"I was a beatnik in the '50s before the hippies came along"

Charles Manson's quote shows the cultural modifications that took place in the United States during the 1950s. During this time, the Beat Generation was a group of writers and artists who declined the conventional worths of society and embraced a more free-spirited way of life. Beatniks were understood for their unconventional dress, their interest in jazz music, and their rejection of materialism. They were likewise known for their use of drugs and their rejection of traditional morality. The Beat Generation was a precursor to the hippie movement of the 1960s, which was defined by its welcome of peace, love, and flexibility. Manson's quote recommends that he was part of the Beat Generation before the hippie movement began. It likewise suggests that he belonged to a movement that was ahead of its time and that he was a pioneer in the rejection of traditional worths.