We were gonna change the world...what happened?

[mosaicthreads]

I've been away from the forums for awhile, busy with life, and had to come back for some comfort. I've been just feeling kind of nostalgic lately and wondering what happend to the generation that was going to change the world? When I listen to the music I remember the feeling I had being a part of it all, thinking we really were gonna find a better way. I think a lot of us have, in our own lives, made a difference and lived out our beliefs, but on the whole I see little change in society.

I don't know, somebody refresh my memory and tell me we are better off, that we have made inroads, and have left a positive lasting impact for the following generations. I know there are some positives, but I'm having a hard time seeing them right now!

~mosaic, feeling sorry for herself...

[WE1]

We became busy with life.

[mosaicthreads]

yeah....:(

[gate68]

Nowdays I'm lucky if I change my underwear.

[Meagain]

Momentum.

There are presently far to few to shift the momentum of the last 2,000 years.

We were in the limelight for awhile because of the novelty to the general public, then they got tired and went back to sit coms and cop shows.
Also we had to compromise outwardly to survive and raise a family.

It's a problem of human evolution. I have read that we are evolving as a race but we still have, I think the estimate was a couple hundred years at the present rate, until the shift occurs.

[luvndrumn]

But we did change the world, mosaic. It just didn't perpetuate. It didn't grow. As Meagain and We mentioned (not in so many words, but in meaning), Life happened. And the 'others', (the "driven", the maniacal") filled the void. And now we have... THIS. And whereas back in the day "They have the guns, but we have the numbers", now it seems that they have the numbers as well as the guns.
Maybe we were too naive, too into our own selves and the sense of what we had helped cause to think that anyone would not think it was a good thing.


And we grow older and a little more tired.
Revolution is for the young, but I just don't smell it coming.

As the old "Chermans" say, "Too zoon ve grow old, und too late ve grow shmart".

[forest_pixie84]

i feel like yall changed the world

[mosaicthreads]

But we did change the world, mosaic. It just didn't perpetuate. It didn't grow. ...

And we grow older and a little more tired.
Revolution is for the young, but I just don't smell it coming.

As the old "Chermans" say, "Too zoon ve grow old, und too late ve grow shmart".
Ah yes....we had to find a way to live and raise a family. so true!

It is what I see in my own children, they would like to make a difference, but they are too busy just making a way to survive in what the world has become.

It makes me sad, and oh so late have I grown shmart! :(

[honeyhannah]

i feel like yall changed the world
I agree people are more tolerant and more concerned with happiness and personal freedom though sometimes it seems the opposite

[Feralking]

Don't lose heart,sister.Think of what it would be like now if we all hadn't taken a stand against the status quo.It can seem like we have lost the battle and that our movement is no longer active in the world,but in fact there are many cahnges that have occured in society because of the hippies.It's a fact that the world is still in a mess,and at the moment things are looking real bad,but if we stop being who we are,then we have truely lost the plot.Often without us even being aware of it,we have an effect on people we meet.Don't underestimate the magic that you have more than likely worked on the lives of others simply in being who you are.The hippy movement is still very much alive.People may not look like they are part of it all,but their hearts are definitely in the right place.Many of the younger generation are taking very active roles within the system in order to assist in the process of change.One young brother is now a professor in environmental studies.He started out as a feral blockader here in Australia.This is just one example.Take heart dear sister.We have made an impression,and that impression will last for many generations yet to come.While we are still on this earth,it is important that we continue our blessed work.That work is simply living life as we know in our hearts it ought to be lived.

[treekster]

it's a big wheel to turn, you all got your shoulders to it for the first time...I think the best change you all made is that there are people from my generation, not to mention the younger ones, still putting shoulders to the wheel...thanks for blazing the path, and try to take heart...changing a world is big work, it moves slowly, almost imperceptibly at times, but I still have faith change will come

[jackbequick88]

You don't see that sign anymore that states if you bring pot into a certain area you'll get life for distribution and 20 years for possesion.. Sadly, the movement was strong for a few years, then it died. Just like someone posted early, they had to adapt to raising a family and keeping them on the right track. Basically, it comes down to a 50-50 chance. Flip a coin, you could easily predict the future in such circumstances. The life you all once knew is gone... the life I wished to live is over. A turn in events. A sad one. Republicans now rule the world and we are sitting here in this vegitate state. All we can do is mutter and speak some simple words of enlightment.. but really, how many lives does it change? Kids have become hippies because they don't see the real point or they over exaggerate or make stupid observations. As a very wise woman once told me, "We weren't called hippies, we were called Freaks, 'hippy' only generated later". She is dead and I still consider myself a freak, not a hippy... So let's conform to propose a new informative movement such as "The Freaks Of Earth".. Never know... I think Earth is due for a movement in so many years. With this technology, hippies would be smart to become the head of these developments and pursue the hippy dream. Sometimes conforming to the new will help benefit the movement and just like any war, you sacrifice yourself for any movement. So I propose a new movement. One of monumental strength.

[Syntax]

I guess I'm too young to comment, but here's my explanation:

In the 60's, it seemed like -everybody- was out to change the world. Everybody listened to revolutionary music, supported protests and claimed to love freedom. When the 60's ended, it appeared that most of these kids were just playing along, having some fun with the trend. Being like the hippies was just the trendy thing to do.

And now, you see your generation and you ask yourself "why has so little changed now that we are the people voting and running the world?" and the truth is that most people whom you considered to be on your side were just posers, and those who really wanted to change the world are a small minority. And alone, they can't do anything, young or old.

That's just my theory. Peace.

[jackbequick88]

Syntax has got a good point of view. Most were posers and they always will be. The majority of this site is posers. A lack of true perspective. You see, I truly believe that there are the few that actually believe in helping instead of hurting. And frankly, I've fallen to the pits of the 'hurting' side. It's very hard to maintain your path to insure true beauty to all of those who are in the younger generation. Simply, things of an old nature can't comply with the new "Hip" way of doing things. Rap is the major seller and so is appeal. Look away, your golden, look another way, your the devil of society. Unfortunately we as people have eliminated the mediocre bit of society.. those who can sit in a middle class. A college education is almost now mandatory and living off of small paying jobs is almost impossible. Everything seems to be depressing. The movement has not been yet forgotten but yet has been almost abolished. For the lack of true hippies is outstanding. The movement meant something and now there are those who think only drugs are hippies. Points of meaning were soon forgotten and it is up to us, and us only, the present, to change things. Old or young, play your part. It takes millions to change billions. Remember that. We need to form, and form strong in numbers. And though this is against the hippie creed, we must be willing to loose in order to gain.

[mosaicthreads]

Don't lose heart,sister.Think of what it would be like now if we all hadn't taken a stand against the status quo....Often without us even being aware of it,we have an effect on people we meet.Don't underestimate the magic that you have more than likely worked on the lives of others simply in being who you are.The hippy movement is still very much alive.People may not look like they are part of it all,but their hearts are definitely in the right place....While we are still on this earth,it is important that we continue our blessed work.That work is simply living life as we know in our hearts it ought to be lived.
Right on brother! Your words are an encouragement to me, as are so many of you who have posted. We did make a dent and I think that many of the "hippies" turned into "yuppies" and the ones that stayed true to their hearts did make an impact on the corporate world....look at Rolling Stone Mag.

jackbequick88 you are correct, we were never called hippies. That was a term coined by the media I believe. We were simply "freaks" and that suited us just fine. I can call myself a hippie now, because my children lovingly call me and the ol'man "hippies" and so I guess it kind of sounds loving and sweet.

So all you freaks out there, keep living and lovin' and helping your fellow man! We have made a difference no matter how small it may be.

[Meagain]

You really need to study social mores to understand all this junk.

Let me throw this out for thought subject to correction.

The "hippie" movement was an out growth of the "beat" movement. Which I'm not getting into here. After WWII American, English, and most of the Allied nation's society was very regimented, uniform. It was a result of military training and the war effort. Using the U.S. as an example, the society had had to pull together to win the war. The government was given absolute authority and permission to govern society.
The WWII generation learned to trust their government and its leaders. They had to to win the war. After the war they continued to trust them and set about rebuilding their lives, which had been devestated by the war. They went trough severe hardships and now they were trying to avoid this stuff in the future, they wanted a good, peacefull future for their children.

Now, the younger generation was getting the best education ever offered to any generation in history. The WWII people put an extreme importance on education. So they taught what was good, right, and just. In the schools and all media. Watch reruns of any TV show from that era.

Anyway, the youngsters looked around and found out that the nation wasn't quite living up to what they were teaching. There were nice cars, cheap gas, fine homes, plenty to eat, etc. but others in the world were getting the shaft. And they started to speak up. But they found when they spoke up they were told not to rock the boat. We were doing fine and the rest of the world, well, what can you do?

The young were "breaking rank".
Problems were developing....

......This is getting long so I'll stop here.

[hippycarly]

I agree that many people were posers; fashion-conscious people who thought it was cool to burn bras and protest and wear bell bottoms. I was a kid in the 60's and early 70's, but was raised in the environment. The feelings ran deep, but were pushed to the back of my mind in the late 70's, 80's and 90's, when I was more worried about driving the newest car, having the nicest of homes, best job, I guess I kinda stepped back and did some soul searching when it had occured to me that I felt like I was teaching my kids to be the most popular, best in sports, buying them the nicest things in the neighborhood, when I should have been teaching them more about peace and tolerance. They see things in a new way now, and I think they are alot happier. I have seen some younger "hippies", and from what I have seen of them, for the most part, they seem to have some idea about what being in the culture is about.

[SkeeterVT]

I've been away from the forums for awhile, busy with life, and had to come back for some comfort. I've been just feeling kind of nostalgic lately and wondering what happend to the generation that was going to change the world? When I listen to the music I remember the feeling I had being a part of it all, thinking we really were gonna find a better way. I think a lot of us have, in our own lives, made a difference and lived out our beliefs, but on the whole I see little change in society.

I don't know, somebody refresh my memory and tell me we are better off, that we have made inroads, and have left a positive lasting impact for the following generations. I know there are some positives, but I'm having a hard time seeing them right now!

~mosaic, feeling sorry for herself...
We did a lot more than change the world. . .The world we Baby Boomers grew up in no longer exists. The Soviet Union is gone. The so-called "menace of communism" is gone (save for North Korea). Jim Crow and apartheid are gone. Colonialism is gone. The draft is gone (though there continue to be rumors of it making a comeback). 25-cents-a-gallon gasoline is LONG gone.

On the other hand, who could have imagined when we Baby Boomers were kids that the Empire State Building would once again become New York's tallest? Who could have imagined that the 33 1/3 RPM vinyl record would give way to the compact disc? Or, for that matter, the VHS cassette tape giving way to the DVD? Or that there would be a worldwide, interactive computer network that would become more ubiquitous than television?

To say that we changed the world is the understatement of the century.

-- Skeeter

[gate68]

It was a movement against the war.It ended when VietNam ended.It's started again with Iraq..

[Meagain]

I think there were several threads running through "the movement".

1. Hedonism.
2. Anti-war.
3. Anti-racism.
4. Free speech.
5. Mysticism (not based on conventional religions).
6. Religious exploration.
7. Feminism.
8. A breakdown of social classes.
9. Redefinition of the Arts.
10. Sexual revolution.

And notice how it fits into a nice base ten unit.

Oops, and 11. anti-Authority.

Base Eleven.

Stick it in a pot and stir it around.

[mosaicthreads]

It was a movement against the war.It ended when VietNam ended.It's started again with Iraq..
Oh no, it was so much more than that! As Skeeter said:We did a lot more than change the world. . .The world we Baby Boomers grew up in no longer exists. The Soviet Union is gone. The so-called "menace of communism" is gone (save for North Korea). Jim Crow and apartheid are gone. Colonialism is gone. The draft is gone (though there continue to be rumors of it making a comeback). 25-cents-a-gallon gasoline is LONG gone.

[mimosa]

don't anyone lose heart, i'm still tryin to change the world, join me....be yourself, you do more than you know just by being who you really are. (message to myself too).

