Hipsters and Beatniks

Who were they?

What is the “White Negro”?

The white Negro is exactly that, a white person who has adopted black culture. After WWII many were disenchanted with society and what it had to offer. For once the life of the majority was shattered. In this disenchantment many sought out ways to cope. This lead to the adoption of black culture because the Negro had been disenchanted with society longer than anyone else. They know how to live on the margins of society.

How are hipsters and beatniks similar and different?

They are similar in the sense of pot, sex, and jazz. However, Hipster originated in the black culture of jazz and “hepcats”. It is the favored word of the Beat writers to refer to themselves, whereas, beatnik was favored by media and mass culture to define the culture of pot smoking, free sex, and jazz.