Hippies of Today

[Nat]

A friend on facebook wrote today, "Never trust a hippie." He then got many responses back from people who either identify as hippies or who like hippies. He later apologized and said he'd recently been hurt by people he considered good friends.

This led me to a question: What cluster of attributes do you think defines hippies of today?

I don't define myself as a hippie, but I do feel a kinship with much of the hippie movement and a debt of gratitude for the contributions hippies have made to our culture in terms of challenging conformity in many realms - including the areas of gender and sexuality.

[Nat]

[AtLast]

OMG! Due to the usual definition of the term... I am too old to be a hippie!

Definition of HIPPIE
: a usually young person who rejects the mores of established society (as by dressing unconventionally or favoring communal living) and advocates a nonviolent ethic; broadly : a long-haired unconventionally dressed young person

This is so weird- my generation were the hippie flower children of the 1960's Now we cannot be hippies due to age??!

Yes- redefining and reclaiming must occur!!

[Nat]

[Nat]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

OMG! Due to the usual definition of the term... I am too old to be a hippie!

Definition of HIPPIE
: a usually young person who rejects the mores of established society (as by dressing unconventionally or favoring communal living) and advocates a nonviolent ethic; broadly : a long-haired unconventionally dressed young person

This is so weird- my generation were the hippie flower children of the 1960's Now we cannot be hippies due to age??!

Yes- redefining and reclaiming must occur!!

I don't think hippies should at all be defined by age - especially as a person who grew up around original austin hippies. Plenty people are no longer hippies, but plenty still are.

[deb_U_taunt]

The kids I work with all call me 'old hippy' hmmmm

[T4Texas]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

This is so weird- my generation were the hippie flower children of the 1960's Now we cannot be hippies due to age??!

I think once a hippy, always a hippy. I can remember in the late 60's thinking hippies were the greatest thing. Free spirits who lived by their own rules. I think in many ways I am still like that and even though I have become more conservative about some things with age, there are still days when you just want to throw caution to the wind and do something wild.

[Novelafemme]

To me, when I think of a "hippy," I think of the folks who embodied the term back in the mid to late 60's/early 70's. The folks who defined modern counter-culture ideology and refused to conform to societies preconceived notions of what citizenship should look like. The rebels (so to speak) but rebels who touted free love, world peace and thinking for ones own self.

Today there are still hippy minded people...take a look at the Burning Man community. If that doesn't harken back to Woodstock days I don't know what would!

Back when I followed the Grateful Dead, I thought of myself as a flower child. Because of my age and identity at that time, it seemed to fit me quite nicely.

[deb_U_taunt]

LOVE LOVE LOVE Burning Man...I was so sad to miss it this year.
I did watch the streaming video a few times, but made me homesick.

Originally Posted by Novelafemme

To me, when I think of a "hippy," I think of the folks who embodied the term back in the mid to late 60's/early 70's. The folks who defined modern counter-culture ideology and refused to conform to societies preconceived notions of what citizenship should look like. The rebels (so to speak) but rebels who touted free love, world peace and thinking for ones own self.

Today there are still hippy minded people...take a look at the Burning Man community. If that doesn't harken back to Woodstock days I don't know what would!

Back when I followed the Grateful Dead, I thought of myself as a flower child. Because of my age and identity at that time, it seemed to fit me quite nicely.

[Dominique]

I am a little young to be a real hippy. But not by much. I saw it and knew what it all meant.

People wearing those military vietnam war jackets with peace signs sewn onto them. That was a bold statement. It was not to disgrace to military.
It was to protest the war. The Kent State massacre comes to my mind.
Every May 4th, it is mentioned. Maybe because it is very near here.

The National Guard randomly shot into a crowd of college sudents at Kent State University in Ohio, who were protesting the war. Four were killed and 9 were injured. Students across America went on strike. This was 1970.
Many Colleges and Universities shut down. This had a significnt impact on politics in America. Young people were posturing. The Nixon Administration began sliding. Then came WATERGATE. America had deep politcal social divisions. (Funny, history does repeat itself) Younger people today feel our music was all about drugs. Some may have been. Most was about political ramifications.

If ever freedom to speech and expression was exercised. It was then. The
shootings at Kent State backfired. Those Hippies were smart and underestimated.

[The_Lady_Snow]

My parents have said I'm a hippie, my brothers say I'm a dirty hippie and I know a big ol hippie named Day. I personally do not think I am one.

I don't know if true hippies like back in the day are out there, but I sure would of loved to hang out with them.

My dad was one, then he drank some kool aid and now he's all conservative and shit, sometimes though when we are all kickin' it he lets it go and it's pretty cool.