[blu raven]

howdy folks, your all bright beautiful rainbows, if you've never been to a rainbow gathering I sure do suggest you go. It'll really charge up the ole spirits and you could order a rainbow guide just look for the post on the rainbow forum. The hippies started the ball rolling on all kinds of good stuff, how about meditation? yoga? organic food has something like a 15 to 20 percent share of food sales I just read somewhere a while back. The laws against pot have loosened up considerably, a couple years ago I got busted for smoking a joint in a bus shelter and they gave me a ticket which cost 90$ back in 68 I might have got prison time or at least probation. How about co-ops thier all over. I read "Hearts in Atlantis", by Stephen King a couple years ago and in about the last paragraph of the book its says something to the effect that if you look close the magics still around. Keep the faith folks you are loved.

[Floyd Soul]

There is alot of things that came out of the movement in the 60's as you said blu raven. People are more aware of the environment thanks to organisations such as Greenpeace, about what food they are eating and also more acceptable of people who look different. There is however, an awful lot more that needs to be changed.

[Feralking]

Hello everyone,
There are some great truths coming out here.I'd forgotten some of the things that have changed due to alternative thinking.I wonder if mainstream society will ever acknowledge that our existence has in fact made a difference.That'd be something.I still believe that our culture ought to be formally accepted by the establishment.Just recently,I was reading some guidelines which described local laws regarding what is accepted as an act of violence here in Darwin.Not allowing individuals to practice what is a part of their culture is seen as being a breach of that person's rights.In theory we should be able to do anything which is associated with our chosen culture given that we are not harming others,but sadly,that is not the case.I think that this kind of oppression is directly responsible for the way that we sometimes get to feeling.It does leave you with a sense that we've been working for a long time at what we believe,and that there has been little return for those efforts.But I agree with others who have posted a reply here saying that we have in fact manifested some very positive cahnges.
With the work that I do,there are times when I know that it will be difficult to keep going.My backup at times like those are the people I work with.My family at work.That's how I see this site.When I'm in need of support,I come here and read what all of you have to share.And man,I have to say that my spirits are always lifted.
Thanks for making this site available,and thanks for sharing,
Love from me to you.

[iSiS]

Revolution is for the young, but I just don't smell it coming.
I DO sense another revolution coming, hopefully in my lifetime. But it will be more involved with technology than "all natural"...think Hack-tivism for one...the possibilities are endless.

Sorry I am not an elder hippie, or even a hippie or anything one thing at all. I love the music & just wanted to come see what was on your minds. Some of my family were hippies in the 60s, so I definitely was exposed to the movement young, therefore helping me become the person I am now. And I am just one person who was affected out of many. So do not despair, you DID make changes!!

[wildfire]

i think that their has inevitably to be some type of revolution coming, or already slightly springing up, but it isn't going to be a hippie revolution. that one already took place and fizzled out. their have been cultural revolutions since humans have been around. the revoultionees back in the sixties just got a name. now the young people of today are more technology based and materialistic and in with the mainstream and i just can't see any real mass of people breaking away from that because it is too close to the hippies and it wouldn't be a revoultion just more hippies sprouting up. so anything that does take place would have to be completely new and dissassociated with hippies.

[Major Peacenik]

you did change the world

[Digger168]

Keep trying!!!!!!

I do my part on a small level every day.

But, baby,.....

it ain't easy today!!!

No suh!
but
I keepa trying anyway.

Love.

[hemp726]

man
a technological revolution is a little far out and would have to have a huge mass of peopel suddenly over ride the system b/c my friend knows people who have like hacked NASA and stuff and after he got out of jail the government hired him to hack NASA as his job and patch up the flaws in the system so its harder to break in so i bet they do it with everyone man. so unless hundred or thousands of peopel at once hacked the system it would be very unlikely

[shameless_heifer]

We did change the world.. take a look around..

[luvndrumn]

But the weeds are growing back ib the garden again. Time to pull some weeds. Now, where's the Bush-hog. ~groan~

[ageinmyeyes]

Change takes generations to come to full fruitation. "we" the old hippies, put the pendelum in motion. Our children and our grandchildren are riding the upswing. My 19 year old granddaughter's thought is that "it has all been done" That there is nothing else new to be done. I wonder if the pendelum is about ready to begin a swing back.
As is the nature of the beast, it will swing many times before the real telling can be considered. The course of life cannot be told except in the reading of history. Don't dispair......"no less than the trees and the stars...

[shameless_heifer]

Ageinmyeyes.. welcome to the forums and that was a very nice post. I like your style..

[shameless_heifer]

luvn.. I think we will have to pull that bush up by the roots.. it's seems to have taken hold and is spreading..messing up the Garden..

[mosaicthreads]

Change takes generations to come to full fruitation. "we" the old hippies, put the pendelum in motion. Our children and our grandchildren are riding the upswing. My 19 year old granddaughter's thought is that "it has all been done" That there is nothing else new to be done. I wonder if the pendelum is about ready to begin a swing back.
As is the nature of the beast, it will swing many times before the real telling can be considered. The course of life cannot be told except in the reading of history. Don't dispair......"no less than the trees and the stars...

Oh yes, we did put the pendelum in motion. I see the future in my children's, and grandchildren's eyes. The amazing thing is that my chldren don't have the same social taboos to fight, and seem to come at life from a more natural and tribal base than I did. I guess that is the gift I was able to give without realizing it. They are passionate about the things they believe in, and will make a difference, if only in their small circle of influence.

I do see that technology is interwoven in the current social revolution, but the materialism of this current generation, and the selfishness of us all, makes me nostalgic for the idealism of 60's.

[Dr Death (the DJ)]

I have only read the first post, so excuse me if I repeat what others have said or wotnot.

I listen to the lyrics to the Lev songs I listen to all the time and I, though young, wonder what happened myself. I try to make a difference by working for worthwhile causes and crossing t's and dotting I's where appropriate but it just seems to get us no where. But if we do not try we will not achieve anything at all!

Sometimes the world needs waking *cue the song 'Wake the World' by The Levellers*

[HoneySuckleBlue]

Perhaps the revolution that technology, like the web, will enhance comes from all of the information we have access to now, we can't be isolated, or deluded as easily. With the click of a few buttons we can see a full spectrum of info concerning any one topic and decide for ourselves what we feel the truth is and if we don't take the time to figure it out it's our own fault.

Being responsible for our actions seems to be a big lesson now...how'd we get so many weeds and bushy things in the garden and why do the stores sell all that crap?

I believe in my heart this revolution has been going on since time began, there have always been people who feel the need to control others and there have always been the others that feel they don't need to be controlled. For the most part they slip about planting seeds of inspiration and hope and the movement will never truely come to a stand still because we are determined and where you see one you can bet there are hundreds more;) . I am one person born of two people with two off spring of my own and we are dedicated to making Compassion our light to shine out onto all that we come into contact with (granted it's a learning process:p ).

I have a feeling the rest will take care of it's self. The tide always shifts.

[Dan67]

I've been away from the forums for awhile, busy with life, and had to come back for some comfort. I've been just feeling kind of nostalgic lately and wondering what happend to the generation that was going to change the world? When I listen to the music I remember the feeling I had being a part of it all, thinking we really were gonna find a better way. I think a lot of us have, in our own lives, made a difference and lived out our beliefs, but on the whole I see little change in society.

I don't know, somebody refresh my memory and tell me we are better off, that we have made inroads, and have left a positive lasting impact for the following generations. I know there are some positives, but I'm having a hard time seeing them right now!

~mosaic, feeling sorry for herself...
Over in the Christian section of this forum I have started threads psychedelic drug pushers, The Axis Of Evil That Bush Did Not Talk About, and others, which explain my ideas about your question. I have discovered dates, names, and events that link the original Woodstock festival of 1969 and at least on of the Dead Sea Scrolls, believe it or not! Talk to you later.

[TranquilWaterfall]

As a 26 yr old woman, raised by babybooming hippie, take it from me ... you have changed the world. We (the next generation) look to you for support and guidance. Most of us (who were raised as i was) believe in peace, equality and brotherhood. I plan on raising my children with the same morals and standards that i was and we have your generation to thank for that. we look to you for guidance and thanks to you for standing up for what you believe in we have what we want and have the strength to stand up for what we want and believe in.

Don't feel sorry for yourself -- your generation did what you could and we thank you for it.

[John221]

I've been just feeling kind of nostalgic lately and wondering what happend to the generation that was going to change the world?
Here I am!

[raven23]

The general consensus here is that the freaks did change the world.
Not as much as they had hoped, but they were VERY optimistic, VERY far-reaching in their goals. Was that a good thing? Would they have even been able to achieve what little they did (little compared to what some of them wanted) if they had not reached as far as they did? Maybe there's a lesson there. Maybe the only way to bring about the change we want is to imagine the highest, the high high highest, stretch our minds to imagine the greatest world possible and say 'We are going to do this, we are definitely going to change the world extremely'
And if the results fall short, we cant get depressed and give up. Some changes arent visible right away. Some never will be. We dont know what kindof world it would have been without the hippie movement. Perhaps if it hadnt been for that movement we would have been living in a nightmare world right now; perhaps a little relaxation (sexual and personal freedom, etc) was what the society truly needed to keep it from going over the edge and becoming something even the Nazis would have flinched at. We'll never know.

[Rhythm]

I am too young to offer my opinion. I have one question though.


Do you ever feel guilt? Was everything motivated by love? Were all your gifts honest?

[hug a bahaii today]

feel this please....i grew up in your garden - i played in those weeds - don't forget - kids pull up dandelions to make crowns for eachother - we are still out there playing - we are still chaining daisies and eating clover - every plant is beautiful - even if you didn't mean it to grow there - it has a purpose - even if it's just to create the need for removal - we could never live in a perfect world because we would forget and let it fall apart completely - if i may continue the metaphor for one more line......if nothing else - the weeds keep the gardners in the garden with their hands in the dirt!!!!!

[Schlüßelberg]

i feel like yall changed the world
Well, we certainly changed ourselves. But, yeah, all these little things like Greenpeace, Amnesty International, the ACLU, the SCLC, the Panthers (grey, black, white), Krishna Consciousness, etc.

I just remembered something that happened then. I do not know how or when, but I ended up in a house whose inhabitants were mostly SDS, Weathermen, etc. Me, I had just gotten turned on to both acid and pot two months before.

I remember sitting buck naked in the midst of all the so-called radicals. 7 oir 8 people there and they had naught to say. It was like, "Hey, radical, little brother." What else CAN one say, if one professes radical change, and is then confronted with it?

Cowardice won out, and the consensus was: pay no attentionm to the man behind the curtain. He's not there.

YOU CAN EVEN GET NAKED IN FRONT OF THEM, AND THEY WILL STILL IGNORE YOU.

What kind of brain-washed Nat-zi is like that? This describes the true believers on both sides, although I like to think we lefties are hotter.

to be maybe continued.

[mosaicthreads]

I am too young to offer my opinion. I have one question though.


Do you ever feel guilt? Was everything motivated by love? Were all your gifts honest?
interesting question. of course I feel guilt sometimes, especially in the areas of "selling out" or conforming to the very society I was trying to change. was I always motivated by love? Yes! Were all my gifts honest? I hope so! Were all of the folks involved in the movement of the 60's and 70's honest and motivated by love? of course not. Maybe that is the crux of the problem, we are all human. The 80's proved that greed prevailed.

[sylvanlightning]

Perhaps the revolution that technology, like the web, will enhance comes from all of the information we have access to now, we can't be isolated, or deluded as easily. With the click of a few buttons we can see a full spectrum of info concerning any one topic and decide for ourselves what we feel the truth is and if we don't take the time to figure it out it's our own fault.

Being responsible for our actions seems to be a big lesson now...how'd we get so many weeds and bushy things in the garden and why do the stores sell all that crap?

I believe in my heart this revolution has been going on since time began, there have always been people who feel the need to control others and there have always been the others that feel they don't need to be controlled. For the most part they slip about planting seeds of inspiration and hope and the movement will never truely come to a stand still because we are determined and where you see one you can bet there are hundreds more;) . I am one person born of two people with two off spring of my own and we are dedicated to making Compassion our light to shine out onto all that we come into contact with (granted it's a learning process:p ).

I have a feeling the rest will take care of it's self. The tide always shifts.



Being responsible for our actions seems to be a big lesson now...how'd we get so many weeds and bushy things in the garden and why do the stores sell all that crap?



