Counter-tradition
A counter-tradition is a tradition that is distinct from an established tradition, especially in the arts. Counter-traditions can also be a part of a counterculture, which is a group of people who reject mainstream values and practices.
Explanation
- **Counter-traditions: Can be found in the arts, where they are traditions that are different from a strong existing tradition. For example, a conservative counter-tradition might emphasize the national character of its poetry.
- Countercultures: Are groups of people who reject mainstream values and practices and embrace an alternative way of life. Countercultures can emerge after major social and economic changes.
- Counterculture movements: Can trigger significant cultural changes when the oppositional forces reach a critical mass. Counterculture movements can express the aspirations and ethos of a specific population during a particular era.
Examples of Countercultures
- The Beat Generation: An underground movement of bohemian intellectuals and writers in the 1950s who rejected American standards and materialism
- Hippies and Flower Children: A counterculture movement in the 1960s in the United States
- Levellers: A counterculture movement that lasted from 1645–1650
- Bohemianism: A counterculture movement that lasted from 1850–1910