Beat-Generation!

Questions and Answers 

1. Name some important Beat authors. 
Gary Snyder, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Michael McClure and Philip Whalen.

2. Where did the Beat Generation culture originate primarily?

At start, the Beat Generation started by a small group of friends, young writers and became a movement later. It originated in a small neighbourhood surrounding Columbia University, uptown Manhattan in the mid forties.

3. How was it seen by the general public?

General Public saw them as Hippies and modern subculture. A group of people with a goal and also seen as people of words. Anti-Society people.

4. What did it offer the nation?

• Liberty to express sexually, a spiritual liberation
• Free use of drugs such as marijuana and LSD
• The evolution of rhythm and blues intro rock and roll as high art form
• The spread of ecological consciousness
• Opposition against military-industrial machine civilisation
• Respect for land, indigenous people and creatures.

5. Describe the main characteristics of Beatniks. Can you find any images or video clips to support your description?

They based themselves on anti-materialism. Men wore cotton shirts with turtlenecks and scarfs. Sometime horizontal stripped shirts and wore almost all the time black sunglasses. For women, black was favoured colour and it was usually worn in pants and turtlenecks. They mainly contradicted the typical fashion at that time. Below you can see a female Beatnik look.

6. How do you think the Beat Generation have influenced our present culture?

I think that the Beat Generation has influenced on our present culture by giving us more options to in what we believe. Now in days you have the liberty to express your sex, gay or straight etc. In some countries the use of marijuana is legalised and it will probably be legalised on the US further on. There is much more opposition to war and military and peace is one big thing these days. More people believe in peace than war. There is less racism and more cultures are accepted widely around the world.

References: 

• http://www.heureka.clara.net/art/beat-generation.htm
• http://www.litkicks.com/BeatGen#.UJg296mhB7E