50 Years - 1972: The Preview Issue of Creative Loafing

Something Old - Something New

New Critter Discovered

Who is the creative loafer? Our latest scientific research indicates they are persons whose origin and behavior are of endless variety and defy description. However, certain characteristics are obvious. They are displeased with the “Establishment’s Rat Race” and motivated to enjoy distractions of a particular nature. We have only a limited estimate of these distractions, but shall describe some of the most interesting. 

Many of their distractions are caused by five of their many senses. With their eyes they look for things that are different. This stimulates their curiousity, a motivating force. Their noses search out enjoyable fragrances of nature, and of food stuffs that satisfy their taste sense. Their ears send them to different places to hear weird sounds. A sense of touch is used to experience everything. They feel, fondle, or fix countless crafty things which delight this and other senses. They indulge in everything that delivers them from the “Everyday Hum Drum”, their dreaded disease caused by excessive exposure to the “Rat Race”.

To further the stufy of the creative loafer, our scientific team is publishing a weekly newspaper appropriately named Creative Loafing in Atlanta. The tabloid size newspaper will report each week all the activities and places a creative loafer may be encountered. 12,000 issues will begin circulation to new parents, college students and faculty on Atlanta’s 19 campuses, on the counters of Ft. MacPherson’s PX and Commissary, to every doctor, dentist, chiropractor, barber shop, beauty shop, veterinarian, and to the clubhouses of the major apartment complexes. Circulation will increase steadily to keep the public informed of these creative loafers. 

Efforts to disseminate information about the devious and diverse ways to loaf creatively are becoming increasingly difficult. Psst*... did a splendid job once a month. With the information available to it. Once a month is not enough. Atlanta is a vibrant place and things not planned last week none the less are happening this week. Psst*... a monthly could not keep pace. Psst*... a weekly can. Atlanta runs by the week, events happen by the week, Psst*... will now report by the week. 

Change is a part of life, change begets change, to change froma  monthly to a week, stimulated efforts to see what other changes should be done. Out flag was questioned. Psst*... was a fresh new name for a fresh new idea to suggest creative loafing. Some thought of French post cards, some thought we were being super cute. Some, who were outgoing, really dug the sound, some were timid and tried to make sense out of a nonsense word. Finally, to the electronic media, telephone and radio, could not render our new sound in an effective way and we had to resort to spelling P...S...S...T, which somehow just didn’t seem “to get it.” Thus a phase/out of Psst*... and a play/up of “Creative Loafing.” Hence our new flag. Everyone likes to loaf, but loafing in our society is not permitted; however, loafign creatively is done on that time deserved by everyone who has made his forty hours for government, family and self who deserves to unwind by doing his or her own thing. 

We think creative loafing is here to stay. Much creative loafing is being done in Atlanta. If you are in the right place at the right time you know about it. If not, you miss out on it. Creative Loafing - a weekly - will now let you know what you are missing.

P.S. Call us Psst*... if you prefer. We really like the sound, but when you loaf, don’t just loaf - do Creative Loafing! 

The full issue is available on GSU Archives here