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The contextual analysis of different eastern authors that have constantly been
belittled by the west has an interesting impact on literature. Not only have we found a
queer community of authors inside of the movement, but also we have different
backgrounds of experience to tie into the readings. In this essay I will demonstrate in
what ways the ‘hippie’ culture has dominated the west with eastern ideals as well as
talking about the feminist theory in correlation to the east and west.
Ancient eastern religions, specifically focusing on the Hindu and Buddhist origins
in India, have encouraged the formation of a subculture in the West known as ‘hippie
culture’. Over the course of many years this counterculture has emerged with ideals and
practices that have Eastern heritages. The underlying question in this counterculture is:
What is the intendment of the hippie movement and exactly how has Eastern culture
influenced it in such profound ways? Not only this but what can we gather from cultural
appropriation of certain ethnic groups or religions from certain authors such as Chu Tien-
queer relationship. Throughout this short story there are not only instances of real life
scenarios in present tense, but a flashback aspect as well that puts the reader in two very
different eras. This contrast is used not only to show the differences in how queer culture
in the east has changed, but also to be put into the reality of what might have happened
during the time period and over the course of the years. The story even mentions the “70s
kids” as it goes through a timeline of history as well as the development of the main
known as the hippie movement. This lifestyle picked up momentum during the Vietnam
War and died down afterwards, but by that time it had already spread all over the West.
This information is pertinent to both cultures in the east and the west because this style
and cultural immersion has suddenly made a comeback in modern society since the 1960s
without any factual comprehension of what the cultures have contributed to society other
than dreadlocked hair, yoga, and tie-dye. Buddhist and Hindu philosophy and practice
have since greatly inclined Western culture to amalgamate certain aspects and exercise
important segments of these ancient religions and values. This has subsequently led to the
fragmented religious practices being molded into modern Western society, and has
formed meaning into the hippie movement. This meaning is no longer just what is worn,
eaten, or meditated on, but the entire religious significance in the counterculture.
Hippie culture can best defined as: a subculture that has rejected modern society,
seeks love in everyday occurrences, and has made it a point to advocate peace in times of
adversity. There is a large amount of different characteristics in Eastern culture that has
been molded to fit into the hippie mindset. The incorporation of the Eastern cultures into
the West started specifically in the ‘60s movement when freethinking, feminism, and new
idealism emerged. These principles were influenced heavily by the Eastern religions,
specifically Hinduism and Buddhism, in addition to the Indian culture itself. Since then,
while it has diminished, the hippie subculture still holds true to many aspects of Eastern
practices. Eastern ideals that are used in these practices typically are not accredited for
properly and are denoted more as a “hip” trend for Westerners today, essentially cultural
appropriation—and while the hippie movement receded slightly while 1980s rock pushed
it aside, it has made a large, and surprising, return. The problem with this comeback is
that these so called “hippies” get a bad reputation. Their “freethinking”, as stated before,
where we are living in a modern world, different cultures are incorporated in the melting
pot of the West now more than ever. We have since shaped these ancient beliefs and
customs into our modern lives and have diluted these deeply rooted practices to
Firstly, when we talk about “free love” and its relation to the bohemian
lifestyles that typically followed. There is no equal distribution of power, only a man that
told each woman when, where and how they would be slept with, kept and/or passed
around. The idea of having sex with no boundaries is not necessarily a bad one; it is the
using of body’s as commodities that we see perpetuated over and over again. When
taking a step back and looking at the counterculture and the different aspects that it has
pulled from other places, there is a little speck of Imperialism that surrounds the
movement. Having men as the dominate sex is essentially how the west took over the east
in countries such as India, Malaysia, South Africa and other colonized countries, but
regardless of this domination, women still joined the subculture to somehow define and
defy themselves. Even in the hippie lifestyle today we see a lot of heteronormative
behavior by the acquisition of woman not being held to their highest calling, whether it is
Yoga is also an example, as a practice of both Hinduism and Buddhism that has
found its way into the modern world. It is now not only something that was performed
during the hippie movement of the ‘60s, but is now commonly found in most urban areas
development of tight buns. “The spirituality of Yoga belong to the same dimension,
namely to an experience which stamps itself on the whole life of a person. ‘Experience’,
responsibility and from the center of his personality, which transforms the one who
experiences, enriching as well as challenging him into a new reality” (Oberhammer 97).