*Yes, well spoken!

[newo]

We did make a lot of changes. The draft is gone, legalized discrimination based on race, sex or religion is gone, people recycle more.


So we didn't overthrow the government. We didn't all turn on, tune in and drop out, embrace socialism and form communes everywhere. We didn't get marijuana legalized. Basically we settled for a compromise, grew older and joined the real world. But the influences of growing up in that era have stayed with us.

Change is, as they say, two steps forward and one step backward. Right now we're fighting that step backward. And with GWB's approval ratings down below 40% we're making progress. We're changing the world again, I just hope it comes soon enough.

[zush196]

yeah they got numbers and guns
and it did start up again for iraq
yeah

[HippyFreek2004]

Did you change the world? Yes. You changed my world.

I'm a 19 year old girl from a small southern town. I live right on the Mason-Dixon line. Racism is still prevelant, as is sexism. People are backwards, and close-minded. Other cultures are studied in school as if they occured long ago and have no effect on life on my town now. I grew up in this, feeling different and alone.

I grew up wondering why black people didn't go to my school. Why my mom didn't have a job and why daddy was allowed to be mean to her. Why no one ever seemed to leave the town to venture out, be different, try new things. When I was maybe 10, I started reading about the hippies and their movement. How you tried to change the world, spark love in every heart, knowledge and acceptance in every brain. Change the government and society. You thought outside the box, unphased by what the rest of the world thought of you. You became my heroes.

Because of you, all of you, I felt the strength to stand up to bullies in my school, defending the token black students, the homosexuals, womens rights. I felt justified in studying and trying to accept other religions and political systems. I felt comfortable enough to think past what my tiny society expected of me as a women and looked for a different road for myself.

You saved me from a fate worse than physical death. You saved me from mental abuse and anguish over my entire life. Without knowing that your movement made a mark, I might still be in my hometown, an abused and uneducated housewife with no money, no means, and children I can't support and raise properly. You gave me the courage to travel outside the south, to live on the west coast. To finally see the ocean.

Don't ever think that you didn't make a difference, my friends. You might not have saved the world in one fell swoop. However, your presence is touching lives all over the planet, and we will carry on your work long after you are gone. You gave us the push, and we'll gain momentum. Thank you for that. We owe a lot to you, our history, our forefathers. :)

[mimosa]

"You gave us the push, and we'll gain momentum." Hippyfreek, great post.

I like this line that I quoted from you. because we all support each other, your push gives ME momentum also. It's all in the circle.

[wizarddrew77]

You sound more depressed with your life then upset over what you think did not happen or go down on the planet.

Many things have been accomplished and many are still happening right now.
Go check out Skips book which is online at this site for an entire list of the things that have been done.
Right now there is also this huge regeneration of The entire Hippy Scene.
Some of us never stopped living it.
Others got very attached to them selves and money.
Peace The Wiz
http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/data/500/love1.JPG

[pansy]

..

[Ranger]

"You gave us the push, and we'll gain momentum." Hippyfreek, great post.

I like this line that I quoted from you. because we all support each other, your push gives ME momentum also. It's all in the circle.
Let me second that statement Mimosa and say, Thank you Hippyfreak! thank you for a most heartening post.

The thing I saw in the '80s was when Carter was elected many people seemed to think we had won and the world was changed and they basicly went to sleep politicly not giving him the continuing support that was needed. Instead too many folks converted to yuppies and retired from the fight for a better world for all in favor of a better world for 'me'.
"Two steps forward, one step back." Keep on truckin' folks!

[forest_pixie84]

you know I think yall did change the world

[headchangearts]

What is a hippie? My mom was a hippie, barefeet in the mall and all..

What is a family? LOVE
I have a family. Self-employed with our art work, trying to change the thinking of the world. Be respectful to everyone, smile when no one else is, look into the passing strangers eyes. Smile at someone who was not expecting it...you just changed the world. I think every positive (and negative) interaction causes a reaction. Will we stand together when the time comes? Our family may be imperfect, but we are true to eachother. I am young, but my mind in old. Be love. Teach love. Show love. The revolution has not even started.

[SLammon420]

I know there are some positives, but I'm having a hard time seeing them right now!

sure, there are alot of positives. you have influenced alot of younger kids to do the same thing and keep fighting the same fight. there has been a big wave of hippiedom that has swept over the youth and your generation is responsible for that so, feel good because you've inspired our generation to keep trying. there will be positive results they just may not be immediate or soon and we have to give it time and your suceeding generations of hippys will try to make it happen.

[SLammon420]

here i am posting about the results that are going to come and i didn't even mention the ones that already have. you've affected millions in a positive way already and more hippys are born everyday. thank you.

p.s. who says you have to stop changing the world now?

[pansy]

..

[glarrison13]

How much change did you want ? I mean we got a war stopped. You can walk down the street looking like you want. I remember getting chased out of towns cause I had long hair for shit sake,getting turned down in a restarunt, getting hauled in to jail and having my head shaved and getting the shit kicked out of me for the way i looked. Womens rights, gay rights, Pot laws have been eased up and legalized some places.The problem I see is Lethargy and complacency in the younger ranks. We had a chance to get that beady Eyed sombitch out of office and nobody got out and voted!! Oh yea there is another thing I got my ass kicked for getting the 18 yr. old vote. what good is it when these younger generations won't get of there asses and do it. We could have a lot more if people would just get off their asses. But noooo. Oh well I guess I've said enough .gregg

[shameless_heifer]

The Negitive energy that has been radiating from this planet has been gathering in the heavens above us, since time began. Then scales were tiped and the negitivity came pouring back down on us.

In the 50/60s a new vibration of positive energy was now being brought together by likeminded people, who's intrest led them to join together and have a voice. A voice that spoke of Love and Peace and Equality for all Humanity/Earth/Creature.

All the "Rules" that blocked us from evolving Spiritualy were being challenged. The frequency was now being cluttered with static from all the killing in Nam and we were cut off from our Universal Flow from the Divine Source.

The ones that were not bound by tradition and governmental controll were seeking reconnection with the Source. Feelings were, we had lost connection with 'GOD' and were were trying to 'Get Back To The Garden' or recapture our oneness with our Higher Spirits.

We started asking questions, we questioned everything. Our need to know the truth was paramount. Did GOD exsist.

It was dificult to know the truth when ones were led to believe in peace and love Spiritualy and Physicaly go to war and kill. Spending our lives toiling in jobs we hate so we could pay for the war. Giving life and limb to a government that was NOT for the good of the ALL but only to themselves.

The feelings (vibes) we picked up from society at large made us break away from the force that bound us to conventional thinking. We began a quest to find the Truth.

Ones started coming together in sucluded places and having discussions on religion and world affairs. More people gathered and passed the vibe around that there was more to it lighting a spark that intrested the Spirit minded and with the combanation of Spirt and Intelect the Movement began.

With the quest for the truth we were developing a more peaceful vibration in the atmospheir above us and less negitive energy was being created. The power of the love energy was gathering at a tremedous rate as the likeminded ones grew in numbers and strenght.

With so much love energy being broadcasted into the universe at once the vibrational pull was changed and balance was in the making. Thought patterns were beinging to develope that were on more of an even flow with the univeral rythem.

This challenged the controll of the governmental forces of power and greed which they in turn promoted a 'war' against us. They hounded us and persicuted us and even killed us as we held our Peace Banners high. We were spit on, kicked, beaten, jailed and tortured. We had our babies ripped from our arms and put in 'Homes' because we were teaching them the way of love and peace.

We did not waver, we took it, ate it and survived it. We held strong in our beliefs. We gained knowledge, awareness of a connection with all things thus forming a new understanding which we pass on to our children and their children.

With 'conditioning' our offspring with love and awareness of Spiritual presents we will change the vribrational energy flow from negitive to positive and bring about a more peaceful world inviroment.

We did not stop, we did not disapear. We simply were building homes for our children. We had to provide a means of support to sustain us. We had obtained the knowledge we needed to Teach Our Children and that is what we are doing now, preparing our kids and grandkids for a better world.

We brought about change in 'our time'. We are changed. It is up to the generations that follow to contenue the change from the legacy we left. WE are still here, we will not let go. We Will take our stand when the time is called for us to rise up. Our numbers are many and our hearts are true.

Walk in the Light Brothers and Sisters, the Time draws near. Put your best in your "Work" and be joyful, create the change in you.

sh

[green_revolution]

I think that was the longest post I've ever read. But yeah dude, I totally agree!

[shameless_heifer]

I apologise for the length of my previous post Green. At times when the "Flow" is right, the words just keep coming, pouring out from the depths of my Being.

I have learned to just sit back and 'let er' fly' bc there is no stoping the Infinate Source when it takes hold.

Blessed Be My Brother.

[wandrnshaman]

Wow, that was really beautiful!

[Random Andy]

Yeah, that was beautiful, if slightly harrowing in parts but truth is truth.

May I just say as a post sixties person that you original hippies have certainly inspired me and I believe the change will be complete in the next few years. More on that to come.

I don't think humanity has been a negative force since our creation though. Just since the perversion of the RC church and its bastard offspring (not that I have anything against Jesus himself), but that's plenty long enough.

All change.

[shameless_heifer]

I should rephrase that first statement with, negitive forces since Man began. As the Planet itself is Glorious.

It IS humanity that has done the damage. It will also be humanity that will heal it. Wrong thinking, EGO thinking is what is our downfall is. Changing the way we think of ourselves will be the first step for change to take place.

sh

[hippiewise]

there's still plenty of us left. i'm a old hippie, 58 years young and still protesting and being an activist. try checking out www.stayhuman.org (http://www.stayhuman.org/), there are plenty of old and young hippie activists going strong and fighting to get bush and chenney to resign. it's a political forum and a cool place for spearheads, fans of spearhead and michael franti, a very political activist and protestor out of san francisco, they are a world band with outrageous music reggae/funk/rock/ and soul. check it out.

POWER TO THE PEACEFUL
HIPPIE WISE

[THUDLY]

I ran away to Greenwich Village in 1966 at the age of 18, not to change the world, but to become a writer. I had read a lot of Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac and others; listened to the early Bob Dylan and the rest of the folkies, and had become convinced that New York City was the place to be. I was right.


This was before the hippie thing and I fell into what was left of the beatnik scene. THANK YOU, GOD! My friends were wanna-be artists, musicians, writers for THE VILLAGE VOICE, schooner captains, collage-assemblers, etc. What we all had in common was this: we wanted to make as much money as possible by doing the least amount of work so we could devote our lives to reading, writing, painting and mastering the guitar or piano. Change the world? Hell, it suited us just fine the way it was-- only in America could conniving neer-do-wells like us exist in freedom. The war in Vietnam? Well, we just didn't go there, you understand. It was horrible, of course; we were against it, you see; but we actually didn't give one flying fuck if it continued forever.

Cynical, you say? Of course, but we preferred the term "realistic". We were educated people and knew that wars are a favorite and seemingly necessary form of recreation for a sizable percentage of the human race. We knew our history. The big thing is to avoid them.

By 1967, McDougal and West 4th St. and the area around Washington Square Park were beginning to be awash every night and most of the day with people whom the media (Herb Caen of THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER, mostly) began calling "hippies". To us, it was "teeny-boppers", and we picked up as many as we could. But, I was only a year or so older than they, and I soon was inviegled into driving cross-country in my un-inspected 1950 Chevy to check out the Haight-Ashbury scene.

Yes.

It was there when I first heard the term "change the world". By then, I was twenty and had New York street smarts. I watched the 24-7 procession of barefoot druggies, many of them only 13 or 14, drag themselves up and down the fog-shrowded streets, taking any drug that was offered, many times by men old enough to be their father, human predators who saw a golden opportunity to get some young pussy (or young cock) at the price of a couple joints. Ye Gods!

I sat many a night with stoned idiots, illiterate morons, wasted dunces who would shoot speed, drop STP, smoke cow manure if someone told them there was a buzz to be had. NEVER IN 6 MONTHS DID I HAVE ONE CONVERSATION ABOUT LITERATURE, ART, HISTORY, ANY GODDAMN THING EXCEPT DRUGS, ROCK MUSIC, CHANGING THE WORLD, DRUGS, THE FUCKING VIETNAM WAR, DRUGS, THE FUCKING PIGS, CHANGING THE WORLD, THEIR LATEST CASE OF CLAP, ROCK MUSIC,MAN!, DRUGS AND CHANGING THE WORLD! YOU DIG, MAN?