[Glenn]

Every generation had their bohemians and beatniks. What was different about my generation (the Hippies), was we were the most vocal about change on a massive scale. From the music, clothes, cars, design, a whole new consciousness raising on a massive scale. For me it all started when Kennedy got shot and Johnson came in with Vietnam and Strawberry Fields Forever.. There was always some protest going on in the streets (before internet), and every Sunday there was a Love-in in Lincoln Park. I have'nt seen anything like the "hippy movement" since. Maybe I have amnesia? Then I came out playing in a feminist band.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by popcorninthesofa

Every generation had their bohemians and beatniks. What was different about my generation (the Hippies), was we were the most vocal about change on a massive scale. From the music, clothes, cars, design, a whole new consciousness raising on a massive scale. For me it all started when Kennedy got shot and Johnson came in with Vietnam and Strawberry Fields Forever.. There was always some protest going on in the streets (before internet), and every Sunday there was a Love-in in Lincoln Park. I have'nt seen anything like the "hippy movement" since. Maybe I have amnesia? Then came the women's movement and I played in a feminist band.

Been thinking.....

Something that might set apart the "hippies" of the 60's from youth movements in the US was the effect we really did have on social policy and the Vietnam War. This was mainly due to the military draft being in place. I often wonder if we would be in Afghanistan (or gone into Iraq) if our military still had a draft. Or if these wars would have gone on as long as they have.

[Okiebug61]

I visit this web site quite often www.ukhippy.com It has some great articles.

[Glenn]

ALH; All I know is We have'nt fought a legitimate war since WWII.

[T4Texas]

Originally Posted by Yellow band

I am a little young to be a real hippy. But not by much. I saw it and knew what it all meant.

People wearing those military vietnam war jackets with peace signs sewn onto them. That was a bold statement. It was not to disgrace to military.
It was to protest the war. The Kent State massacre comes to my mind.
Every May 4th, it is mentioned. Maybe because it is very near here.

The National Guard randomly shot into a crowd of college sudents at Kent State University in Ohio, who were protesting the war. Four were killed and 9 were injured. Students across America went on strike. This was 1970.
Many Colleges and Universities shut down. This had a significnt impact on politics in America. Young people were posturing. The Nixon Administration began sliding. Then came WATERGATE. America had deep politcal social divisions. (Funny, history does repeat itself) Younger people today feel our music was all about drugs. Some may have been. Most was about political ramifications.

If ever freedom to speech and expression was exercised. It was then. The
shootings at Kent State backfired. Those Hippies were smart and underestimated.

Kent State happened when I was in my first year of high school and it had an enormous impact on me because it started me thinking about our government and its workings. It was the beginning of my becoming interested in politics and noting the vast differences between our political and private selves. Shortly after, I read the book Kent State by James Michener which chronicled the events of that time. Most of those kids that were shot were not even protesting, but passing through a parking lot nearby. They were murdered by the National Guard, non of whom were ever charged and except for a few people who remember, the event has pretty much been shoved under the rug of history. I hope they will never be forgotten, and I believe it was an indictment to what our country had become in those turbulent times.

[Sachita]

My name is Tamara aka Sachita and I am a hippy! No doubt. I don't normally like labels but I'll claim this one.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Debby

The kids I work with all call me 'old hippy' hmmmm

Yes, I hear that phrase placed on others who were hippies during the 60's and 70's. "Oh, he is one of those old hippies". Not said in a derogatory way, just a way to describe a person. When referring to a younger person I just hear the term "hippy" applied (or "hippy type person" is used).

[Dominique]

Originally Posted by T4Texas

Kent State happened when I was in my first year of high school and it had an enormous impact on me because it started me thinking about our government and its workings. It was the beginning of my becoming interested in politics and noting the vast differences between our political and private selves. Shortly after, I read the book Kent State by James Michener which chronicled the events of that time. Most of those kids that were shot were not even protesting, but passing through a parking lot nearby. They were murdered by the National Guard, non of whom were ever charged and except for a few people who remember, the event has pretty much been shoved under the rug of history. I hope they will never be forgotten, and I believe it was an indictment to what our country had become in those turbulent times.

We must be the same age. I was also a Freshman. I had a Problems of Democracy teacher who was very caught up in the political movement. I'm glad he was. He encouraged us to read and talk about what was going on.
There was alot of fear then. I applaud those students for striking. The National Guard, as we knew it, was to protect us, not shoot us. Don't forget, in America, you are allowed to protest. And yes, just as you said, not only was a peacful demonstration taking place, innocent, non involved
students were MURDERED.

I often wonder why demonstrations about Iraq (prolonged Iraq) and now Afganistan have not happened.

[DapperButch]

From the Urban Dictionary

hippy:

someone who has a bright outlook on life and cares about the world instead of trying to ruin it. they are often member of groups such as greenpeace and antiwar groups that care about the environment.
they reject the established culture and are a subculture originating in San Francisco in the 1960s who advocated universal love and peace, usually had long hair and used soft drugs, usually listen to acid rock and progressive rock music, reggae music such as that of bob marley.
make love not war

This is the way that I tend to define hippy. I think nowadays people define "hippies" almost exclusively more by their style of dress and long hair...their external selves (and the sterotypical cannabis use, as indicated by the term "soft drugs", above... FYI - I am not using the term stereotype in a negative way, here).

What do others think? Is there is shift in how we define hippy in regards to it being an external presentation only/mainly?

Just random thoughts...