This understanding is something that is important, and is something that molds the
individual practicing Yoga into a new being, someone who has been enlightened and who
has had an encounter with ‘the other’. Again, Oberhammer states “Yoga is not a rational
reflection of a world view…but a way of salvation, a fulfillment of life, which finds its
determining form in the meditative encounter with the absolute claim of transcendence
over man’s very existence,” and that “The Yoga’s concern is with actual emancipation
from all worldly existence, the actual realization of the final state of human existence,
which is beyond every form of pain, which is understood and the unhindered
pathway towards Nirvana or the 7th Chakra, Sahasrara. The way to meet ‘the other’ is
encouraged by the religions to be achieved through this type intense meditation and yoga,
Monotheist, Reincarnation, Etc., 86 percent of our world is religious, and with that many
of the population leaning on some form of written knowledge that is typically relied on to
sprouting from? It is in each main religion and with world being religious; it seems
almost silly not to believe in it. Yet these sources have shown insight as to why religion
is contributing to the patriarchy and not only that may be its source. In the reading
Bodhisattva Incarnate there are major points and issues that the author makes, but first
there is defining what the Bodhisattva Incarnate is. Someone who is a Bodhisattva is a
person who has been able to reach nirvana yet delays doing so out of compassion in order
practice taught in Buddhism, those that reach this enlightened stage by following the
ways of Dharma, which are the ways of the universe or the teachings of Buddhism, then
they will reach Nirvana regardless. So what is the significance in the hippie movement,
feminist movement and the discussion of the east vs. the west? It is simple: while such
movements encourage freethinking and acceptance, there is little thought about how
eastern cultures might view this. Uma Narayan’s The Project of Feminist Epistemology:
Perspectives from a Nonwestern Feminist shows a lot of insight into the post-colonial
days of how feminism works in India from by distinguishing the beliefs and opinions of
As for the queer movement and how it has been affected by certain eras, we see
east’s ideals on sexuality, there is an ever growing sense of acceptance. Yet, when it
comes to the past, there are patterns of sexuality among the queer community that have
been shunned because of heteronormativity. Even during the hippie movement, lesbians
were still seen as commodities to the community in a sense of bodily function, instead of
commodities for political or activist gains. So when it comes to addressing the different
aspects of colonialism and how it may have shaped how we view other cultures in the
lens of western feminism, it is difficult to try and assert oneself into other’s cultures.
When Narayan talks about western and nonwestern feminists there is an obvious
dichotomy, she states that: “—there is no tension for western feminists between being
critical of the experiences that their societies have provided for omen and finding things
to value them.” But she goes on to states about how there is a risk for them to find a
balance. Essentially, what is right for one group does not equal a universal truth for all.
The piece of work known as “The Impact of Marginalizing Women in the Islamic
Movement” by Waheeda Carvello is an article that expands on the ideas of the Qur’an
and how woman have been impacted in the world of Islam. Carvello specifically goes
into details about the six hadiths, which are acts of the prophet Muhammad that were
compiled into the Kutub al-Sittah and writes on how women are essentially ignored in the
Islamic religion on a basis of respect when it comes to the Qur’an. As in most other
religions, they only see and hear what they want to. Lastly, in 2011 according to
out against the “exclusion of women from public areas”. This all began as a billboard
with a woman was not allowed to be put up, because it was found to be offensive for the
Regardless if that is what is written or not, that is what is interpreted by the over
80 percent of the worlds population that practices religion, because in most religions we
do not see women in places of power. When it also comes to watching women rise to
power in religious institutions she is immediately ridiculed, the same things happen
politically but as stated before: there are many ties to the patriarchy and religion.
To revert back to the idea of Hinduism and its correlation in context to modernity
focuses specifically on how Hinduism is now just another ‘Indian religion’ that has no
cultural significance in the real world other than what has been extracted and deemed to
be useful to the West. Hinduism and modernity’s association with one another shows the
East in a holistic manner. When in actuality the Eastern religions are not sub-points of
each other or relational, but separate from one another with varying disciplines.
“Modernity is not simply the modern world or modern times; it is the theorization of the
modern world. Hinduism… began as an extraneous, external term for the indigenous
religions of India other than the reform movements that become separate, clearly self-
identified, religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism” (Smith 4). Essentially, this is the
concern that is focused on. The true divisions of the religions in India are not all-
inclusive. They are distinct and unique in their own way, not all muddled together as the
West appears to view it through an entirely modern, ethnocentric point of view. A ‘pick-
and-choose’ society is what we currently live in, and we have done exactly that with
these age-old religions. David Smith states that Hinduism began as an ‘extraneous,
external term,’ and looking at the West’s view of the East, it could not be more apparent.
Western Modernity and Eastern Hinduism do not mix, but Hinduism has found a way to
push through narrow-minded barriers to make a name for itself that is separate from
Buddhism; and while most people do not know that Sikhism and Jainism even exist, it is
a step into theorization of the New World and how it functions. As a whole, the hippie
movement has survived a stupendous amount of stress since its first appearance in the
late ‘60s, and while it may have died out marginally, it has since made a large comeback
and is ever-present in modern day society. Because of the influences on Eastern religions,
queer literature and culture, as well as feminism. We have seen this hippie culture grow
and flourish with the old principles of these cultures combined with new idealism. What
is old is now new and exciting once again, tie-dye is ‘in-style’, flowers are worn in
women and men’s hair, and yoga is now an intriguing way to keep the body in shape.
What must be remembered is that these aspects of the hippie movement, while they may
be interesting for modern society, we must not forget the true roots of these practices and
give credit and recognize the ancient Eastern cultures that have influenced this movement
so profoundly.
With great advances in society, we are still on the edge of breaking even with the
queer culture and even the hippie movement. Feminism is constantly berated in media
and even by other women, yet slowly but surely we are moving into more progressive
times. It is now just on us to make sure we progress instead of digress and also be
2015.
Smith, David. Hinduism and Modernity. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2003. Print.
"World Religion Stats: Monotheist, Reincarnation, Etc. Bruce PhC." World Religion
Stats: Monotheist, Reincarnation, Etc. Bruce PhC. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2014.