LSD. You don't see much about it these days, but it was the catalyst for the counterculture movement in the 60s. Hippies would not have existed without LSD.
I would have to dissagree LSD was a widely populare drug yes, but it didnt create the movement. From what i know the movement started due to outrage at the goverment and all its lies and injustices, rock and roll and some drugs had a great influence but i wouldnt say it Created the whole damn thing.
LSD didn't create anything, but it was a very large factor in the development of the counterculture. The origins of hippy had nothing to do with outrage at the gov't. The late sixties saw a strong anti-war movement merge with the what was then still referred to as hippy. By then the "death of hippy" march had taken place in Haight-Ashbury, as the hippies saw their culture co-opted and be taken up by pop culture. Although I was on the East Coast, I saw first-hand the evolution of the counterculture in the sixties. The original hippies were the early to mid-sixties manifestation of the Bohemian lifestyle, as it evolved in Haight-Ashbury. Young people who no longer lived with their parents, but had not yet started families of their own, found the livin' was easy in SF. Cheap rent, shared by multiple coinhabitants, allowed those with no strong drive for a career to kick-back and enjoy life. The culture had many traits, but it was the virtually universal use of LSD that ultimately shaped the music, art, clothing and philosophies that became known as the hippy lifestyle. "Turn on, tune in, drop out" was not just a quote from Tim Leary. It was the guide for entering the world of the hippy. Peace.
I believe you are referring to the yippies who were the more violence oriented branch-off of the popular anti-war sentiments shared by most of those who experienced the Haight-Ashbury when it was in its pinacle around the 63 or 64 when the place was about learning about yourself and brotherly love and the interspecies compassionate commonground which spawned the "hippie" which really was a broad classification for those sharing that type of mentality while also being into the drug-oriented counter culture... which brought a lot of confused people who wanted love and acceptance and figured that'd be a great place to go... until they predominated the scene and hence the "death of hippie" parade which was meant to free people of the constriction of hippie culture, hence freedom from culture limitation(music, drugs, popular opinion) But in my personal opinion, the whole thing was due to a major shift // // //.\ <- hippie {{ the dot is the actual shift hippie was its first expression. \\ \\ in perception which I believe to have been accentuated by LSD to a great degree.
If you would like to learn/understand more about LSD's effects on culture in the 60's and people such as Abbie Hoffman and Timothy Leary you should read: ACID DREAMS The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, The Sixties, and Beyond by Martin A. Lee and Bruce Shlain. It's pretty interesting
i think they still would have existed without lsd, just not as psychedelic. my health teacher said tye-dye was invented because of lsd, but what does he know.
i think whatis was refering to the actual substance rather than the effects it had on the counter-culture of the 60s and early 70s.
Hi What-is, You are wrong about hippies not existing without acid (LSD) Sure lots of us got hung up on the Timothy Leary thing, but so many people went on such bad trips that it was definitely not the drug of choice. Most of just preferred to smoke weed and mellow out. Also the acid we had back in the sixties was pretty heavy duty stuff, not at all like the mild acid of today. Peace to you!
