What is Bohemianism?

Bohemianism is a social and cultural movement that has, at its core, a way of life away from society’s conventional norms and expectations.

Bohemianism encapsulates people’s conscious choice to prioritize intellectual, artistic, and spiritual pursuits over career paths and the acquisition of wealth.

As such, the Bohemian way of life is characterized by a disregard for money and appreciation of art and literature, free-thinking and free love, creativity and artistic expression, individualism, communal living, and nonconformity.

Bohemianism proponents question traditional societal structures and the current status quo in their quest for authenticity, creativity, and personal freedom.

What is the Origin of Bohemianism?

The word ‘Bohème’ earliest usage was to describe the Romani people of France (traveling gypsies), presumed to have arrived in France in the 15th century from Bohemia (the western part of the modern Czech Republic).

In the 19th century, the term La bohème was used about artists, writers, actors, musicians, and journalists who led unconventional, even impoverished, lives outside the established societal norms.

Living in urban areas in close-knit communities that fostered a vibrant, creative, and non-conformist lifestyle, ‘Bohemians’ rejected worldly pursuits in favor of lives dedicated to art, creativity, and intellectual achievements.

United by their rejection of bourgeois values and defined by a unique aesthetic and look, this community comprised artists and writers who became influential contributors to the cultural and artistic landscape of the time.

Over the years, this Bohemian ethos spread to other parts of Europe and the world, influencing several cultural movements, including the Beatniks and the hippies in the United States.