Graehstone
03-14-2008, 08:08 AM
What is a Hippie?
Who is a Hippie?
Why are there Hippies?
Where did Hippies come from and what are they doing on our planet?
Can I be a Hippie?
The Hippie movement started in the early 60's and it was a term that was thrust upon the youth of that generation by the media as they were described as "hipsters", or people who were "hip" and a "moving force" in their generation. During the early days most people made fun of Hippies, and then they stopped as if they heard the herald themselves and it became chic. That's right, there were a lot of fake Hippies out there and a shining example comes from the (old) movie "Bob, Carol, Ted and Alice". If you don't know what I mean, just check out the clothes these four people wore, their (contrived) attitude and their (attempt at) "being cool".
The earliest roots probably came from Haight Ashbury, but then it's really not quite that certain as most of the people who flocked there came from areas of the country like Georgetown in DC or The East Village in New York City and brought with them clothing that came from London's Soho section. Yes there were drugs, but that was not anything new as each generation since time began has found and used something to alter their (present) state because they knew something better was just around the corner. The drug of choice early on was "grass" (or pot or whatever you want to call it) and it didn't cost very much at all. In fact you could get an ounce of unbelievable stuff from Mexico or Hawaii for $25.00 a bag (a bag was an ounce, not really weighed, but more looked at and that was that). Then Timothy Leary burst upon the scene with his wonder drug "Acid", which the US Government had contracted him to create in the 50's for The Army...but of course they can't seem to remember anything about that or even come close to admitting it (nothing ever seems to really change, now does it).
The Hippie Movement was boosted by "Easy Rider" and Dennis Hopper's character. Cheech and Chong blew peoples minds with their comic routine and without anyone knowing it, the years passed quickly and then Woodstock happened. Not everything was about drugs; this was only a (small) part of the whole "scene". It was a giant combination of music, love, drugs, commitment and involvement in life. It was not a thing parents (of that time) understood or liked...but then parents of every generation have not really understood or liked what their children were doing, except maybe old "Hippie Parents" who can't bring themselves to tell their children what to do because they know they did it once (or twice) too.
Hippies sort of took a back seat around the mid seventies when John Travolta decided to do that dumb-ass disco movie and everyone started wearing polyester...everyone except the 60's generation. You didn't hear the word "hippie" again for about 15 years unless you were a Dead-Head, but even then the word itself wasn't used all that much. Real Hippies have never called themselves Hippies. They didn't have to and they still don't have to...you just sort of know it by the people they are. Not all Hippies smoke pot. Some never did and guess what...that's cool...Real Hippies never force anything on anyone except maybe the concept that we should do something to save our planet from total destruction...but that's a good thing unless you happen to want to spear whales, or slaughter a mink for its fur, or own a logging company in The Amazon, or an oil company that believes it shouldn't have to clean up oil spills.
Today the movement is back in force and gaining speed. Tye-dye stuff is cool again as is the laid-back groovin' sounds that make the mind take a trip just from the "vibes". The summer festivals everywhere have an out-cropping of Hippies of all ages that appear in cars and vans, yes, even the old VW bus is back on the road and this is a very cool thing. Someday Hippies just might take over the world. It'll probably take another thousand years however because big business stands directly in the way. Once we as people evolve to the point where we don't just tolerate other people but actually love them for their individuality and where we learn how to live on out planet without killing each other and our surroundings, we just might be able to change the name of our planet to "Peace World"...how cool that will be...then Hippies from other galaxies won't be afraid to visit us!
Finally...if you want to be a Hippie, forget it. You can't just try or pretend to be something that isn't natural in the first place. Don't worry about it though, just try to live with your fellow man and don't screw with our planet or create any other laws that make it difficult to pursue happiness...if you do that you might one day overhear someone calling you a Hippie! :hippie:
So far I think I might have met only one true Hippie here ... a shame really.
Who is a Hippie?
Why are there Hippies?
Where did Hippies come from and what are they doing on our planet?
Can I be a Hippie?
The Hippie movement started in the early 60's and it was a term that was thrust upon the youth of that generation by the media as they were described as "hipsters", or people who were "hip" and a "moving force" in their generation. During the early days most people made fun of Hippies, and then they stopped as if they heard the herald themselves and it became chic. That's right, there were a lot of fake Hippies out there and a shining example comes from the (old) movie "Bob, Carol, Ted and Alice". If you don't know what I mean, just check out the clothes these four people wore, their (contrived) attitude and their (attempt at) "being cool".
The earliest roots probably came from Haight Ashbury, but then it's really not quite that certain as most of the people who flocked there came from areas of the country like Georgetown in DC or The East Village in New York City and brought with them clothing that came from London's Soho section. Yes there were drugs, but that was not anything new as each generation since time began has found and used something to alter their (present) state because they knew something better was just around the corner. The drug of choice early on was "grass" (or pot or whatever you want to call it) and it didn't cost very much at all. In fact you could get an ounce of unbelievable stuff from Mexico or Hawaii for $25.00 a bag (a bag was an ounce, not really weighed, but more looked at and that was that). Then Timothy Leary burst upon the scene with his wonder drug "Acid", which the US Government had contracted him to create in the 50's for The Army...but of course they can't seem to remember anything about that or even come close to admitting it (nothing ever seems to really change, now does it).
The Hippie Movement was boosted by "Easy Rider" and Dennis Hopper's character. Cheech and Chong blew peoples minds with their comic routine and without anyone knowing it, the years passed quickly and then Woodstock happened. Not everything was about drugs; this was only a (small) part of the whole "scene". It was a giant combination of music, love, drugs, commitment and involvement in life. It was not a thing parents (of that time) understood or liked...but then parents of every generation have not really understood or liked what their children were doing, except maybe old "Hippie Parents" who can't bring themselves to tell their children what to do because they know they did it once (or twice) too.
Hippies sort of took a back seat around the mid seventies when John Travolta decided to do that dumb-ass disco movie and everyone started wearing polyester...everyone except the 60's generation. You didn't hear the word "hippie" again for about 15 years unless you were a Dead-Head, but even then the word itself wasn't used all that much. Real Hippies have never called themselves Hippies. They didn't have to and they still don't have to...you just sort of know it by the people they are. Not all Hippies smoke pot. Some never did and guess what...that's cool...Real Hippies never force anything on anyone except maybe the concept that we should do something to save our planet from total destruction...but that's a good thing unless you happen to want to spear whales, or slaughter a mink for its fur, or own a logging company in The Amazon, or an oil company that believes it shouldn't have to clean up oil spills.
Today the movement is back in force and gaining speed. Tye-dye stuff is cool again as is the laid-back groovin' sounds that make the mind take a trip just from the "vibes". The summer festivals everywhere have an out-cropping of Hippies of all ages that appear in cars and vans, yes, even the old VW bus is back on the road and this is a very cool thing. Someday Hippies just might take over the world. It'll probably take another thousand years however because big business stands directly in the way. Once we as people evolve to the point where we don't just tolerate other people but actually love them for their individuality and where we learn how to live on out planet without killing each other and our surroundings, we just might be able to change the name of our planet to "Peace World"...how cool that will be...then Hippies from other galaxies won't be afraid to visit us!
Finally...if you want to be a Hippie, forget it. You can't just try or pretend to be something that isn't natural in the first place. Don't worry about it though, just try to live with your fellow man and don't screw with our planet or create any other laws that make it difficult to pursue happiness...if you do that you might one day overhear someone calling you a Hippie! :hippie:
So far I think I might have met only one true Hippie here ... a shame really.