Jesus Jumping Christ! I returned to New York City, man, I had had enough!

That, my friends, is why we (the disgusting Baby-Boomer Generation [of which, unfortunately, I'm a member]) didn't change the world.

P.S." Wow, man!" (Wasted on a cornucopia of drugs, unwashed for a week, living on soda, corn-dogs and stale potato chips, balling anyone, anywhere, anytime, diseased or not)," Wasn't that groovy when we shot up in the bathroom at The Fish and Chips and rushed so bad we passed out for ten minutes?"

They changed the world, all right: they helped tp make it worse. We're still reaping the foul winds of the 60's.

[Donny Jr.]

That's a lot more than most people can comprehend, but I like it that way. It keeps evil ones from knowing what is REALLY going on. They have their ways and we have ours. It's still a battle of good and evil, but the rank and file are massing. If you want the change join the ranks!
Love ya, Donny Jr.

[hippiewise]

i feel that we did change the world. i remember seeing white and negro water fountains, i remember blacks having to sit at the back of the bus, i remember women hardly having any rights at all, i remember blacks having to give their lives to be able to have the right to vote, i remember the viet nam war being stopped by our generation from all the protests, i remember richard nixon having to resign because of water gate and all of us demonstrating. so the drugs got in the way, hey we were children coming from the uptight 50's where we had no rights, we went crazy with our freedom, we had to learn moderation. i am still fighting for a war to end, the Iraq war, i am still fighting to have a evil president impeached, i am still fighting for civil rights, the ERA and to keep abortion legal. we stood up and we shouted, 'HELL NO WE WON'T GO" to the war machine of the viet nam war, i think we did plenty and i think we will again. we are all needed to "get up, stand up, stand up for our rights," as bob marley sang to us to do.
hippie wise
power to the people

[Jim Colyer]

I think we did change the world. 50% good, 50% bad. Like every generation.

http://www.jimcolyer.com

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here!

[Calisto_Flyshigh]

i wasn't around in this era.. but i'd like to say to all the likeminded people to get a move on, and while it wont be quite like it was (as if i'd really know), we have all the time in the world for this generation and the next and so on and so forth to change the world. a little glitch cant let us lose all hope! i'm for a brighter future. =).

[mrplant]

[...] message deleted. I was too tired to write anything that makes sense ;)

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here!

[hippypaul]

I am too young to offer my opinion. I have one question though.


Do you ever feel guilt? Was everything motivated by love? Were all your gifts honest?Yes - no - and no



No one ever grew up without doing a few things that they will always regret

No there was sex and drugs

No but we tried

[hippypaul]

Did you change the world? Yes. You changed my world.

I'm a 19 year old girl from a small southern town. I live right on the Mason-Dixon line. Racism is still prevelant, as is sexism. People are backwards, and close-minded. Other cultures are studied in school as if they occured long ago and have no effect on life on my town now. I grew up in this, feeling different and alone.

I grew up wondering why black people didn't go to my school. Why my mom didn't have a job and why daddy was allowed to be mean to her. Why no one ever seemed to leave the town to venture out, be different, try new things. When I was maybe 10, I started reading about the hippies and their movement. How you tried to change the world, spark love in every heart, knowledge and acceptance in every brain. Change the government and society. You thought outside the box, unphased by what the rest of the world thought of you. You became my heroes.

Because of you, all of you, I felt the strength to stand up to bullies in my school, defending the token black students, the homosexuals, womens rights. I felt justified in studying and trying to accept other religions and political systems. I felt comfortable enough to think past what my tiny society expected of me as a women and looked for a different road for myself.

You saved me from a fate worse than physical death. You saved me from mental abuse and anguish over my entire life. Without knowing that your movement made a mark, I might still be in my hometown, an abused and uneducated housewife with no money, no means, and children I can't support and raise properly. You gave me the courage to travel outside the south, to live on the west coast. To finally see the ocean.

Don't ever think that you didn't make a difference, my friends. You might not have saved the world in one fell swoop. However, your presence is touching lives all over the planet, and we will carry on your work long after you are gone. You gave us the push, and we'll gain momentum. Thank you for that. We owe a lot to you, our history, our forefathers. :)
It's not nice to make old men cry

[hippypaul]

I ran away to Greenwich Village in 1966 at the age of 18, not to change the world, but to become a writer. I had read a lot of Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac and others; listened to the early Bob Dylan and the rest of the folkies, and had become convinced that New York City was the place to be. I was right.


This was before the hippie thing and I fell into what was left of the beatnik scene. THANK YOU, GOD! My friends were wanna-be artists, musicians, writers for THE VILLAGE VOICE, schooner captains, collage-assemblers, etc. What we all had in common was this: we wanted to make as much money as possible by doing the least amount of work so we could devote our lives to reading, writing, painting and mastering the guitar or piano. Change the world? Hell, it suited us just fine the way it was-- only in America could conniving neer-do-wells like us exist in freedom. The war in Vietnam? Well, we just didn't go there, you understand. It was horrible, of course; we were against it, you see; but we actually didn't give one flying fuck if it continued forever.

Cynical, you say? Of course, but we preferred the term "realistic". We were educated people and knew that wars are a favorite and seemingly necessary form of recreation for a sizable percentage of the human race. We knew our history. The big thing is to avoid them.

By 1967, McDougal and West 4th St. and the area around Washington Square Park were beginning to be awash every night and most of the day with people whom the media (Herb Caen of THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER, mostly) began calling "hippies". To us, it was "teeny-boppers", and we picked up as many as we could. But, I was only a year or so older than they, and I soon was inviegled into driving cross-country in my un-inspected 1950 Chevy to check out the Haight-Ashbury scene.

Yes.

It was there when I first heard the term "change the world". By then, I was twenty and had New York street smarts. I watched the 24-7 procession of barefoot druggies, many of them only 13 or 14, drag themselves up and down the fog-shrowded streets, taking any drug that was offered, many times by men old enough to be their father, human predators who saw a golden opportunity to get some young pussy (or young cock) at the price of a couple joints. Ye Gods!

I sat many a night with stoned idiots, illiterate morons, wasted dunces who would shoot speed, drop STP, smoke cow manure if someone told them there was a buzz to be had. NEVER IN 6 MONTHS DID I HAVE ONE CONVERSATION ABOUT LITERATURE, ART, HISTORY, ANY GODDAMN THING EXCEPT DRUGS, ROCK MUSIC, CHANGING THE WORLD, DRUGS, THE FUCKING VIETNAM WAR, DRUGS, THE FUCKING PIGS, CHANGING THE WORLD, THEIR LATEST CASE OF CLAP, ROCK MUSIC,MAN!, DRUGS AND CHANGING THE WORLD! YOU DIG, MAN?

Jesus Jumping Christ! I returned to New York City, man, I had had enough!

That, my friends, is why we (the disgusting Baby-Boomer Generation [of which, unfortunately, I'm a member]) didn't change the world.

P.S." Wow, man!" (Wasted on a cornucopia of drugs, unwashed for a week, living on soda, corn-dogs and stale potato chips, balling anyone, anywhere, anytime, diseased or not)," Wasn't that groovy when we shot up in the bathroom at The Fish and Chips and rushed so bad we passed out for ten minutes?"

They changed the world, all right: they helped tp make it worse. We're still reaping the foul winds of the 60's.Not quite the way I remember it - yea there is some truth in what you say - but I suspect that you were an elitist then and are one now - but that is cool - elitists provided a lot of our books and music - but they missed many things.

[nananie]

it's a cry from a sort of hapyness isnt it?? well then it's oke i think?? else i'll whipe your tears oldie ;)

[hippypaul]

it's a cry from a sort of hapyness isnt it?? well then it's oke i think?? else i'll whipe your tears oldie ;)
yea - its a happy cry - thanks

[nananie]

yea - its a happy cry - thanks i didnt mean that oldie in a bad way, excusme me if ya did think i did

[hippypaul]

i didnt mean that oldie in a bad way, excusme me if ya did think i did
not at all I came by my oldie in an honest way - one day at a time (grin)

[USNavyDeadHead]

I would like to echo the words of HippieFreak. I am a 31 year old son of a hippie that was trying to survive and provide for a family after my father split. There was no time for my mother to still try to change the world when she was faced with the prospect of putting food on the table.

She taught me an awful lot about life, love and music. She allowed me to make my own choices and forced me to deal with the consequences of those choices. She taught me to keep an open mind to others and to just be nice to people. She was both Mom and Dad and did one hell of a job.

Granted some people, as always, will wonder how I can serve in the military and believe me, sometimes I wonder that too. But I see each generation becomeing a little more open and a little more loving. Progress takes time. Sometimes people do not live to see the results of their labors. I feel my responsablity is to my son. To teach him what my mother taught me and to hope that other Generation Xers are doing the same. The best way any of us can change the world is to be positive role models for our children and grandchildren.

Sure the baby boomers/children of the 60'smade mistakes...but what generation didnt? No matter what happens there will still be those that get older and base their lives around material possesions, cheat at golf and beat the hell out of their kids.

Maybe I am silly to think that things will get better... but I do. And we have the 60's to thank for getting it started.

[Ramona]

I know as a young person this isn't my place to write, but I was reading some posts and I have something to say.

What you guys did all of those years ago may not have completely changed the world for the better, but through hearing your alternitive views on situations I and thousands of other young people are out there in the world right now trying to make it better. Yes, you did in fact get your message through to the next generation, if only a small fraction of it. I intend to live freely and see life from a different perspective while attempting to make life better for others. I have the hippies of the past to thank for inspiring me to be a better more open-minded person. So thanks. I think you have made a difference, to at least some people out there.

[AmericanWanderer]

Likewise, I'm a young person, but I just had to say that of COURSE you changed the world. Your generation made fantastic music. Music so great that the kids today still think it's cool--can you imagine that? We STILL can't top it.

And of course, all the equality issues were recognized after you guys brought attention to them. If it weren't for you, the world would be so conservative and bad--it breaks my heart that you think you failed.

[mimosa]

I would like to echo the words of HippieFreak. I am a 31 year old son of a hippie that was trying to survive and provide for a family after my father split. There was no time for my mother to still try to change the world when she was faced with the prospect of putting food on the table.

She taught me an awful lot about life, love and music. She allowed me to make my own choices and forced me to deal with the consequences of those choices. She taught me to keep an open mind to others and to just be nice to people. She was both Mom and Dad and did one hell of a job.

Granted some people, as always, will wonder how I can serve in the military and believe me, sometimes I wonder that too. But I see each generation becomeing a little more open and a little more loving. Progress takes time. Sometimes people do not live to see the results of their labors. I feel my responsablity is to my son. To teach him what my mother taught me and to hope that other Generation Xers are doing the same. The best way any of us can change the world is to be positive role models for our children and grandchildren.

Sure the baby boomers/children of the 60'smade mistakes...but what generation didnt? No matter what happens there will still be those that get older and base their lives around material possesions, cheat at golf and beat the hell out of their kids.

Maybe I am silly to think that things will get better... but I do. And we have the 60's to thank for getting it started.
I really liked your post. hug your mom for me, if you can. Love to your family, and to you.

[SLOTH]

Hey there momosa,
What is your horoscope sign?
I am cancer the crab 69
If you want to chat,
drop me a line.
Gabba Gabba Hey

[JiFFyBaByFLYaWaY]

change can and will still happen

[JiFFyBaByFLYaWaY]

changing the world... is now the new generation of hippies' job... and if we dont do anything but help it along... the next generation will keep up the changing

[abudman]

"we didn't start the fire....."

[abudman]

I'm not a very religous person but think that Jesus was probably the first hippy. Thoughts?

[Bocks]

The world was changed a little, I think. There was a mental revolution: though subtle, it was definitely there. We achieved a lot from the '60s, and if it doesn't seem like a lot, it's because for major change, we need a great deal of people who want change. Realistically, there weren't that many true world-changing hippies...

[Bocks]

And I completely agree about Jesus. Spreading the word of peace and love, essentially. I think that's admirable, and captures the basics of just about every major religion.

