Beatniks vis a vis Hippies

[dhermann1]

I had Googled the name Mel Lyman, trying to remember some details about him. I found an interesting article that may shed a little light on an era that generally takes a beating in these pages. For what it's worth:
http://www.trussel.com/lyman/vilvoice.htm

 

[carouselvic]

mel lyman commune

Mel Lyman ran a commune near my home town. While I never met Mel I was at the commune a number of times. I got to know a lot of the adult members who live there through out the years. My co-worker/roommate had been a member and lived at a number of Mel's communes. From all that I have read and been told Mel was not a nice person.

 

[reetpleat]

Interesting. I think in retrospect, the beat generation grew into the hippie generation (recognizing they all had many faces)

I kind of dig the era both for it's creative expression through clothing, nostalgic reverence for the twenties and other golden eras, revival of folk and blues, and progressive politics. I think that blaming them for the current slovenly culture is a mistake. They put as much effort into their clothing as we do. As for politics, some here on the board are jsut conservative and vilify them for that.

Thi Lyman guy just sounds like acrank who did not like seeing things change. Kerouak hated the hippies and ws not much of a beatnik anyway. Very consevative. On the other hand, Ginsburg embraced it.

 

[The Wolf]

And before the beatniks were the Bohemians.
To see a spoof of those types watch "Double Wedding" with William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Mid-fogey]

Beatnik, Hippies...

...what's the diff. They all need/needed a shave, haircut and decent threads.

 

[carebear]

...what's the diff. They all need/needed a shave, haircut and decent threads.

You forgot - ...get a job and stay off my lawn.

 

[metropd]

Interesting. I think in retrospect, the beat generation grew into the hippie generation (recognizing they all had many faces)

I kind of dig the era both for it's creative expression through clothing, nostalgic reverence for the twenties and other golden eras, revival of folk and blues, and progressive politics. I think that blaming them for the current slovenly culture is a mistake. They put as much effort into their clothing as we do. As for politics, some here on the board are jsut conservative and vilify them for that.

Thi Lyman guy just sounds like acrank who did not like seeing things change. Kerouak hated the hippies and ws not much of a beatnik anyway. Very consevative. On the other hand, Ginsburg embraced it.

Very well put reetpleat. Let appreciate people who care about the world around them and the people who live in it. Even if they don't shave and read Ayn Rand......

 

[Spitfire]

Interesting. I think in retrospect, the beat generation grew into the hippie generation (recognizing they all had many faces)

I kind of dig the era both for it's creative expression through clothing, nostalgic reverence for the twenties and other golden eras, revival of folk and blues, and progressive politics. I think that blaming them for the current slovenly culture is a mistake. They put as much effort into their clothing as we do. As for politics, some here on the board are jsut conservative and vilify them for that.

Thi Lyman guy just sounds like acrank who did not like seeing things change. Kerouak hated the hippies and ws not much of a beatnik anyway. Very consevative. On the other hand, Ginsburg embraced it.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Peace and Love!

 

[Bebop]

...what's the diff. They all need/needed a shave, haircut and decent threads.

Don't be a square, man! Tune out and turn on! (or something like that)

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

You forgot - ...get a job and stay off my lawn.

Or,...Get a job and stop smoking my lawn.

 

[dhermann1]

Let's not forget Maynard G Krebs. "I'm an angry young man!" "What are you angry about?" "I don't know, that's why I'm angry!"
One of the articles on the Mel Lyman website points out how the Beat population in Boston had a moderating effect on the Hippies, which was not present on the west coast. They were a lot more laid back and unrebellious in New York and Boston.
It all seems like such a long time ago, and yet it only seems like yesterday.

 

[reetpleat]

Let's not forget Maynard G Krebs. "I'm an angry young man!" "What are you angry about?" "I don't know, that's why I'm angry!"
One of the articles on the Mel Lyman website points out how the Beat population in Boston had a moderating effect on the Hippies, which was not present on the west coast. They were a lot more laid back and unrebellious in New York and Boston.
It all seems like such a long time ago, and yet it only seems like yesterday.

I think that is the whole thing about the beats. Rebel without a cause. "What are you rebelling against?" "I don't know. What have you got?"

The idea was that they wre rebelling against the stultefying culture that wante to pretend eerything was perfect. So much so that it was hard to articulate what they wre opposed to. It was so pervasive. But they knew they wre angry about something. And with good reason. Thank god for that movement. I for one, ould not care to be living back in taht culture.

A reading of Allen Ginsburg's Howl, with explanation, sums it up pretty good. Molluch, the god of destruction or whatevr, was our modern culture.

"I've seen the best minds of my generation..."

 

[Qwkslvr]

Those hippies stopped a war. Looks like they're needed again.

 

[dhermann1]

Re: Rebel

There was a good bio of Marlon Brando on TCM recently. They showed a fascinating clip. It was a screen test of Brando, reading for the lead role in "Rebel Without a Cause". He was not quite good. But the interesting thing? It was made in 1945. That script existed in 1945. It was not a product of the 50's. So it all goes back further than we realize, in fact it's always been going on.

 

[luvthatlulu]

Those hippies stopped a war. Looks like they're needed again.

And they did it without even shaving first! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

--Not the Lulu