writer Theodore M Bernstein said the paper chaiiged the spelliiig from hippy to hippie to avoid the ambiguous descńption of clothing as kippyfashions.
Origins
Tlie foiuidation of the hippie inovemeiit fmds historical precedent as far back as the countercultiire of die Aiicient Greeks. espoused by philosophers like Diogenes of Sinope and die Cynics also as early fonns of hippie culture* * Hippie philosophy also credits the religious and spiritnal teacliings of Jesus Clmst. Hillel the Elder. Buddha. St. Francis of Assisi. Henry David Thoreau. and GandliiJ^
Tlie first signs of wliat we would cali modem "proto-hippies" emerged in fiu de siecle Europę. Between 1896 and 1908, a Gennan youth movement arose as a coimtercultural reaction to die organized social and cultural clubs diat centered around Gennan folk musie. Known as Der XPandenwef ("migratory bird"), the movement opposed the fonnality of traditional Gennan clubs, instead emphasizing amateur musie and siiigmg, creative dress, and communal outings involving hiking and camping.^ Inspired by the works of Friedrich Nietzsche. Goethe. Hennami Hesse. and Eduard Baltzer, Wandervogel attracted diousands of yomig Gennans who rejected the rapid trend toward urbanization and yearned for die pagan, back-to-nature spińtual life of dieir ancestors.^ During the first several decades of die twentieth century, Gennans setded around the United States, bńnging the values of the Wandervogel widi diem. Sonie opened the first healtli food Stores, and many moved to Southern Califonua wliere tliey could practice an altemative lifestyle in a wami climate. Over time, yoimg Americans adopted the beliefs and practices of the new immigrants. One group, called the "Naturę Boys", took to die Califomia desert and raised organie food, espousing a back-to-nature lifestyle like die Wandervogel. Songwńter Eden Alibez wrote a hit song called Naturę Boy inspired by Robert Bootzui fGypsy BootsL who lielped popularize healdi-consciousness, yoga. and organie food in die United States.
Like Wandęrvogel, the hippie movement in the United States began as a youth movement. Composed mostly of wliite teenagers and yoiuig adults between die ages of 15 and 25 years old,.^’^ lnppies inlierited a tradition of cultural dissent from bohemians and beatniks of the Beat Generation in die late 1950s.^ Beats like .Allen Ginsberg crossed-over from die beat movement and became fixtures of the buigeoning hippie and anti-war movements. By 1965, lnppies had become an established social group in the U.S., and the movement eventually expanded to odier countriesj12^1 extending as far as the United Kingdom and Europę, Australia. Canada. New Zealand. Japan. Mexico. and Brazil.^ Tlie liippie ethos induenced Tlie Beades and otliers in die United Kingdom and otlier parts of Europę, and diey in tum influenced tlieir American counterparts.*^ Hippie culture spread woddwide dirough a fusion of rock musie, folk, blues, and psychedelic rock: it also foimd expression in literaturę, die dramatic arts, fasliion. and the visual arts, including film, posters advertising rock concerts, and albiun coyers.^ Self-descńbed hippies had become a significant muiońty by 1968, representing just under 0.2% of die U.S. population*^ before declining in the mid-1970s.*^
Along witli the New Left and die Ameńcan Civil Riglits Moyement. the liippie movement was one of tliree dissenting groups of the 1960s counterculture.^ Hippies rejected established institutions, criticized nnddle class values, opposed nuclear weapons and die Yietnam War, embraced aspects of Eastern philosophy.^ championed sexual liberation. were often yegetanan and eco-fnendly. promoted die use of psychedelic drugs wliicli tliey felt expanded ones consciousness, and created
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