[Goddess Om]

[QUOTE=Feralking]Don't lose heart,sister.Think of what it would be like now if we all hadn't taken a stand against the status quo.It can seem like we have lost the battle and that our movement is no longer active in the world,but in fact there are many cahnges that have occured in society because of the hippies.It's a fact that the world is still in a mess,and at the moment things are looking real bad,but if we stop being who we are,then we have truely lost the plot.Often without us even being aware of it,we have an effect on people we meet.Don't underestimate the magic that you have more than likely worked on the lives of others simply in being who you are.QUOTE}

I too believe we continued to make a difference, by being who we are and by passing on our values to the younger generation, our own kids coming through.
I think the Universe had a Plan...we were all born in a big bunch (baby boomers) so we could have a great influence on the planet - mostly to bring in Peace and Humanitarian ideals - and we did that.
The First Stage - that was our teen years - rebellion, idealism, change
The Second Phase - that was the way we related with our own children and within our societies as adults, grown-ups, breadwinners.
The Third Phase - that is passing on our wisdom and experience. Seeing through the commercialism and the power struggles, the propaganda and the hippocracy. Reminding people that they are not powerless, that they have a voice, that they MUST have a voice. Teaching our grandchildren to care for the environment, to protect the animals, to live by humane and compassionate ideals and values.
When we think back to the past - that was to a Blaze of Glory - our prime, our youth and our passion. But if we refuse to give that up, we can be just as active as agents of change and improvement in society as we ever were.

The worst thing that can happen to any of us is that we finally sit down and shut up. What a loss to the world that would be! It makes me cry to think about it.

One thing is for sure - The Earth Mother loves us with her sweet heart and wants us to STAY ALIVE AND KICKING.
I love you all too!

[SLOTH]

I've been away from the forums for awhile, busy with life, and had to come back for some comfort. I've been just feeling kind of nostalgic lately and wondering what happend to the generation that was going to change the world? When I listen to the music I remember the feeling I had being a part of it all, thinking we really were gonna find a better way. I think a lot of us have, in our own lives, made a difference and lived out our beliefs, but on the whole I see little change in society.

I don't know, somebody refresh my memory and tell me we are better off, that we have made inroads, and have left a positive lasting impact for the following generations. I know there are some positives, but I'm having a hard time seeing them right now!

~mosaic, feeling sorry for herself...:


Hey there mosaic:
I tend to agree with your views~
It saddens me to think that maybe
we came all this way for nothiing?
I am hoping that the next generation will pick
up where we left off in the fight and cause?
I still think that Big Brother and the establishment
is a giant evil to be delt with~

Gabba Gabba Hey

[newo]

We did change the world somewhat, but the world also changed us.

We had to grow up and face the facts.
The world is not all peace, love, flowers and sunshine.
Pacifism is not universally respected and many times is taken advantage of; turning the other cheek often results in getting both cheeks slapped.
Sometimes going to war is the lesser of two evils.
Communism is not a viable system because the human race is too immature to make it work.
You can celebrate diversity but it's naive to think you're going to accept everyone the way they are.
There will always be those who despise diversity.
All things considered, marijuana cannot be classified as harmless.
Money talks and bullshit walks.

We modified our values but did not abandon them. We made some changes and realized that some of the other changes we wanted were ahead of their time. Change comes gradually because a smaller change is usually necessary before a larger change can occur; one thing leads to another. Most important of all, we've held on to the hope that the better world we envisioned will be realized someday.

[SLOTH]

:)
Gabba Gabba Hey

[shameless_heifer]

I belive that people have come quite a distance and have evolved dramaticaly since the forties and fifties.
I grew up in the south and now living back in my homeland I find things have changed as the hands of time reaches out and captures the old system of things and is wearing it away, like the waves of a giant ocean of humanity eating away the old shoreline to bring up the new and shinny thing that lay dormat on the on the bottom of the sea of life.
We traveled far and wide searching for the truth of our purpose and educated ourselves in what we thought was important and that was not the War Machine that our country had become. We changed the vibrational flow of the universe, with the Peace Movement. We gave the universe more balance in the ying and yang of things We flooded the world with peace and brotherhood, our message was clear,it was our contibution, it was the Love Generation that brought into existance.
Things are not perfect, we are not 'In Spirit' but of the body on this earthly plane, we stumble and fall, we make poor judgements and sometimes let our EGO rule us. But basicaly I belive that humans are a loving creature and will evolve to a higher emotional level over time, if we do not destroy the planet in the meantime.
sh

[gate68]

I've been away from the forums for awhile, busy with life, and had to come back for some comfort. I've been just feeling kind of nostalgic lately and wondering what happend to the generation that was going to change the world? When I listen to the music I remember the feeling I had being a part of it all, thinking we really were gonna find a better way. I think a lot of us have, in our own lives, made a difference and lived out our beliefs, but on the whole I see little change in society.

I don't know, somebody refresh my memory and tell me we are better off, that we have made inroads, and have left a positive lasting impact for the following generations. I know there are some positives, but I'm having a hard time seeing them right now!

~mosaic, feeling sorry for herself...
We sure had a big ego back then,thinking we were "different".Somehow we were special and could change the course of history.We have become our parents as our children will become us.We're still paranoid worrying about others getting our stuff,still competing,still warring,still carrying guns,still prejudiced and close minded.You can't change the world only yourself.

[hippiewise]

Gate 68,
I really like what you said here:



"We sure had a big ego back then,thinking we were "different".Somehow we were special and could change the course of history.We have become our parents as our children will become us.We're still paranoid worrying about others getting our stuff,still competing,still warring,still carrying guns,still prejudiced and close minded.You can't change the world only yourself"

I am a hippie from the 60's generation, 58 years young, and I know what you mean, it was such an exciting time, we did alot during our generation. just think of what it used to be like. i remember blacks having to ride at the back of the bus, not being able to vote, women having to stay in abusive relationships. our generation helped stop an unjust war in viet nam, we got rid of president nixon. we had the courage to rebel against the uptight 50's. but i miss those days too. check out www.stayhuman.org, it's a cool website for young and old hippies too and for the band spearhead. i love going to those concerts cause you see the younger generation protesting the war in iraq and looking just like we did when we were young. but i still love the music from the 50's , 60's and 70's, man, that was some good kick ass music.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

[gate68]

now blacks ride in the back of the squad car,woman and small children are beaten and raped,we have an unjust war in Iraq,and we traded in nixon for a second generation bush.The reason the kids are protesting like we did is that they are being faced with the same future that we did.We need to lose our paranoia that we've gathered over the years The hate and prejudices that we have gained from living life and facing reality.We need to toss our weaponry and unlock our doors,get back to the streets that is if we truly want to get back to the garden.peace

[Ursula Buendia]

what happend to the generation that was going to change the world? I' afraid of being rude, but I decided to write what I think, however:
That generation was the experimental generation: They tasted, explored all the existing drugs! Because of this, today it's known which medicament may cause what kind of damages. They were like bunnies in the laboratories, the only difference was that they theyself were making experiments on themselves. Now we know, what final effects LSD, Marijuana etc. have.
Secondly, because of the fact that we can easy have sex without wedding and other ceremonies.. -we must be grateful of hippies. They've given us this gift :)
However, that generation was the most peaceful generation in all times!!!! They really could change the world in political way in case of no drugs.. They were in surrealistic, psychedelic world all the time, they were not HERE, how could they change something?? However, they really have the power of it because they knew how to love.

I'm so sorry that hippies ended in this way :( I really wish to have the generation of beautiful people second time, but I am afraid it will never repeat ..

[sassure]

We did in fact change the world, but then time passed and the world went back to killing one another and making money. As for us, we isolated ourselves more and made our revolution a more personal thing.....though some of us also went out and started making money anyway.

But you can't help noticing that the world's pretty broken and in need of repair; people are spiritually broken and in need of repair. Love isn't a fad or the slogan for a generation; it's something that has to be embraced as a lifestyle. Killing and bombing and hating and making money are the best ways to kill the spirit and bring on death, disease, destruction. When will they ever learn? Seeger said it best, and it isn't a fad. It's common sense, and until the world comes back to its senses, death will continue to reign supreme.

True hippies have never strayed from the path. Embrace love and live for it, or you die.

[shameless_heifer]

Ursula, I don't mean to sound rude either, but maybe the books your reading are not sending you the right message of what really took place in that era, or what we hippies are doing now.

I don't see many young people of today out trying to change things. We are a lifestyle not an experiment. As far as drugs, LSD-25 opened up a whole new world of possibilities, and open eyes and hearts to being human or to human being. We of likemind gathered together to change things and we did, we set a balance in the universe. We sent out love and brotherhood, unity and strength. All the negitivity that being let loose in the universe was building up and causing an imbalance in the atmostphier. With our chants and prayers and our outcry for justice and equility we changed events that were taking place in the universal flow. Sas has a point about time taking it's tole and things reverting back as they were, but I don't feel that it's our generations fault, but the ones that came up after, they were suppose to pick up the torch and carry through, they were the ones that chose the currupt money and politcial route.
Sure some of us had to seek employment to feed our families but we held true to our beliefs and taught our children a better way. What they, you or whom ever do is their choice. What we did was realize and we acted upon it. We got imprisoned, beat, riddiculed, spit on, run out of towns, and even killed for just having long hair and beads. You can wear what you want now days. You can gather/speak in peaceful assembly and not be shot. You can be different and still be accepted by humanity. That's the road we paved for the younger ones coming up behind us. We made it easier for you to express your freedoms. We are still trying to change things. We are voting, we are demonstrating against the war, we are still fighing the battle. Why not ask yourself what you doing to imporve things yourself instead of what we are doing to improve thing for you, or making uneducated speculations.(no offence intended). I just grow (as many of us do) weary of carring all the responsibility of changing or not changing the world. We did what we could. Who failed who?
sh
sh

[SLOTH]

Hey there SH,
Again I aplaud you for setting the record
right as to how it was,how it is and how the newbies can make it be~
You are right,our tired bones have already walked the walk and talked
the talk, and have been around the block so many times that we own it~

[teepi]

One of my all time favorite sayings "Want to change the world???
Start with yourself."

That is all you can do.
You start with the way you choose to view the world.....with love in your heart,or with greed in your mind.
Then you live accordingly.

The way the world is set up...its hard to "change" anything in any kind of timely manner on a large scale,if the majority people are on different pages. It cannot possibly change any major course unless mass numbers are affected by a like situation and come together to shift the course at the same time.

The Vietnam war did this...many people who were not even personally effected by that war "caught" the vibe and joined in. It brought a tremendous amount of people together with a common goal.It also taught us that the Goverment is not always "for: the people.
We started to question our leadership...and still do.

Maybe this lie of a war will do the same.

But yes while that generation of baby boomers and those close in age lived a life of breaking rules, breaking ties that bound, and pushing the norm over the edge,.. they also grew up and alot had to become responsible adults....and alot realized they were becoming their parents...haha.
How many times did I say "I'll never say THAT to my kid"...and said it??

We live and we learn, we go on our path. We change our ideals and hopefully replace them with better ones.

The world around us has a ripple effect as do we on it.

Right now I see big changes coming.
Greed being at the root.
And that is why I am glad I held on to alot of my beliefs about living as close to the land as you can
Carry no debt.
Learn everything you can about doing for yourself.
Turn your passion into a trade or learn one.
Be prepared for anything that may come your way.
Realize this country owes you nothing and thats probably what you'll end up getting anyway.
Learn how to barter and learn how to have something to barter with.

Ask yourself this...If the power went off, the phones went down, and all the stores closed,what would I do.

If you know any young people or have children..teach them what you know.
This is important.
If you don't know anything...find someone willing to teach you, then pass it on.

We are all connected.

Someone said earlier...we have not stopped yet we can still create change....look at the sweet young ones who are here. Who want to continue of carrying that torch that we lit....they are the ones to talk to,encourage,embrace and teach.

I remember being that 12 year old who ran away and found a community of freaks willing to take me in and put me in touch with nature and myself.
We owe it to ourselves, our planet, our children and each other to recognize these youngins who are eager to hear what we have to say.

Yes we are not done yet.

