Hacker News Reader

> The Beats are boring.

Hear hear. I was always confused about what they offered. Every generation has some pushback against mainstream culture but the best movements are accompanied by something greater. I never got the feeling there was a larger cause with the Beats - maybe that was the whole point.

View on HN

there are many aspects of the beat movement, and i think many of them get muddied or hidden by the more publicized, overt statements of drug use and and sexual freedom. But, paired with a post-world war II era, its more clear why these are the more prominently remembered themes, as they are the exact antithesis to the prevailing american lifestyle at the time. The “something greater” is a revolution of how we think about sexuality, personhood, and basic human rights. While not necessarily the driving force, the beats were a loud voice among the crowd proselytizing basic human rights, specifically for example gay rights.

Interesting - I did not know about their history with gay rights.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com