The topic of my research paper is how Hippie culture has been revitalized and integrated into modern society. Almost anywhere one goes, they can find examples of how the sixties have influenced today’s culture. From fashion to music to youth rebellion, there is sixties culture intertwined in most aspects of our society. Much has changed, but the basic principles have remained the same. My paper will focus on comparing and contrasting modern Hippie trends in pop culture. The sixties were an important time for the American youth and the fact that they have continued in a raw form of themselves now demonstrates the circular motion of culture. The revitalization of the Hippie movement is shown through various aspects of modern culture and inspires much of pop culture.
The argument of my paper is that hippie culture has returned and is now more accepted because it is in such a limited form of itself. In the sixties, Hippies had a distinct and uniformed feel. They were distinctive. Now Hippie culture has been diluted and mixed with other counter culture movements to create a modern Hippie movement that allows for societies allowance for it. However, there are exceptions to this allowance of a formally out casted group. The rawest form of Hippie culture lives in what are called head shops. Head shops are stores, usually small, that sell a lot of hippie like products. Usually everything is natural, made of hemp, and provide for the ambiance of the small shops of the sixties where hippies would sell natural options to a heavily modernized and industrial America. These shops also sell water pipes, used for smoking tobacco, and also marijuana. These shops all have a back room for this specific merchandise that only those above eighteen can enter. One example of this shop is called Peace of Sunshine in Catonsville, MD.
This topic is relevant because during the time of the original Hippie movement, the culture was very much rejected by most of society. Hippies were the outcasts but today it is so intertwined in the majority of pop-culture that it is less noticeable and the only people who are not accepted are those who have created a counter culture more intense. I will discuss and analyze why there is such a difference between the original Hippies and “neo- hippies” of today which will examine how the past is recycled and reused, but also interpreted differently in different time periods and morphed into something new because of it.
Bibliography:
Book: ‘They smell bad, have diseases, and are lazy’:. Full Text Available By: Martel, Marcel. Canadian Historical Review, Jun2009, Vol. 90 Issue 2, p215-245, 31p, 4 Charts; DOI: 10.3138/chr.90.2.215
Book: THERE'S A RIOT GOING ON: Revolutionaries, Rock Stars, and the Rise and Fall of '60s Counter-Culture.Full Text Available Kirkus Reviews, 7/1/2008, Vol. 76 Issue 13, p685-685, 1/4p; Reading Level (Lexile): 1380; (AN 33557951)
Media: Oppenheimer, Mark. "Where Have All the College Hippies Gone? : NPR." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. 28 Sept. 2005. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4867538>.
Primary Source: I plan on counting all the Baja’s I see in a day on campus.
Primary Source: Cain, Chelsea. Wild Child: Girlhoods in the Counterculture. Seattle, WA: Seal, 1999. Print
Class Readings:
An American Culture Grid By Jay Mechling
Axioms for Reading the Landscape: Some Guides to the American Scene By Peirce K Lewis
A Proposed Model for Cultural Landscape Study By Jeremy Korr
Article: Pattacini, M. M. Deadheads Yesterday and Today: an Audience Study. 5th ed. Vol. 24. Sage Publications. Print. 591-738
Magazine: Katz, Jesse. "The Bong Wars - John Ashcroft and the Feds Put Their Foot down on Head Shops." Rolling Stone. Print
Website: Peace of Sunshine - Just a Little Head Shop outside Baltimore. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.peaceofsunshine.com/>.
Good topic. I haven't even noticed how today's pop culture is influenced by hippies until I read this. At the end of the proposal, when you say "how the past is recycled and reused," do you mean the major fads of the past? The 70's and 80's as well as the 60's?
ReplyDeleteI think your thesis needs to be a little more concrete. You say that "The revitalization of the Hippie movement is shown through various aspects of modern culture.." but the term "aspects" is too broad and your thesis might be better off by you listing a few examples that you plan to cover. "shown through various aspects such as blah blah blah...."
ReplyDeleteYou also state that the sixties where an important time--but why?
You may also want to go further in defining exactly what a "hippie" is. Has the definition changed over time along with the trend?
I really like the idea of "circular motion of culture" that you mention in the beginning and imply at the end. Very interesting topic!
I think your thesis may not be specific enough. Like Alicia said, you may want to incorporate specific examples. Also, your thesis seems informative, but it doesn't have an angle and it isn't something that can really be argued. You can maybe think about answering the questions "why has hippie culture been revitalized?" or "how?" if it it possible to do so.
ReplyDeleteI like your topic and I am excited to learn more about it, and I like the idea of using hippy culture as a model for analyzing other cultures in general and fads that go in and out.
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ReplyDeleteI really admire that your have your primary sources (cause I don't have mine yet) but I think your one about counting the people is a little vague and, frankly, too subjective.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, agree with Alicia and Molly about the thesis. Maybe you could look at hippie-culture-sightings in, say, music, dress, values, etc.
I like your "so what" though. Its insightful :)
PS sorry about the random deletion. Technology screws with me so much, sorry.
I have to admit. I love the hippie idea and the whole culture that it involves. This should be a colorful project!
ReplyDeleteI would try to be more specific with the thesis, and you say " Almost anywhere one goes, they can find examples of how the sixties have influenced today’s culture. " How so?
Your topic is an interesting one. I think your thesis statement is a tad vague. I agree with Alicia that it may be helpful to define "hippie." You don't want to assume that everyone knows what you're talking about.
ReplyDeleteDR EFF: Title could be improved. Topic is great, very rich and should have a lot of research material.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to define Hippie culture. And the backdrop of the sixties, namely the Vietnam war, the draft, drug, the Beatles etc…
Sources:
Your refs are incomplete. You will need to use proper bibliographic format. Scholarly article?
DR KING: Delve deeper into the cultural significance of hippie culture today. Be specific. Has the political significance of 1960s subculture been diminished as it is recycled and mass produced today? Are you focusing specifically on head shops? Focus your project more clearly.
“Primary Source: I plan on counting all the Baja’s I see in a day on campus.” = This is not a good primary source. Delve deeper there is a vast amount of scholarly texts on the 1960s and hippies. I like the idea of "neo-hippies" but develop it further.
I agree with the point you're trying to make: even at the renaissance festival where they were making medallions with classical symbols on them there was a "hippie" peace-sign option. I think you won't lack for examples.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I feel like you need to focus on the "so what" aspect in general.
I love your topic! The thesis is a bit general, but you can fix that. I really like you 'so what?' response, however, I do think you can probably make that a bit more specific as well.
ReplyDeleteI Love your topic as well. I'm sure that you'll be able to find so many great examples. Maybe you could touch on what sixties culture consisted of.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a lot to work with the topic definitely, however I think you might want to focus on a particular part of America though? Working with the 60's influence on all of America during this time might be a large thing to tackle, so I would say narrow down your location. Otherwise, really interesting topic, should be fun!
ReplyDeleteSo much potential! Your thesis needs to be a lot more specific. Make sure to keep away from "various" and actually define what those aspects are!
ReplyDelete