And I know alot of us are tired but share a story or 2.
Give a bit of advice or encouragement...share your little ol light.

love to all of you,
teepi

[dlo24844]

Bring back pure LSD-25 in heavy doses. It's what fuelled the Haight-Ashbury. Love and Peace (still) R.A.T AUZTRALIA

[mimosa]

Teepi, so glad you're back...missed you and your posts. :)

This was a good one you posted here...we need you, don't go away!!!

[SLOTH]

Hey there mimosa~
Any luck contacting Jose yet?
You got me worried~
RSVP on an E mail will ya~

[ozrics]

They have got jobs 'mobile phones' computers'internet'nice houses
rebelling my arse.For most it was a fad'no gumtion
sold out
dead head for ever

[Or's well]

I'm a "newbie", but at 27 I think that I have had a reasonable amount of life experience to know when things aren't right. I've had the good job, the nice apartment and the company car. I've had more money than one person could need. And I was as miserable as hell.

I never intended to become a "hippie", I've been labeled one. But if that label puts me in a group that sees love and beauty of in people and the world, who want peace and a return to past values (community, well-being, loving thy neoghbour, no borders, etc) then by all means stick a label on me.

I am frustrated that there doesn't seem to be much happening in the world, as far as making a "hippie" difference goes. But I'm learning that it does begin with oneself, and if your lucky you can spread that to a few close, deserving people.

Life sucks, it probably always will. The secret is to block out the shit and live your life, to your values.

Love, peace and happiness to all forum members xx

[gdhmomchild]

I' afraid of being rude, but I decided to write what I think, however:
That generation was the experimental generation: They tasted, explored all the existing drugs! Because of this, today it's known which medicament may cause what kind of damages. They were like bunnies in the laboratories, the only difference was that they theyself were making experiments on themselves. Now we know, what final effects LSD, Marijuana etc. have.
Secondly, because of the fact that we can easy have sex without wedding and other ceremonies.. -we must be grateful of hippies. They've given us this gift :)
However, that generation was the most peaceful generation in all times!!!! They really could change the world in political way in case of no drugs.. They were in surrealistic, psychedelic world all the time, they were not HERE, how could they change something?? However, they really have the power of it because they knew how to love.

I'm so sorry that hippies ended in this way :( I really wish to have the generation of beautiful people second time, but I am afraid it will never repeat ..
Excuse me in advance. I usually finish reading all the posts before I respond but this one just smacked me in the face.

Sweety, its a sad sad thing that you think this is the only contribution. Just because we did LSD doesn't mean we are brain dead puddle fuckered. This generation is fried out on a shitload more (and worse) drugs than acid and pot!! Meth and cocaine in the form of crack is epidemic and contributes nothing, ectectect. You seem to be helping to perpetuate things about hippies that I find demeaning and are about the minority of a large and diversified group.

It would appear that you haven't a clue of how many things were created by those "bunnies". Alot of the new technology that is around today for example. Many of the original programmers have quietly admitted to being high as fock when they created much of what we take for granted on the computer like having a working operating system. Alot of literature as well as art, music....created much more than most people realize or ever will.

Final effects on marijuana and LSD...hmmmm.....oh...my mutant, three eyes twelve toed children I suppose *wanders off to finish reading this thread while giggling*

[shameless_heifer]

I know that everyone is intitled to their opinion, but an opinion is usualy back up by facts, where in your most wild imagination did you get you information on hippies at.
I personnaly dropped over 500 times, the best purple Owzley ever made. I smoked at least 3 bales of weed and did a ton of methadrine(the real deal). I've smoked DMT, Hash, and a shitload of other so called drugs like peyote and shrooms. I don't do these 'drugs' any more cuz I'm in a good place in my head and heart and don't need them. I do smoke the peace pipe still, but my point is, I did all this and have been smoking pot for 42 years and I am here to tell ya, weed doesn't harm anyone.
I'm dang near 55, ya I know I'm young yet, but most of the straight people I know my age are on every kind of fucked up DRUG that the PharmCos pump into them with out question or study and later it's discoverd that they are POSION and then they die or live a few horribaly painful years and then die. I don't take MEDs and I am fine, no heart problems, no diabetes, no high blood pressure, no mental depression no enything. The only thing that makes me sick is IGNORANCE.
Ursala you need to read different books. Not the ones in your history class bc they do not ring true. Schools are run by the state which is govt standerds. ole gov doesn't want you to know the truth, gov wants to keep us down, ole gov wants us dead and out of the way.
Don't believe everything you learn in school is the truth, only the truth that the gov says is truth is how they control you, and they don't tell what Creator holds as truth. They took HIM out of society and replaced HIM with, humm, lets see, ahh, yes they replaced HIM with BUSH.
sh

[SLOTH]

Hey there SH~
You are the very best at what you do~
Best of all you give constructive critisisim~
Anyone with an ear for learning from the
people who were there
will surely be turned on to the real
deal and facts about drugs and big brother~

[shameless_heifer]

Hi Carol,
I can only say what I know is TRUTH, I am a seeker of truth and light. I can smell bullshit walking a mile away. It's the Heart of the matter that I seek. What I know from all I have experienced and what I have seen others experience is what I draw the truth from. I'm not in a box but free to think and free to learrn and grow in knowledge and spirit. We are here to pass on what we have learn, we must reach the youngers and tell them the truth about the Game of Life and How To Play.
The Beats enlightened the youngers of their time (us baby boomers) and we evolved into The Hippy. What we bring to the Table of Life and feed our Children will bring on a new evelution/revelution into play. But only with the TRUTH shall you see the real side of what we are/were. So listen closely and learn, and don't assume you know us from your school books view of who we are and what we represent.
Brightest Blessings
sh

[Ursula Buendia]

Good evening Ladies,
I see you're angry with me :(
I haven't have any books in school about hippies. Everything I know about them is from hipforum.com and hippy.com and please notice that I haven't said that hippies didn't do anything!
The question of this thread was: what happend? - this means that why isn't world peacful, why are the children of hippies not hippies? There was the whole youth who wanted peace, who wanted change the world, why haven't come those hippies in government and change the world? I've answered that I think that they haven't power to make political things, because they were under drugs all the time! I know it's good for spirituality, self-findness etc. but with surrealistic mind it's impossible to change the world.
However, I've one more quetion now..: Why haven't broke up those hippies their chidren so, that they wanted peace as much as their parents??? After generetions weren't so peacful and today we see new and new wars in the world. So answer, why??
Dear Sh, you're very right that you don't use meds. I think it damages organism.
However, I'm not agree that drugs are safe. They are bad.
So please don't be angry. I've said in my previous post that man needs clear mind to do something worldwide. You were very big in amount and you could really change the politic. I don't think that there will be the same generation ever, who wholy wants peace. You had a chance, but you wanted to be deep spiritually... it's some egoistish I think.. however, I don't say that hippys haven't done ANYTHING. They were really helpful for us, but not in peace.

[shameless_heifer]

No one is angry at you, you just don't see the point. And you keep saying we did nothing for Peace. I beg to differ.
Did you grow up in the 50's when women were expected to go to school marry their high school sweetheart get married have babies be a housewife and nothing more ahh yes and be a subservient, submisive wife under her husbands rule. Did you take a look in the deep southern states where the blackman were hung and dragged through the streets because they spoke to a white woman or did you ever have a job in that era where women got .55 per hour and a man got 3.50 for the same job. And children were seen and not heard.
I lived in Dallas as a child and the only black people I saw was a nanny we had once and a man at Whites Cafiteria cleaning the floor. You were ousted if you talked to the few hispanics that were around. And sent to a home if you mixed with the "blacks".
There may be residue from that era still here but not on as large of a scale as it was in my day.
The Hippie just stopped thinking in that narrowminded box and started to come alive with dreams and ideas of a better way.
Some went and got lost in the drugs but not all of us. We didn't stay fucked up when we grew up. Most of us don't do drugs at all except for smoke. You ask Why we were not in politics, we were, do you think that the machine was going to let us in. Hell no we faught like cats and rats trying to break through the iron doors of the Illuminati. Only Creator can stop the Illuminati. Now go look up Illuminati and we'll talk further.
sh

[gdhmomchild]

Well said s_h. I was never angry either. I was just pointing out what I saw as an incorrect evaluation.

[shameless_heifer]

hey Mom,
I think sometimes our words come out harsher then they were meant. As we cannot see the faces and eyes of the ones who speak to them on the net, one cannot always know that the eyes and face are kind and caring and not mean or hard. That the things said are given in love and caring for ones fellow man. How can we change things if we cannot relate, how can we teach and learn if we bind ouselves to convention.
Ursula, We wanted connection with Spirit because the reality of the body was not enough. We thought if we could find our purpose we could become better people. we thought if we joined together in a large scale we could bring balance back to the universe, and we did for a time. Peace starts within and works outward. The first steps in making a change is inside each one of us, it's starts at home. It's carrried from the heart of home into the streets for all to wittness and share in. It was not us that stoped. We are still here. See us working to being about peace.
sh

[hippiewise]

hi ursula,
my name is hippiewise and i have been reading your post about the hippies of the 60's. i agree with you and feel that drugs deffinetely got in our way. we did accomplish alot though. i remember when black people had to ride on the back of the bus and they couldn't legally vote, i remember when women had no rights at all, i remember when the native americans had no voice at all. i remember having to stay in an abusive marriage because once again women had no rights, and there was no where to go for help. i am a motivational speaker and i always tell my audience that i felt the drugs got in our way of changing the world. but you see we were like children in a candy shop, in the beginning we didn't know the drugs would hurt us, then we found out later that they did. i lost many friends from overdoses and many music artists are gone because of overdosing: jimi hendrix, jim morrison, janis joplin, the list goes on. but i do believe that pot opened our minds alot and sometimes gave us the courage to stand tall against a puritanical world and government. my generation, i am now 58 years old, left our homes because we were tired of being told how to do everything, including living our lives. mainly, alot of white uppermiddle class kids, like myself protested against the 50's way of life, very uptight and rigid. i enjoyed the sexual revolution very much, until it caught up with me, like it did so many others. but i hope you understand that we did change the world by breaking the barriers that were inflicted upon us and in our way. we did it our way, whether it was right or wrong, we did it. the women's rights movement gave me the courage in 1973 to leave an abusive husband. i have been a protestor since the early 70's. i feel that your generation has the same opportunity that we did, but maybe without the drugs, what do you think? i like the fact that you have the courage to ask the questions that you do. peace and joy, hippiewise

[SLOTH]

Hey there everyone~
If anyone really cares to know how it was and is,
ask SH~
From all that I have read and come to know about her
I would say from my personal standpoint that she is one of a handfull
who holds a wealth of knowledge in her heart and mind~
I do not believe that she will ever stear anyone in the wrong dirrection
when it comes to the truth about our generation.
For all of the newbies,SH has been there and done that whole scene~
Has come full circle with herself and her life~
She has nothing to gain by being a moderator or teacher to us,
except to keep on spreading the word and fighting for the cause~
Be it 2005 or back in the day,
SH calls it like it is~
No hold backs~
Just streight up truth~
Appreciate what she brings to our table and learn from it~
We can't put our arms around a memory but we do have
It is always a pleasure and honor to read any of her posts~
SH:
Thanks for taking thie time to reach into your heart and for
always being true to yourself~
As always Carol

[Ursula Buendia]

Dear SH, you haven't answered me: why aren't hippie's children peacful? Why were that the only generation who wanted peace?? You loved every man in the world, why cound't you teach your children to this world?

I'll just say what I think: in the whole history of the world, in my opinion "hippy time" was the only time, in which world could be turn to peacful one. and I feel some angry 'cause you haven't use that chance. I'l repeat hundread times, that I know you've done many beautiful, useful, peacful things for the world, but there's still war and hate. people are still killing for nithing.. No one is allowed to the white house, I know. but you were the whole generation and I feel very sad that you lost that only chance. you could really change the politic guys and ladies.

