Page 20 - Images Literary Magazine 2016 - 2017.pdf

Pe a c e , L o v e a n d Hi p p i e s

By Maggie Troast, Grade 8
Throughout the ages, the mainstream way of life has been changing. However, none have been
quite as revolutionary as the 1960 Hippie Movement. Starting in 1960 and for years after, the Hippie
Movement was an act to attempt at ridding the world, or at least America, of violence. Hippies stood for
peace and love, and they wanted to break away from the average day lifestyles and be unique. Their act
of digressing from the mainstream way of life was the start of an era. It was as though they were
starting a new religion, with all of their beliefs. Beliefs such as respecting yourself and not trying to
please society, or wanting there to be peace in the world, as opposed to all of the violence going on.
?The hippies? primary tenet was that life was about being happy, not about what others thought you
should be?. It was as if they were just trying to vindicate between wrong and right, their way being right,
because if you are not yourself and are just trying to reach someone's standards, it cannot be much of
a life. Woman and men typically had long hair, which to most people at the time was new and different.
Additionally, women went ?braless? and, sometimes, shirtless. Furthermore, those who were
uncomfortable with these acts of rebellion stayed out of it, leaving it to the hippies who were involved.
The phrase ?if it feels good, do it? comes to mind when thinking of their beliefs towards drugs. This
phrase was commonly used in the hippie culture because it corresponded with being yourself and
doing what you want to do; what makes you upbeat. The fact that the Vietnam war was going on right
around this time only added fuel to the fire. After all, being against violence lead to the hippies being
against the war and the use of nuclear weapons. People involved in the movement were not limited to
America; in fact, there were even some hippies in Germany and Britain. Many people were against
violence and wanted everyone on earth to live in peace and harmony, and with people in more than
one of earth?s countries supporting this movement, it made it more likely to become reality. Despite
being announced ?dead? in 1967 in Haight (California) and beginning to die out everywhere else after
that, a few stray hippies are still left over, even today Tons of people remain standing for peace, love,
and no violence. Besides, if one were to look up people doing the ?peace sign? symbol, the hippie ?logo,?
there would be more recent pictures than ones from the 1960?s, because this movement is still
affecting people all over the world, from changing views on sex being a so called ?taboo,? to equality
being less of a fantasy, and more of a reality. There is no way of changing the past, and this culture is
simply infused into the nation.

Ar t b y Emma
Du r r , Gr a d e 8