…maybe it’s the time of year. Yes, and maybe it’s the time
of man. And I don’t know who I am. But life is for learning. Joni Mitchell/CS&N (Woodstock) 1970
Hippies talk about reducing gov't controls, the sanctity of the individual, the need for equality,
and about society as something that people make themselves (as opposed to living in a society constructed by others, including
gov't.) In order to ensure the life of a government, corporation, or religious entity, you must convince people
that they need the service/product. The more insecure you can keep people, the more money they will spend on these
organizations. Through various mediums such as television, radio, print, education,etc, they create insecurities and
then offer the very solution to the problem they created, at a price of course. All your sitcoms are nothing but forms
of convincing you of a need you don't yet know you have. We are urged to transform our bodies and our minds to suit
some entity. This entity is only concerned with it's own existence. We are pawns, manipulated and kept
quiet through the use of scare tactics. Do research on gas/oil, tobacco, drugs, etc industry whistle blowers,
on what happened to people who took on the government and exposed corruption, to people who defy church doctrine. Even
people who are educated, nice, regular folk who happen to have the environments best interest at heart, are
labelled freaks so that we won't listen to them. Any child who is different within the education system must fight
to be taught outside the norm or is deemed a problem and shut away. You must be moldable within the convenient, inexpensive framework
set up. To me, the hippie is someone who sees through all the bullshit and acts accordingly. It has nothing
to do with whether they smoke pot, or how they dress. I think some hippies may smoke pot as a form of defiance
and/or a way of dealing with all the ugliness they see around them, the unfortunate cost of being an enlightened group
of people. How on earth can people find fault with folks who have the earth and other people's best interests on
their minds? Is it because they invoke guilt in the glutton consumerism. Do they force us to see a truth we would
rather deny because it's too inconvenient to our chosen greedy lifestyles? Below are some other people's articles on
what a hippy is. There are links to other hippie- related sites midway down the page. The links near the
bottom of the page are for proactive hippies and are not sites about hippies.
HIPPIES
What’s a hippie? What’s the
difference between an old hippie and a new hippie? Once a hippie, always a hippie? These and similar questions are the source
of much debate today. New subcategories like web-hippies, cyber-hippies, even zippies have become fashionable. But what is
a hippie and are you one?
To answer this question, let’s see what defines a hippie. Some say it’s the way
people dress, and behave, a lifestyle. Others classify drug users and rock 'n' roll fans or those with certain radical political
views as hippies. The dictionary defines a hippie as one who doesn’t conform to society’s standards and advocates
a liberal attitude and lifestyle. Can all these definitions be right?
It seems to me that these definitions miss the point. By focusing on the most visible behavioural
traits these limited descriptions fail to reveal what lies in the hippie heart that motivates such behaviour. To understand
The Way of the Hippy, we must look at those circumstances that preceded the birth of the hippy movement, the important events
that changed our lives, our resulting frustration with society, and the philosophy that developed from our spiritual maturation.
Hippy is an establishment label for a profound, invisible, underground, evolutionary process. For every visible
hippy, barefoot, beflowered, beaded, there are a thousand invisible members of the turned-on underground. Persons whose lives
are tuned in to their inner vision, who are dropping out of the TV comedy of American Life. Timothy Leary (The Politics of
Ecstasy) 1967
My view is that being a hippie is a matter of accepting a universal belief system that transcends
the social, political, and moral norms of any established structure, be it a class, church, or government. Each of these powerful
institutions has it’s own agenda for controlling, even enslaving people. Each has to defend itself when threatened by
real or imagined enemies. So we see though history a parade of endless conflicts with country vs. country, religion vs. religion,
class vs. class. After millennia of war and strife, in which uncounted millions have suffered, we have yet to rise above our
petty differences.
The way of the hippie is antithetical to all repressive hierarchical power structures since these
are adverse to the hippie goals of peace, love and freedom. This is why the “Establishment” feared and suppressed
the hippie movement of the ’60s, as it was a revolution against the established order. It is also the reason why the
hippies were unable to unite and overthrow the system since they refused to build their own power base. Hippies don’t
impose their beliefs on others. Instead, hippies seek to change the world through reason and by living what they believe.
Imagine no possesions, I wonder if you can, No need for greed or hunger, A brotherhood of
man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world. John Lennon (Imagine)
To be a hippie you must believe in peace as the way to resolve differences among peoples, ideologies
and religions. The way to peace is through love and tolerance. Loving means accepting others as they are, giving them freedom
to express themselves and not judging them based on appearances. This is the core of the hippie philosophy.
