"The White Negro" is a highly controversial and influential essay written by Norman Mailer in 1957.The essay explores the concept of the "hipster" and its connection to marginalized black culture. Mailer argues that the hipster, who he describes as a white person adopting aspects of black culture, represents a new form of rebellion against the conformity and materialism of post-World War II America. One of the key arguments in the essay is that the hipster is a response to the existential despair and alienation caused by significant historical events such as the Holocaust, the atomic bomb, and slavery in America. Mailer suggests that these events have created a Page 72 of 82 sense of psychic havoc and a longing for authenticity and personal freedom. The hipster, according to Mailer, embodies this desire for rebellion and liberation. However, "The White Negro" has been subject to intense criticism.