ABSTRACT
In the stream of insults that Nikita Khrushchev brought down upon us in the winter of 1963, the American word “beatnik” constantly popped up. It's not out of the question that this word attracted the leader's attention because of its somewhat Russian sound. It would be difficult to imagine the leader of progressive mankind insulting young writers and artists with the word “existentialist.” Much more likely that he would choose “beatnik”; with a little imagination, it could be construed as an abbreviation of bitiychaynik or “dented teapot.”