.…see the whole thing is
a world full of rucksack wanderers, Dharma Bums refusing to subscribe to the general demand that they consume production and
therefore have to work for the privilege of consuming, all that crap they didn’t really want anyway such as refrigerators,
TV sets, cars, …all of them imprisoned in a system of work, produce, consume, work, produce, consume, I see a vision
of a great rucksack revolution thousands or even millions of young Americans wandering around with rucksacks, going up to
mountains to pray, making children laugh and old men glad, making young girls happy and old girls happier, all of ‘em
Zen Lunatics who go about writing poems that happen to appear in their heads for no reason and also by being kind and also
by strange unexpected acts keep giving visions of eternal freedom to everybody and to all living creatures. Jack Kerouac (The
Dharma Bums) 1958
The
hippy movement erected signposts for all to see. Some warn us of impending danger, others direct us towards richer, more fulfilling
lives, but most show us the road to freedom. Freedom is the paramount virtue in this system. Freedom to do as one pleases,
go where the flow takes you, and to be open to new experiences. This engenders an attitude that allows for maximum personal
growth.
If you want to be free, be free, because there’s a million things to be. Cat Stevens (If
You Want to Sing Out)
Our society only
permits you one or two weeks a year of freedom to pursue your own agenda. The rest of the time we are slaves to the system.
Hippies reject the 9 to 5 lifestyle and therefore are objects of ridicule by those whose lives run by the clock. Programmed
people are jealous and resent the freedom we possess. The unmitigated freedom that hippies represent is the greatest threat
to any system in which control equals power.
I like ideas about
the breaking away or overthrowing of established order. I am interested in anything about revolt, disorder, chaos, especially
activity that seems to have no meaning. It seems to me to be the road towards freedom - external freedom is a way to bring
about internal freedom. Jim Morrison
With all this freedom comes a lot of responsibility. The system does not make
it easy for us to survive without sacrificing our values. Therefore we must discover alternative ways to make a living without
being a drag on our planet’s resources and our fellow humans. Hippies have pioneered numerous lifestyles and alternative
businesses including communes, cooperatives, holistic medicine and health food. We focused everyone’s concern on the
environment to highlight our responsibilities to our planet and to future generations.
I’ve been smiling
lately, dreaming about the world as one. And I believe it could be, someday it’s going to come. Cat Stevens
(Peace Train)
Other beliefs that
spring from our core philosophy are: an earthy spirituality such as a belief in Gaia (the earth as an organism), the Greens
movement (political activism), even shamanism and vegetarianism. These philosophical and political views reflect a respect
for nature and the planet as a whole, something lacking in our capitalistic and materialistic societies. The world needs hippies
to point out alternatives to the entrenched system and warn of the impending disasters that await us if we don’t change
our lifestyles. The goal is not to make everyone a hippie (what would we have to protest?). Rather we can try to influence
others by example, through tolerance and love and teaching the virtues of the hippie way.
You create your own reality. Seth (Seth Speaks)
So being a hippie is not a matter of dress, behavior, economic status, or social milieu. It is a philosophical
approach to life that emphasizes freedom, peace, love and a respect for others and the earth. The way of the hippie never
died. There have always been hippies from the first time society laid down rules, to Jesus, to Henry David Thoreau, to John
Lennon, to you and me. I believe there’s a little hippy in all of us. It’s just been repressed by our socialization
process. We need to find it and cultivate our hippie within. Only then can we reach our true potential.
I
took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)
As
hippies age they come to terms with the same situations all humans must face. Wiser than before, let’s help the younger
hippies find a way to save the earth and achieve more freedom than exists in our wildest dreams. Let’s find our common
ground, build a worldwide community, and once again let our freak flags fly and become all we are destined to be.
The End
Letter to an Old Hippy and his reply:
I'm
confused as to why there is so much hatred towards hippies in the past few years. Everybody in my school is all like oooh
hippies, stupid f*ckin tree huggers. I just dont get why they're so ignorant. Just recently I've noticed a surge of hatred
though, actually as of this year. I think it's fueled by the hip-hop crowd. Their values totally collide with ours. They are
greedy, capitolistic, rude and not to mention violent. And we are peacefull, non materialistic beings. What do you think old
hippy? I hope you can inspire me.
signed, Peace
This is a question I've asking myself recently. I think you hit the nail on the head when
you pointed out how our values collide with the hippie haters. Our mere existence not to mention colorful presence causes
what's known as psychological dissonance. We represent an alternative to mainstream thinking and values and thus a challenge
to all those who accept the status quo.
