Whitman and Thoreau and the Hippies (via AI)
C’mon man, “I sing the body electric”? Like far fucking out. I mean everything was electric, right?
And those leaves of grass? Whitman was smoking the good stuff for sure. Then there was that guy Thoreau out in the woods protesting the war.
Which is all by way of saying when Mitch posed his question about the origins of hippie thought, Thoreau and Whitman came to mind. When he suggested I write a few paragraphs on the subject I jumped at the chance to … outsource it to ChatGPT. (Hey I’m not doing this for credit, just getting the info out there.)
So, here’s what AI came up with—a bit like AP English exercises, but not too bad….
“Walt Whitman, often regarded as the original hippie, embodied the ethos of counterculture long before the term ‘hippie’ entered the cultural lexicon. His revolutionary ideas and unconventional lifestyle prefigured the values and ideals of the 1960s hippie movement. Whitman's magnum opus, ‘Leaves of Grass,’ published in 1855, stands as a testament to his radical embrace of individualism, nature and spiritual exploration.
“At the core of Whitman's philosophy was a fervent belief in the inherent goodness of humanity and the interconnectedness of all living beings. Like the hippies who would later embrace his work, Whitman celebrated the beauty of diversity and advocated for a society based on love, acceptance and equality. His rejection of societal norms and traditional morality challenged the status quo, paving the way for a more liberated and inclusive worldview.
“Whitman's bohemian lifestyle and rejection of materialism mirrored the ideals of the hippie counterculture. He embraced a simple, communal existence, finding solace and inspiration in nature and the company of fellow free spirits. Whitman's poetry exuded a sense of freedom and spontaneity, encouraging readers to break free from the constraints of convention and embrace their true selves.
“Central to Whitman's vision was the celebration of the human body and its primal desires. His sensual verses explored themes of love, sexuality and the interconnectedness of physical and spiritual experience. Whitman's advocacy for free love and his rejection of sexual taboos anticipated the sexual revolution of the 1960s, inspiring a generation to embrace love and intimacy without shame or judgment.
“In many ways, Walt Whitman served as a spiritual forefather to the hippie movement, laying the groundwork for a cultural revolution based on peace, love and personal freedom. His legacy as the original hippie endures, reminding us of the power of art, poetry and individual expression to challenge the status quo and envision a more compassionate and harmonious world.”
And:
“Henry David Thoreau, often considered a proto-hippie, laid the groundwork for many of the ideals that would come to define the countercultural movement of the 1960s and 1970s. His rejection of materialism and consumerism, along with his emphasis on simplicity and self-reliance, foreshadowed the hippie ethos of living in harmony with nature and seeking alternative lifestyles.
“Thoreau's famous experiment in simple living at Walden Pond exemplifies his proto-hippie mindset. For two years, he lived in a small cabin he built himself, subsisting on the bare essentials and immersing himself in the rhythms of nature. This deliberate rejection of the trappings of modern society, in favor of a more authentic and connected way of life, resonates strongly with the back-to-the-land movement embraced by many hippies.
“Furthermore, Thoreau's advocacy for nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as a means of protesting unjust laws anticipated the peaceful activism championed by the hippie movement. His essay ‘Civil Disobedience,’ in which he argues for the individual's moral obligation to resist unjust authority, inspired later generations of activists, including many within the hippie counterculture who protested against war, racial inequality and environmental degradation.
“In many ways, Thoreau embodied the spirit of the proto-hippie—a visionary thinker who challenged the status quo, celebrated the beauty of nature, and advocated for a simpler, more authentic way of life. His influence can be seen not only in the writings of subsequent countercultural figures but also in the broader cultural shifts that continue to shape contemporary attitudes towards society, the environment, and the individual's place within them.”
As the years went by, of course, the dark side of humanity tempered Whitman’s exuberance just as it did the hippie movement’s. War—for Whitman much more horrific and personal (Thoreau died when the Civil War was barely underway). Assassinations—Lincoln, MLK, RKF. Altamont.
Still, almost 170 years after “Leaves of Grass” and 55 years after Woodstock, I find my aged ex-semi-hippie self following Whitman’s example to loaf and invite my soul where it will, amazed that I lived to see pot legalized and machines that can write high school term papers.