April 9th, 2000
What are bohemians?
Before the hippies and the beatniks, there were countercultures, and this was the appellation. I have decided to use this word to include all generations of this particular social phenomenon, but in doing this I have to create a definition.
I think there are three defining characteristics of a person I would describe as a bohemian:
- An ethic that values compassion over profit or convenience.
- An ethic that values freedom of expression over conformity to an exterior norm.
- A fascination with the relationship between the physical and non-physical aspects of the universe.
After that, everything is up for grabs. People come in endless variety, which is one of the aspects I appreciate most about being alive.
Alicia Bay Laurel 