The pressure to conform, especially in American society has never been greater in my lifetime.
It's similar to the 50's when everyone was expected to graduate high school and college, get a 9-5, get married, have 2.5
kids and move to the suburbs. Back then there were far fewer options around too.
Now we have a Republican administration,
and this kind of thinking thrives when the country's leaders are conservative cowboys who promote war and violence as a solution
to the world's most intractible problems. Add to this the terrorist hysteria, the fucked-up economy, the broken dreams, the
ecological catastrophes just around the corner, and you have a situation ripe for dividing the country into opposite camps.
The
media is also to blame. I cannot believe how much violence I see everyday in TV, rock videos, movies, even on my street (today
it's endless loud fireworks for New Years). This has taken its toll in several generations, who now see violence as a normal
human expression, something to be expected and returned, tit for tat.
For a real contrast, I recently watched the
movie "Mary Poppins", which I hadn't seen since I was a kid. I was amazed at how slickly they had inserted such now extinct
values in the movie as respect for elders, politeness, anti-capitalist values, in fact it's a complete homage to personal
freedom and creativity. You rarely see that anymore in the movies or on TV.
The level of violence and the sheer quantity of it blows me away. The public has been led
to believe that violence in the media doesn't translate to actual violence. This is A BIG LIE. It is pure brainwashing, and
so it doesn't surprise me to see so many people willing to kill others, even innocent people, just out of revenge. It's truly
sick.
Of course hippies will always be in the minority, but again, just the fact that we exist, that we are willing
to explore and present alternative ideas and solutions means that all these war-mongers and greedy capitalists must address
these very important issues that they would rather ignore in their quest for money and power.
So don't dismay that
we are hated by some, (perhaps feared is closer to the truth), because we serve to enlighten and challenge the status quo.
As long as we speak out and don't hide our true feelings we can preserve our freedoms to do just that. If we retreat in silence
we may never again have the right to stand up to the powerful and tell it like it is.
The next few years will make
a big difference for our collective future. We are almost beyond the point of no return. Many of those young people with their
short hair, (some bald now), waving their flags, shouting patriotic slogans, will soon end up dead on some distant battlefield.
So feel sorry for them, and pray we don't all end up dead.
Peace, hopefully, the Old Hippy
Our Mother Earth
~She
deserves our love and respect~
Our
beautiful mother earth has been generous to us, giving us resources, providing shelters and food. Therefore, she deserves
our love and respect; but instead, we ignore her. Some of us may claim we are too busy going to school and/or work, and have
no time for caring about the environment we live in. Hey, guess what? we 're wrong. If each of us do our own part, together
we can make this planet a better place to live. And the great news is, we don't really need to spend any extra time/effort
to keep her beautiful the way she is.
How do you feel if someone comes to your house, make
a mess and take off? Well...I don't think anyone would like that. OK then, now we know how our mother earth would feel if
we are being irresponsible. Start treating her well by cleaning up after ourselves. In other word, stop littering and illegal
dumping. And don't forget recycling.
For those of you who change your own car
motor oil, remember, after each motor oil change, pour all collected used oil into a clean, empty, sealable container and
turn it into a used motor oil collecting center near you. Why? Because used motor oil may contain toxic substances such as
lead, benzene, zinc, cadmium, and arsenic. Used oil is not removed from the sewage treated at wastewater treatment plants.
In fact, some plants use processes that can create additional pollutants from the chemicals present in used oil. Did you know
just one quart of oil is enough to create a two-acro sized oil slick on surface water? Oil is harmful to aquatic life. For
example, oil kills organisms in the water that fish rely on as a food source. A gallon of used oil can ruin a million gallons
of fresh water-a year's supply for 50 people.
Conserve and reduce
the consumption of energy when/wherever possible; at home, at work, everywhere. Reduce water consumption and electric energy
can conserve energy and also save money on your bills too. Keep the air cleaner; carpool, use public transportation, bike,
or walk whenever possible. Did you know that if you drive your car 10,000 miles per year, it will release it's own weight
in carbon into the air, some 2,600 pounds, each year? The environmental toll due to our extensive use of cars includes smog,
global warming and oil spills at sea, as well as high pollution levels in and around our homes. Recycle used
papers, aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles etc; you know recycling all the copies of one edition of the Sunday New York
Times could save 75,000 trees. Recycling conserves natural resources and landfill space, both of which are depleting repidly.
