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| The "Hippie" Label & Activism | Category: Archives | Topic: Activism | Books about Activism | Print E-Mail This page has been viewed 11985 times | | From the time that "hippie" became a common term applied to a recognizable but mysterious phenomenon, the question of the political behavior of hippies became significant. The general snap conclusion was quite upsetting to most student activists. "Hippie," to them, meant "drop-out," from political behavior as well as everything else. Many, especially in the East, saw the frustrations of anti-war activity driving young activists into the nirvana of acid hippyism, whence no man returneth to the picket line.
It is true that many "stone hippies" exhibit no recognizable political behavior - other than their lifestyle itself. The migration from activism into "the hippie thing" is steady and well-defined. But the conclusion that hippies are a-political in general is not true. We have lost touch, testing political activeness with the litmus of old vocabularies. Future histories of this change will say, for example, that the first (and so far the only) significant community organizing done in our white middle class has been the handiwork of the hippies. And even by the most standard indices of attitude and behavior, hippies tend to be more political than the run of their peers-so much so that Carl Davidson, a central figure in Students for a Democratic Society, has suggested that perhaps three-fourths of SDS's national membership can be roughly classed as hippies.
From "Break Through at Berkeley: The Anatomy of a New Political style" by Michael Rossman, Center Magazine May 1968
| Suggested Reading The
Art of the Fillmore: The Poster Series 1966-1971 This
amazing book contains the complete collection of posters commisioned by
the late Bill Graham for his Fillmore and Winterland venues in San Francisco
and New York. Beautiful full psychedelic color, classic rock posters
from Rick Griffin, Wes Wilson, Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley, Bonnie McLean,
Lee Conklin and all the rest are a joy to behold! Includes the story
behind the scene, the posters and the artists. A must for all collectors
of Rock and '60s memorabilia. |
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