Allen Ginsberg (June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet, philosopher and writer. He is considered to be one of the leading figures of both the
Beat Generation during the 1950s and the
counterculture that soon followed. Ginsberg vigorously opposed
militarism,
economic materialism and
sexual repression; he was also known to embody various aspects of this counterculture, such as his views on drugs, hostility to bureaucracy and openness to Eastern religions. He was one of many influential American writers of his time who were associated with the Beat Generation, including
Jack Kerouac and
William S. Burroughs. Ginsberg is best known for his poem "
Howl", in which he denounced what he saw as the destructive forces of capitalism and conformity in the United States.