Almost half of household trash is recyclable. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to light up a 100-watt bulb for
3 and 1/2 hours. Recycling five plastic two-liter bottles produces enough fiberfill to make small ski jacket.
Come together and do our own part. Be responsible
to our mother earth. Afterall, we are the one who will profit at the end.
the PUBLIC parks and beaches -- just don't pitch
a tent. PUBLIC streets patrolled by cars of arms protecting the private property of super-charging merchants. PUBLIC
streets but don't LOITER & no VAGRANTS please. the PUBLIC schools -- here you can be conditioned to PUBLIC opinion
in order to express yourself in the PUBLIC consensus. PUBLIC streets where agents patrol, undercovered in 'hip' costumes.
the PUBLIC transport system -- for a price, and within specified hours, and only to certain destinations. PUBLIC streets
where parking meters tick off legality. the PUBLIC hospitals -- here you can be born, healed, and pass away providing
there's a bed available. PUBLIC streets where exhausting autos pollute the air and mutilate the people. the PUBLIC
housing developments -- here you can live a life now done. PUBLIC streets where lonliness crowds silent, up-tight sidewalks.
the PUBLIC officers -- here is the understanding of PUBLIC service.
Where in the street can two fingers touch
Where in the street can you get out of neighborhoods
Where in the street can you escape the economic net
Where in the street can you trip out your door and
smile at sincere
Where in the street can you hitch a hike down the block
Where in the street can you take off your shoes and
sing and
dance without disturbing the death called peace
The Public is Any Fool On The Street
PUBLIC INFORMATION FOOLS ALL OF THE PUBLIC ALL OF THE
TIME
PUBLIC STREETS CONVEY MACHINES -- ONLY A FOOL WALKS
IN TRAFFIC
there are no more blacks or whites, jews or muslims,
christians or humanists, abled or disabled, rich or poor....there is only one minority on the planet,
HOMOSAPIENS.
"And so, on the surface of daily life, consciousness
forms beings and bodies that one can see gathering and colliding in the atmosphere, to distinguish their personalities. And
these bodies form hideous cabals where every eventuality comes into the world to argue against what is beyond appeal.
You're born a citizen of a nation.
A citizen of a nation with rulers who legislate rules
commanding you to be free.
Free to be conditioned in school until you're sixteen.
Free to be a compulsory soldier.
Free to pay sixty percent of your taxes to the military
budget.
Free to get legally married.
Free to work for a minimum wage.
Free to vote when you're twenty-one.
Free to vote for the democratic/liberal or republican/conservative
party of your choice.
Free to buy clothes, food, and property at whatever
asking price the large corporations feel like charging you.
Free to obey arbitrary curfews.
Free to have your freedom regulated by officers who
are your friends and who protect you.
PROTECT you from obscenity. PROTECT you from loitering.
PROTECT you from nudity. PROTECT you from sedition and subversion. PROTECT you from marijauna. PROTECT you
from gambling. PROTECT you from homosexuality. PROTECT you from common-law marriage. PROTECT you from abortion.
PROTECT you from lonely you. PROTECT you from demonstrations against your protectors.
So, don't worry about
surface reality. Afterall, you're the average fool on the street and have no right to speak for yourself. So trust
society. Trust the specialists. And trust the corporations who have your best interests at heart, not to mention their concern
for the enviroment. They have a dialogue with the protectors, for your own safety and their own private property.
Police are your friends.
Come mothers and fathers,
throughout the land And
don't criticize what you can't understand. Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command Your old road is rapidly
agin'. Please get out of the new one If you can't lend your hand For the times they are a-changin'.
- Bob Dylan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last night I had the strangest dream
I ever had before, I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war.
I dreamed there was a mighty room, And
the room was filled with men, And the paper they were signing said They'd never fight again.
- Ed McCurdy
Silence, they say, is the voice of complicity.
But silence is impossible. Silence screams. Silence is a message, just as
doing nothing is an act. Let who you are ring
out & resonate in every word & every deed. Yes,
become who you are. There's no sidestepping your
own being or your own responsibility. What you do is who you are. You are your own comeuppance. You
become your own message. You are the message.
It’s not some imaginary
place of peace, only possible in the hallucinatory thoughts of so-called neo-hippy activists who dream of picking daisies,
but instead, it’s a place in my heart that I believe is possible, and this is a way I have found to process my frustration
with the world's lack of cooperation, while upholding my defiant and strong stance of peace.
