my family to the Hampton’s to visit my grandparents. I love my family but this year I want to try something new. I’m getting older and I should be able to try some new things. I heard my friends talking about going to San Francisco to meet up with other people my age to make “a statement” I’m not sure what this statement is but I really want to be with my friends over Spring break. I guess I’m going to have to look into this more in order to convince my parents.

March 10th 1967

I have to figure out away to get to San Francisco. My parents freaked out when I talked to them about it. They asked me why I would want to spend my spring break with a bunch of drug users. My friend Baha’s sister is there with some of her friends from college. It sounds amazing and fun! Her sister says that being there has offered her a whole new perspective on life. She mentioned the drugs, but to be honest, with all the war and hate in the world maybe some people are just trying to rise above it all and make peace.



March 28th 1967

I’m on my way to San Francisco and I am extremely excited. Mom and dad went up to the Hampton’s one week early. They left me my plane ticket which I sold in order to help pay for our road trip to the Haight – Ashbury District of San Francisco. We are staying with Baha’s sister and some of her college friends. I am so nervous about what my parents are going to say when I get home. I feel really free right now though! We have been listening to a lot of Grateful Dead music during this trip. I can’t wait to get to San Francisco!



March 30th, 1967

This trip has been crazy! When we arrived to San Francisco and went straight to Baha’s sister’s place. There was like 20 people in this apartment. Some people were just sitting around and other people were dancing around in really weird ways. The whole place smelled like pot and everybody was really happy and calm. I realized after we got there that we really did not think about food so when we arrived I was pretty hungry. I was a little bit shocked when we pulled up to a store and went around back to “purchase” our food. We did not actually shop. We just went through food that had been thrown out and took that. After we returned to the apartment and finished eating I tried drugs for the first time in my life. LSD is a pretty heavy drug for a first timer. Pink Floyd was playing and I will always remember that because the songs just wouldn’t end and they kind of made me feel sick and dizzy. People here have this strange and wonderful way of living life. I guess as I am writing it, it doesn’t sound as crazy as it felt. Maybe it was the drugs! My parents would die!

April 10th, 1967

I’m back from San Francisco for over a week now and I’ve been grounded just as long. My parents have never yelled so much in their life. But, all the yelling was worth the risk because I have experienced so much. So much about me has changed, what I think, what I say and even how I dress. I understand why my parents think that using drugs, not working, and being free could be dangerous. I kind of felt that way too until I experienced it. When I got home I realize how uptight everyone is. I’m glad I went on this trip. I learned a lot and I gained a new perspective. This trip made me realize “all you need is love.”



Works Cited

//Www.answers.com//. Answers.com. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. //Www.britanica.com//. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. //Www.library.thinkquest.org//. Thinkquest. Web. 09 Mar. 2010.