Hippies can see the merit in the women rights and civil rights movement in 1965. But few people in those days never understood us hippies. All we were known for was drugs, diseases, and bad hygiene. Today we got the gay movement, black movement(still), and other groups of people who complain and then shortly give up. But us hippies set a good example to these groups of today, and even to some who protest over totally stupid things The second generation hippies are groups of people who join us in protests, there is a group that Ive seen ranting about the dumbest things. One day when we were protesting, some government office people threw ice cold water on us saying we were harassing them, but all of us hippies were glad because it was a fucking hot day man and that cold water was a treat!! And all that organic food that's so expensive and popular today-- hippies started that movement. Earth Day-- hippies. The end of the VietNam War--hippies,, it would still be going on if not for the hippie movement. The popularity of low riding jeans-- hippies. Some of the best music ever written-- hippies. The birth of brotherly slang words--hippies. Sure there were some who were just in it for the drugs, but the movement itself was socially and politically important. Too bad that there hasn't been a powerful group of strange and odd looking people since then. "But us hippies keep our lighters lit and held high and proud for the those 9/11 protesters and the occupy wallstreet movements" All of us hippies wanted peace, not war. That is always a worthy goal right? I am sad that the hippie movement didn't engulf us all, for salaries had to be earned, and families supported. Hippies always hung out, smoke and drank and ate other peoples food much of the time. We crashed and hung our hats wherever we happened to be. Life was a merry go round, and being laid back was the rule. Working was for someone else, while we were finding our place in society. Hitchhiking was the only way to see the open roads. Most of my generation were wannabes with a dream to chase and it was safer that way. Some of us had mouths to feed, and responsibilities to keep, Something the hippie generation had never dropped out of. The only hippies Ive seen that still exist were some men with longer hair and punching bellies and a Harley. I don't see many hippies anymore. The younger ones who are too modest to cut their hair, or they have girlfriends who love it long, and call it 'sexy'. There is no hippie cults today to carry our banners and signs or paint vans aimed at the opposition to any of the rights we've seen taken away since the 70's. Where did we all go? We're in our retirement years or dying in our deathbeds, wondering where all the time went and what points did we make to society. And what do we have to show for it? If you had been older at that time, perhaps you'd have a better understanding of what actually took place in the middle 60s and middle 70z. If you are in your early 40's or younger, then I suspect only you know who you are, then you would not have a clear representation of that particular era. Only those who lived in and witnessed the hippy movement can clearly have the insight of what our protests nowadays are lacking. And what do you have to show for society? The Hippie Movement; Sex,drugs and rock-n-roll... Man!Life was good back then!.......... ` but, Im nothing more than just an old burnt-out, ate-up hippie on grasscity... Peace man!
Never, you should read it! You OWE the hippies! We made your present life-style possible! IIIIII, if you are interested in the medical uses of cannabis, check out my sig! Granny
As part of the younger generation, a lot of us support hippies an civil rights, however I don't know if I have ever seen a bunch of hippies on tv protesting for something and being passionate. What you know as hippies, may have died, but your ideals will live on Spirituality, peace, good music, these are all things my generation supports.
I often wish we had our own hippy museum so I can walk my kids through while explaining. When my kids catch me listening to 60's - 70's rock, they act all surprised and tell me that's their music and that I'm too old to listen to that. But in my defense, I was there and watched it happen. Not just watching either. I was the guy at the concerts and campgrounds passing out free trips and mushrooms. Then the war came. Seems things were never really the same after that. I am a turtle in a fast moving world, and I'm running out of track as the days go by. I agree with you. Nobody understands, or even remembers the hippies. We were a generation of pathfinders in American culture. But you won't find us in the history books.
Hey man, I feel ya. I'm 21, and I feel like the Old Man from The Old Man and The Sea most days, everyday fighting, and failing to keep the sharks at bay. A stranger in a strange world. I look at 'most' of my contemporaries with their vapidity and their nihilistic culture they submerge themselves in, and I just think, "what a waste." Vermont used to be a haven for hippie types, but now we are backsliding into the pit of working poor (not belittling poor people, I'm one of them, just an observation) and their kids who raised themselves on weed and lil' wayne without any sense of citizenship in the world, or belonging. I'm not saying that all hippies were worthwhile people, I'm sure I would have found some of them irritating, but whether it was the war or whatever, at least the hippies were willing to rally around a cause. Now the world is burning; our ecosystems are being destroyed, our food is poison, corporations have taken over the government, and nobody even seems to care. Occupy Wall street was something, but it was a flash in the pan, and was too disorganized (the Feds infiltrated it as well). No movement can be everything to everyone. There are still 'hippies', but most of them have been marginalized in contemporary society. If you're not working two or three jobs while raising as many kids, then you're wasting your life...I have a few friends who are deadheads or whatever, but we are few and far between.
I believe that it was the greatest movement known to humanity. That it would have led to a sustainable way of life amongst many other things so lacking in society today. I don't think it's any coincidence either that just as it was gaining the momentum needed for great change the war on drugs was launched.
I think these awesome conspiracy theorists could learn something from the hippies. I.e. get out of your bedroom and actually do something instead of bitching about it online.
My girlfriends parents and their friends are all hippies, and they are an interesting bunch of people to say the least, very mellow. I'm about 24 years old, and all the people I've known who were my age and were "hippies" are kind of the PETA, Vegan, Organic, Hipster, Elitist, radical feminist pricks, definitely didn't feel the "love". I'm no hippy, I'm just here to send out positive vibes,
I would say it is more the fault of their detractors grasping at straws when they ran out of ammo. Missed it by this much .... I was only 8 in 65 and at nearly 12 my Mom wouldn't allow me to hitch to Woodstock from Maine. Still should have gone.
Heh, I was 19 in 1969, and I dated a girl from school who had gone to Woodstock. I dated her off and on, prolly should have stuck with her. She was a nice girl, sweet and pretty, they were Russian immigrants and her (very Russian) mother treated my like my own mother did. Like stuffing sandwiches down my throat every time I walked in, lol.
Was nowhere near bein born back then, but I know my mom was a hippie. Shes got soo many awesome and crazy ass stories.
I consider myself a hippie. I don't try to reform to anything...not even other hippies but I'm still a hippie. I don't wear tie-dye or grow my hair long (i used to have fairly long hair though for a guy)... and I'm a libertarian not a liberal. or a vegetarian. But get me on a hot summer day with no shirt on, with my peace sign necklace on, a beer in my left and a joint in my right, you'd be like "LOOK AT THAT FUCKING HIPPIE". i look like a real hippie. maybe you can see it in my eyes or something idkkkk. ilu all hippies though. cant wait til our yearly hippie festival next month a couple towns over. peace.