Final answer:
Counter Culture writers, part of the Beat Generation, critiqued post-WWII American materialism and conformity through nonconformist literature. Figures like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac influenced mainstream culture and inspired subsequent dissenting movements.
Step-by-step explanation:
Counter Culture writers were a significant part of American literature post-1945, characterized by their nonconformist and anti-materialistic viewpoints. They were part of the Beat Generation, which included famous names like Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William S. Burroughs. These writers often critiqued the materialism and cultural conformity of post-World War II America. The Beats pushed back against the established norms of the time, promoting an alternative lifestyle that valued the pursuit of higher consciousness, meditation, alternative music, and sometimes, the use of psychedelic drugs.
Their influence extended to mainstream culture, affecting neighborhoods like Greenwich Village in New York, and they played a part in shaping the counterculture of the 1960s and early 1970s. This counterculture was known for its dissent against the bland homogeneity of middle-class life, rigid family structures, and unquestioning patriotism. Despite being viewed by some as degenerates, the beatniks inspired a generation that would later manifest in the hippie movement, which continued to challenge prevailing societal values.