Do we still have hippies today? Like so much about hippies, that’s a matter of opinion and it’s an opinion that people are very divided on. To some the hippies were a phenomenon of the Sixties perhaps extending into the very early Seventies. To others hippies are eternal so surely they exist today. Perhaps exploring the other questions about hippies will help you make up your own mind on the subject.
(For purposes of this exercise the questions will be formed in the past tense in the assumption that hippies are no more. This does not betray my opinion on whether hippies are still around or not.)
Were all hippies unemployed? We have to be careful with absolutes here. Surely most hippies by their very nature did not have jobs and those that did had what we’ll call casual jobs. Examples: selling drugs, especially marijuana; selling pottery they themselves made; selling tie dye clothing, particularly shirts, again of their own making. Many were “into” arts and crafts, pottery being a particular favorite. They might also vend fruits and vegetables. Hippies would not be found working in business aside from perhaps a bookstore, record store, used clothing store or “head shop” which specialized in drug paraphernalia. They also might make a little cash playing music but if they were really good than they were musicians not hippies.
Did all hippies have long hair? Again not all but certainly the vast majority. This would apply to both men and women. Long hair was one of the main symbols of hippiedom but then some hippies might be bald or have shaved their heads.
How about beards? Hard to estimate but I’ll say somewhere around two-third of hippie men had beards. Hippies did not generally shave body hair, for women this meant armpits and legs could be pretty hairy.
What kind of clothing did hippies wear? Generally loose clothing. Oversized shirts and blouses. Women would wear long skirts or dresses or jeans or cut-offs. Mean wore jeans. Sandals were standard. No bras for women. Underwear was optional as were socks. Indeed if a hippie was not wearing sandals it was likely because they were barefoot which was quite common among hippies. Some wore headbands. Some wore tie dye. Certainly no button down shirts. Tee shirts with slogans on them were common, often promoting a band or a political movement or Native Tribes. A nice jacket might be worn ironically over an otherwise shabby outfit. Hats of all variety might be worn but baseball caps were rare.
Did hippies bathe regularly? I think it’s mostly a myth that hippies were dirty and smelly. Some surely were. Grooming, make up, hair styling were frowned upon but not bathing.
What did hippies eat? Their dining habits were not much different than anyone else’s. That said a hippie was more likely to be vegetarian than a non-hippie (or straight). Many hippies were “into” natural and organic foods before it was faddish.
How about beverages, particularly alcohol? Hippies liked wine, often of the cheaper variety that came in jugs. Red Mountain was popular. They’d also drink beer and hard alcohol, usually straight and often out of the bottle. They were not into mixed drinks.
Did they drink a lot? Most of them did, yeah.
They were heavy drug users, weren’t they? Mostly of marijuana — which contrary to myths is not usually a gateway drug. They were also into psychedelics whether LSD, mescaline or magic mushrooms. Indeed these were integral to the hippie culture. I think it would be rare to encounter a hippie who dabbled in heroin, speed or even cocaine. They were all about new levels of consciousness and higher plains of enlightenment. Psychedelics fit in with the zeitgeist.
Were hippies religious? They eschewed traditional organized religions such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam. I’d say they were more spiritual than religious. Many were big on facets of Eastern religions like Buddhism. A lot of hippies mediated and some followed gurus. But the Bible was definitely not for them.
Were they more sexually active than most other people? Absolutely. Many were monogamous but others had open relationships. If they were single they were generally promiscuous. Again, not all, but most. Hippies were known for not having inhibitions. To that end they weren’t shy about nudity and loved skinny dipping.
What were the political views of the hippies? Way to the left. The hippie heyday was during the U.S. War in Vietnam and the draft both of which they were adamantly opposed to. Hippies could be classified as socialists, communists, anarchists but they tended not to align with political parties. Much to their credit they were for equality and social justice and were anti-racist.
Did hippies eschew sports? Certainly traditional ones. Although some were baseball fans and some liked basketball or soccer. But they were more about hacky sack. Most abhorred American football, it was too militaristic. They did not avidly follow pro or college teams. Hiking and swimming were chief forms of exercise.
How did hippies get around? Not in new cars. Old ones yes, especially VW Bugs and VW Vans. Vans were common. A few hippies had trucks. Bikes were not uncommon. Hitchhiking was how many hippies got around.
Was rock their preferred music? Pretty much.
What else did hippies have in common? They tended to like incense. They often went in for things like palm reading, tarot cards and astrology. Not that they totally rejected science. They were as likely to have pets as anyone else. Some were readers, some were not. Most kept up with the news but they tried to do it through the alternative press and FM radio. They were not big TV watchers, certainly not of traditional television fare. They had particular tastes in film. Some hippies were really nice and others were horrible people — just like the rest of the population. They tended to be pacifists.
So do hippies walk among us today? I suppose you could say some people represent a lot of the hippie ethos based on their lifestyle but the hippie of the Sixties (“hippie type” was the common phrase) is no more.
What happened to the hippies of the Sixties? Mostly they got old and died. Many of them found their lifestyles were not sustainable particularly if they wanted a family and/or security. They abandoned their tie-dyes and bought suits and joined the corporate world. Obviously a lot of them eased into a straighter life and maintained a lot of the hippie values and continued to espouse the benefits of alternative lifestyles.
Did hippies have a negative or positive impact on the culture? Mostly positive. They were all about personal freedom, questioning authority and established norms. They helped pave the way for second wave feminism and gay rights. They were integral to what was then called the ecology movement. They helped the push for organic foods. They were a key part of the sexual revolution which was liberating for society. They can also be credited with helping make marijuana legal. They were on the right side of history in many ways.
But weren’t there bad things about the hippies too? They were used as cover by the likes of Charles Manson and drug dealers and sexual predators. This was not necessarily on them. However there was a certain naiveté about hippies. They were too stoned, to off in their own world to properly deal with a society based in rapacious capitalism. But remember at their core the hippies message was: peace and love. Nothing wrong with that.
One last thing: did hippies really say things like, “far out,” and “groovy”? Yup. They’d also frequently flash the peace sign. Other common expressions included: keep on truckin’, right on, dig it, my old lady or my old man (for boyfriend or girlfriend), mellow and bummer.
No comments:
Post a Comment