Dear hippiewise, I'm thankful very very much of your post. You don't hide the reality of those times: both +es and -es. I think hippies are the greatest event of the history for all times and I'm very angry with you, hippies, that you lost your chance because of silly drugs. I know hippiewise, you needed it to stay strong because of great preasure from previous generations, but I'm very sad that it has killed your motion.
and dear SH, please don't say that drugs don't hurt. It's proved that they do.
and I please you all not to hide facts. I were not there but it doesn't mean I don't know anything.
Peace to you all! You are all nice :)

[hippiewise]

ursela, i didn't say that i needed drugs to stay strong at all, what i meant was that pot helped open my mind from a very restrictive world in the 50's. i do not believe that anyone has to use drugs, or that drugs are necessary. and i'd like to say that maybe you are concentrating too much on what my generation should have done. it is your chance now and your peers to do what you can to change the world, stop this evil war in iraq and bring peace to the world. it's a big job and we did our best, but we were not the saviours of the world, we all have to work together to create a peaceful existance. so i'd like to know, what are you going to do to change things? i have so much postivie feelings because of the younger generation of today's hippies and peaceniks.
peace and joy
hippiewise

[SLOTH]

Hey there Ursula Buendia:
I can't answer for SH~
But I can give a personal opinion in response to your question for SH~
It would be wonderful if there was one world,and one people~
But~The hippies were just one sub group in a changing world,that had the balls to stand up for their rights and question how things were being handled by Big Brother~

We had dreams,ideals and good wishes hoping that we could make some
positive changes for the next generation~
We did not fail~
We did make changes~
Are our children angry?
You bet!
Why?
Because they have seen first hand how hard we tried
to make things better,but no one was listening to us~
You can't just blow us off as a lost generation of youth~
Every young person has the ability to unite for [their] cause~
The PUNKS just stopped caring to make things right through peace~
So we broke heads~

Every one does one type or a drug or another at some time in their life~
Even perscription drugs are drugs!
We all need to escape from this world in one way or the other~
I suppose all things are ok in moderation?
or we just burn out and get brain dead or od~

The reason why there is still hate,killings and war is because man-kind
was born like this!
It started from the beginnings of time~
You have to read~
Knowledge is power~
We come into this world with origional sin~
We as a race are everything that you oppose and dislike~
You can't expect any one sub culture to be the savior of all~
Look at history~
Look at all what was done to all the peace keepers~
Jesus Christ was perfect and look at what was done to him~
Just read before you try to judge the hippies~
we were not all druggies who beaded and used Patchuli oil~
We were smart college students from good homes too~
But we had our time~
Now it's yours~
Carry on~

[shameless_heifer]

When did I say drugs were good?!? I hate the use of drugs, I'm an Herbologest, I heal ones with natues herbs and oils. What I said was LSD-25 opened doors of the universe to us. I don't and never have conciderd Pot as a drug. They have done fourty yr studies on Pot and still can't find where it harms anyone. And I am not going to get into a debate about it. That Is My Belief and I own it.
If you ever read any of my other post I make it perfectly clear my stand on drugs.
So your angry at me for not saving your ass. well dear I was worried about saving my own at the time. Where I lay in the hospital with broken ribs for trying to protect my infant son as the 'Man" broke down my door and beat me senceless for trying to tell them there was a baby bed next to the door. I'm not going to die for you, die for yourself. Stand the fuck up and make your own damn way. I'm not here to live up to your expections. I didn't let you down, you let your ownself down. Tho I love you I am not responsible for your happiness. It's not middle class america that is causing shit, it's the poverty stricken that are clamoring for some one to do something for them. The inner city kids with no hope for excape. I cannot create a better life for them. I can contribute and pray for them, but it's up to each one of us to make our own way in life. I'm not handing out nirvana here. It's not my JOB. My job is to take care of me and mine and help who I can on the way. PEROID.
Dont come in here pushing blame on us hippies, we did, now you do.
sh

[Ursula Buendia]

Damn... hm.. how ironic. I thought here was the only place in my life, in which I could discuss things peacefully, without harm and abusing and...
"So your angry at me for not saving your ass".. "Stand the fuck up and make your own damn way".. "Dont come in here pushing blame on us hippies"- ok, I'll never come in again if it iritates you dear ladies. I just thought we were talking about past problems, but it became a fight in the end:( I just had some questions and some opinions of mine, and it didn't mean that I wanted someone to save me. Maybe you don't have understand me right because of my bad english.. But it isn't improtant anymore, 'cause I saw that you, real old hippies don't are so peaceful, so lovely as I thought. For me you really were the idols man..I thought hippies were the greatest people in the world's history man... I mean I was excited of you and was discussing with you that problems, 'cause I was really curious and wanted to listen the answer, but not "fuck up!"
hm... Carol was saying all the time I was entering this thread that SH is the typical hippy, good teacher etc. Carol, where's gone her full-of-love heart ?? Why is she talking to me like any usual person, who don't understands why not to fight, why not to kill, why not to hate??
And you dear hippiwise, have told me now it's my time to do something for the world. Who will be my example, if the typical hippy loses control and tells me things like above??
So strange... how many doscoveries in few minutes. What does all that mean?? That you aren't real, you have just masks of peace?! in reality you are just like others?!.. blah... very nice...
Ok, I just go, sorry for destroying your harmony..
Take Care & Good Luck..

P.S. What should I think as a resume of all of this? So, what's the world and what should I do now, when you made me feel it's fake.. just forget.. it's my problem you don't need to think about it:(

[shameless_heifer]

Ursula, You came in accusing us of not bringing world peace about when we had the chance. And what chance would that have been with the Nixons and Reagans down our throats, we barely made it out alive and some of us didn't and your throwing rocks at us.. it's ok for you to be angry with us for not laying a golden road for your lilly white feet to walk upon. Do you know how many of us did die for your freedom. I don't even think you are from this crountry, yet you judge us and are angry with us for not fixing things for you, well take a close look around and live a little more and come back and judge with more experience.
If your playing games here, your playing with the big dogs. The ones that did what they could for peace. Do you have any idea of what we went up against, but here you come laying blame on the very ones that at least got up off their ass's and did something. What again are you doing to change things.
You sit and insults us and then you wonder why we say the things we do to you. We are not trying to be mean or hateful, but we didn't take it then and we aint taking it now. You are welcome to your opinion dear, but not at our expence. You dont walk into someones kitchen and tell them what a lousy cook they are, that's just plane rude.
No one here is mad at you. You are welcome to post but dont throw shit on us and we wont throw it back atcha.
sh

[teepi]

Ursula,
Please try to understand that in any forum, in any culture/society, there are all kinds of people who approach discussions/problems/situations, in their own unique way.

You will find that even on these forums that everyone is an individual.

Some you will groove with from the very first moment you share, some will grow on you, some will intimidate you, and some you will butt heads with.
And at any time all of that can change.

Please do not go, please just open yourself to what is offered here, take what you need and leave the rest.

Yes, some of us oldsters, do get our hackles up when it seems that we are being judged.
We get upset when we are being percieved in a way that has never been our intent.
we have been going through that for decades now.
And as you have come here in hopes of being able to post in harmony .we too have the same hope.
Drugs represent something different to many people.
And all drugs are different.
Drugs seem to have been a part of the culture that we grew up in, and we experienced them in many different ways.
Some of us have moved on some not.
Some became very enlightened by opening their minds to certain drugs, some ended up in mental hospitals.
Some of us gave up on all the synthetics and go for the only true natural "drug"...herb/pot weed/ marijuana...whatever you call it.

The drugs had their place, our experiences atthat time with those drugs greatly have influenced many of our lives and how we view certain laws and drugs and acceptance of drugs at this point in time.

I, for instance, believe that the drugs of this time are extremely harmful. To our children,the adults doing them and society as a whole.
I do not respect the drug laws in place, I think "the war on drugs" is a joke and the way we have handled prison senteces over manufacturing marijuana in this country is a disgrace.
As far as the hard drugs go...its horrible that a black market for these is allowed to exist.
Crime over this one thing is astronomical, and if the drugs were controlled as alcohol is...the black market would all but disapear.

Please realize that if you put down something that was such a part of us...you are in essence putting us down, and I truely don't believe that is what you meant at all.
You cannot compare the culture of the 60's/70's to the culture of today and think it is the same.

but SISTER,and you are my sister, I for one appreciate that you do want to learn from us and would hate to see you go...
teepi

[shameless_heifer]

I am a human being, we all are, no better no worse then the other. I have human emotions from the depts of pain and agony that I hope you never have to go through. I don't sugar coat things, that just makes it taste better it doesnt change the contence.
You say I have no heart. I have gone broke giving to ones in need, taking ones off the streets and feeding them and helping them find jobs. I ran a shelter for abused women and children for five years out of my own home . You think I have no heart, maybe I don't, maybe I've seen too much sorrow and suffering and maybe I'm not perfect, but no one here is perfect, if we were we wouldnt be on this planet. I am still learning everyday how to live in peace with myself. I can only do the best I can and if that aint good enough then do it yourself. If that sounds harsh, So Mote It Be. I'm not anyones feairy godmother, I'm flesh and bone. Your living in a fantacy.
sh

[SLOTH]

Hey there SH and everyone~
It's like talking potatoes and tomatoes~
Meaning,some people get our messege and some just don't~
Reminds me of an old black light poster I had hanging
on my wall:
"I DO MY THING~
YOU DO YOUR THING~
I AM NOT IN THIS WORLD TO LIVE
UP TO YOUR EXPECTIONS~
YOU ARE NOT IN THIS WORLD
TO LIVE UP TO MINE~
YOU ARE YOU AND I AM I~
IF BY CHANCE WE FIND EACH OTHER~
IT'S BEAUTIFUL~"
I just don't believe unless someone
was really in the ditches with us
fighting for the cause and seeing and feeling
all the pain that we went through~
Would make it impossible for a newbie to even get an idea
of how it was~
To them our story is like a page out of history,like
reading in a school book~
Today there is no cause like we had~
No sit~in's,no pigs in the street busting our heads because
we were different~
Just nothing~
At least in New York City~just about everything go's and
is accepted~
It's hard to stand out in a crowd these days since the
word on the street is"IT'S ALL GOOD"
Rebels like us are far and few in the making these days~
I guess there really are no idols or roll models for the newbies~
But SH is right~
Pain hurts and it does make us hard and indifferent,
We cared too much and got shot down for it!
We all have to pull our own load and cover our asses first~
That's just the law of survival~

[luvndrumn]

Ursula (and anyone else who might be listening), ya gotta understand. We (the old ones) have been standing up against the 'stream for decades - DECADES!! We've been explaining ourselves to the same bunch in the same way for longer than a lot of the young ones have been walking on the Mother. We get tired, mighty tired, of explaining over and over what we (and you) feel should be obvious. Unfortunately (and here's the problem), we're talking to the oblivious. Can you imagine how we feel when we have to justify ourselves to one of our own? Backs get raised, sure. Hey, you don't made big changes in society by being meek! Yeah, we can get our backs up - some of us. But we put them down real fast, too. Especially when we throw off the "What The Fuck!" and start to consider that someone who wasn't there to see it first hand or to live it (like some of us here) might have the wrong impression of what it was like. Drugs, sure, absolutely. No sense in denying it. We, as a group, consumed an awful lot of drugs. Some of us didn't; some of us did; some did a lot; some got burned; some died. But we did an awful lot of other things, too. The accomplishments have already been listed, so I won't belabor everyone with another recitation.

Bottom line: we caused a lot of good things to happen. While doing so, we, in some peoples minds, did a lot of bad things. Thing is, we did them to ourselves.

You ought to stick around and try chatting us up on other topics. Who knows what you might learn.;)

Walk safely, sister.

[shameless_heifer]

Hiya Luvn.
It saddens me to think that after all we gave and all we went through we are only remembered as using drugs. Everything else was forgotten or never noticed in the first place :(

[luvndrumn]

Hiya Luvn.
It saddens me to think that after all we gave and all we went through we are only remembered as using drugs. Everything else was forgotten or never noticed in the first place :(It is sad, but the media puts these thoughts out and we've been fighting the media for... when did we bury "Hippy"?

Another tune for you, this one by CSN&Y:

You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so become yourself
Because the past is just a good-bye.
Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh
and know they love you.

And you, of tender years,
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth,
They seek the truth before they can die.

Teach your parents well,
Their children's hell will slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.

Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

[shameless_heifer]

THank you luvn dear, that did make me smile as I sang along.
Peace my Friend.
sh

[SLOTH]

Good Morning everyone~
All good thoughts on the questions
that Ursula brought up~
Luvn:
That song still has so much meaning
and holds true even in these times~
Teepi:
I did not know that you are an artist too~
Your work is beautiful~
Do you have a link or web site devoted to your work?
I would like to see more~
SH:
I am hoping that your emotions are in
sink today and your heart is happy
in starting off this new day~
I really felt your anguish yesterday
in trying so hard to explain to Ursula how it was~
It was not easy,it is not easy,but the brave hearts and strong spirits
in each of us has a way of getting us through our darkest times~
Do you have wild Turkey where you live SH?
Any plans for the Thankgiving and Christmas holiday season that you
would like to share with us?
Take care,
As always C


PS !!!!
SH~
Have you ever heard of milk thistle?
It is supposed to fix liver problems and
was just recomended to me by my GYN Dr.
I would like to know what you if you know
anything about it before I buy it~
Thanks~

[adrian nor]

I believe you hippies changed the world in a good way. Made us more liberal and happy, but too many got selfishly into dope and shit. Not good! I don't say that you should never ever use drugs, but many people start with the wrong kinds and over-dose or get addicted. As my grand father says(really cool dude! I think he's an ex-hippie and he's into computers. :p ): "Everything in moderation!" People think weed is bad becouse some people have to smoke it every day! What if you moderated you use... Then you wouldn't have to get temporarily nuts!
BUT, there's nothing wrong with smoking now and then!http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/smilies/humm.gif I think the psychedelics did humanity really good! But be careful! You can go sereously nuts and evertrip from that shit!

[luvndrumn]

I believe you hippies changed the world in a good way. Made us more liberal and happy, but too many got selfishly into dope and shit. Not good! I don't say that you should never ever use drugs, but many people start with the wrong kinds and over-dose or get addicted. As my grand father says(really cool dude! I think he's an ex-hippie and he's into computers. :p ): "Everything in moderation!" People think weed is bad becouse some people have to smoke it every day! What if you moderated you use... Then you wouldn't have to get temporarily nuts!
BUT, there's nothing wrong with smoking now and then!http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/smilies/humm.gif I think the psychedelics did humanity really good! But be careful! You can go sereously nuts and evertrip from that shit!adrian nor, hello!:cool:

What is "too many"? Some may think one is too many. I don't bother to think on it; it's done; it's the past.

I add to your grandfather's saying by saying "Even moderation"!;)
(Why is he an "ex-hippy"?)

I haven't seen anyone go nuts, temporarily or permanently, from smoking weed. Nor have I heard of such. Would you care to enlighten me?

Yes, psychotropics aren't for everyone. And the drag is, how do you know untill you try? So we lost some souls there. Of course, it could have been the quality of the substance and not the subject.

[mimosa]

Hiya Luvn.
It saddens me to think that after all we gave and all we went through we are only remembered as using drugs. Everything else was forgotten or never noticed in the first place :(
thanks, sh, that is a very true statement. there was so much more going on than drugs, and yet it all gets lumped together like that. Media hype? I'm not sure. but in the 60's I was more an observer (very young but still). and things I learned then from the hippie culture were more ideas than anything. I learned it was ok to question authority, at a very young age; I guess that is scary to some folks. I'm sure I internalized more than that, but that is one thing that has stuck with me.

and luvndrum, great CSNY lyrics to quote here. when I first heard that song in the 70's I never thought that someday down the road my own kids would be teaching me, as I taught them, it's a beautiful cycle of Life.

[luvndrumn]

and luvndrum, great CSNY lyrics to quote here. when I first heard that song in the 70's I never thought that someday down the road my own kids would be teaching me, as I taught them, it's a beautiful cycle of Life.Yeah, they were pretty sharp for a bunch of wet-behind-the-ears, know-nothing, throw-shit-in-the-old-ones'-faces, walk-away-laughing punks, weren't they?! Kinda like some of the younguns in here, eh?;)


"Ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strain) ch-ch-ch-changes..."http://hipforums.com/forums/images/icons/newicons/icon16.gif

[gdhmomchild]

Hiya Luvn.
It saddens me to think that after all we gave and all we went through we are only remembered as using drugs. Everything else was forgotten or never noticed in the first place :(
...the amount of kids, here and in chat that say shit like "I wanna be a hippie but I don't do drugs, is that ok?" or "what do I do to become a hippie" or the ones that get upset and say we aren't hippies because we aren't talking about saving the world and spirituality 24/7....
Sometimes it feels like we have become nothing to others but a cliche of dress and drugs and I believe its due in part to their shallowness to not look any farther than that. If they did they would actually have to do a little digging and reading.

[old tiger]

Being a hippie has got nothing to do with clothes..drugs..
it's a feeling inside..a state of mind..a way of living..
no more and no less..in the roaring sixties..
there was the music,the clothes..the image of the hippies..
now we can only dream about that..and look back..
Emiel

[sensamelia]

you are so right emiel gone are the days of flower power to be a hippy is to be at one with your self amnd your life to be happy and always holsd on to a sense of freedom

[gdhmomchild]

Being a hippie has got nothing to do with clothes..drugs..
it's a feeling inside..a state of mind..a way of living..
no more and no less..in the roaring sixties..
there was the music,the clothes..the image of the hippies..
now we can only dream about that..and look back..
Emiel
I look both ways when I cross the "street"

[PolishVixen420]

We need to pull together, my hippie friends. I just need a few good hippies to help me start a cursade of peace and love. Peace and love starts with yourself. If you can attain these characteristics, you are a true hippie. Join me, my friends. I am a leader with a plan! We can make peace through good leaders with good plans to change the world. 1) Achive self created peace! 2) Preach and spread your ideas to others. 3) World Peace!

[Ursula Buendia]

Dear teepi, thank you very much for your words.
I' didn't mean to judje you all, I just had my opinion and some questions, However, I understand that for you it's hard to hear when someone says "it could be better if no drugs" and I understood what you felt when I said it. If I were you, I would have the same reaction. Please don't think that I don't see want you have done. I've written this above too, but you were concentrating on negative words, I understand.
Dear Sh, Thank you for our dialog, 'cause now I know that I'm doing something for the world! I mean, I was helping poor people in the streets and feeding homeless animals for some years, but I didn't know that it's SOMETHING. I mean for me that was very usual and I was always asking myself: when will you start doing something?? I didn't recognize that I am doing something already. When you told me what were you doing to help others, I understood that I began to be helpful for the world already and if it's the begining, next steps will be more and more helpful! It was wonderful feeling when I recognized it! Thank you!
And please sorry if I was rude to you SH and others. I was thinking we were just disccussing but it wasn't so.
I had second discovery! I recognized that I'm hippy. Someone has written above that hippy isn't clothes, drugs - it's love and peace in the heart. I thought I wan't hippy 'cause I sometimes become nervous and abuse others if I don't like their activity/words. However, when SH told me that words and than explained me, that we all are humans and have emotions, I found that I'm hippy - cause I'm pacifist, and want world to be guided by love! It has no matter what I wear, use I drugs or not, am I emotional person or just flegma. Thank you for understanding it!
I love you all!

[shameless_heifer]

Ursula,
It's cool. As long as you found what you were looking for all is well.
Brightest Blessings.
sh

[poor_old_dad]

Dear Friends and Gentlepeople,

I've been reading some of the past couple week's postings to this thread and would like to add a few of my thoughts.

Drugs :

I think the term "drugs" is almost as hard to define as the term "Hippie". My definition is - a drug is something introduced into a living thing (people and other animals plus plants) for the purpose of changing that living thing. So "drug" would include herbs, asprin, caffine, pot, etc., etc.

I also know that in common use "drugs" means (mostly) non-prescription substances used to alter the user. I think is is worth remembering a few things about these drugs. Most are not new, most (pot, alcohol, tobacco etc) have been being used a long, long time. Not all hippies use(d) drugs and not all drugs are used only by hippies. I think that things like "the peace movement" are the actions of groups (BTW - not all hippies). Drug usage is the action of individuals.

Old Hippies:

One of the things that has bugged me for a long time is that some folks around these forums seem to think that us old hippies are some sort of idols, heros or keepers of some great and secret knowledge; that we are in someway unique, special and capable of actions that others are incapable of. Yes, we as individuals and in groups have tried to help, but that did not start with us nor will it end with us. The biggest difference is that old hippies have been at the party longer.

This thread started out as "We were gonna change the world...what happened?"My answer is, we've changed it. And the changeing is still happening. In the past 15 years or so the Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain came down. Many countries ended their totalatarian governments and became democrocies. Nelson Mandela was released from prison and Apartheid ended. All these changes have come about WITHOUT A WAR!!

Are there still problems? - clearly. More to be done? - yep.

And now the big one - Can we do it? I think we can. I think we will.

As "luvndrumn" did, I'll now quote CSN&Y (mostly Steven Stills):

"But you know we gotta do it

We gotta keep on keeping on

Because if we don't do it nobody else is gonna

But you know if we can't do it with a smile on our face

You know if we can't love in our hearts then children we ain't got no right to do it at all

Because it just means we ain't learned nothing yet

We're supposed to be some kind of different"


And to "Ursula Buendia", my definitation of a hippie: If you think you're a hippie and if other hippies think you're a hippie, then you are a hippie.


Peace,
poor_old_dad

[hippiewise]

amen my brother, amen, truer words never spoken, we gotta keep on keepin on and fight the good fight for freedom, in a peaceful way that is
hippiewise

[teepi]

POD....you're the best.
love,
teepi

[luvndrumn]

Ya rode the storm out! Glad to see you out and about.:D

[Schlüßelberg]

Off-topic, but: Ursula, is German your native language?

[Goddess Om]

My dear beautiful ones...we have to keep grooving as hard as we can...we have to send out our deepest and strongest blessings...we have to be powerful and gentle...we have to find our purest, most tender heart and give it out to the world...we have to be the sacred keepers of that flame that we kindled so long ago, so it stays alive and ignites others to burn with the same desire for peace and love and freedom...we have to reclaim the wildness within us so we can keep the wilderness without...we have to love eachother fiercely and passionately...before hope dies away

[Ursula Buendia]

Ursula,
It's cool. As long as you found what you were looking for all is well.
Brightest Blessings.
sh
Thanks!
Soo.... friends again? :)


And to "Ursula Buendia", my definitation of a hippie: If you think you're a hippie and if other hippies think you're a hippie, then you are a hippie.
I'm afraid of ask others yet :)

[Ursula Buendia]

Off-topic, but: Ursula, is German your native language?
Off-tipic: nein, aber meine andere Fremdsprache ist Deutsch und ich glaube ich habe Problems im Schreibung, weil du das gefragt hast :)

[poor_old_dad]

amen my brother, amen, truer words never spokenNamaste

Thank you kindly.

Ya rode the storm out! Glad to see you out and about.Actually, none of the storms have effected me. I've had health problems, computer blew up, family and farm problems etc. Just a sucky several months. Now I'm borrowing computer time from my youngest son's friend. BTW, thanks for the email, I'm guessing you didn't get my reply (it was from another friend's computer). But, things are improving here and I hope to be around more.

POD....you're the best.

love,

teepiTeepi ... well, you know......


I'm afraid of ask others yetDear Lady, you need not ask others. We who are considered hippies see you as one too.


Even though a lot of good has been done, it is worth remembering that the "work" is still going on. Every day there are anti-war and pro-environment demonstrations. Work is continuing on racial and sexual equality. The fight continues against hunger, poverty and homelessness.

We were going to change the world ... what happened? Well we have and still are changing it. I think a better questions would be: what are we (each and in groups) doing now? What else can we do?

I've said it before, "The world still needs hippies".

Peace,
poor_old_dad

[InSearchOfMore]

note that I have only read the first few pages

Fellow brothers and sisters. Wheres the passion?? Wheres the truth and love? I am of the younger generation. And it seems to me that we are feeling pushed and pulled. Enough! We must rise again! The world is in our hands. She will one day conqour. with or with out our help. I want to beleive that we can change more. I aggree with the thought that many were posers. Otherwise where are they today?? We need to revolt again. We need to oppose the system we have all let our selves get stuckin. I have been poor, and rich. And I am happier being poor, then I ever was with money. I can understand having to keep one foot in the system, to support a family. But why did so many give up their beleifs. Why werent they passed down. Why are we stuck in middle class white suburbia?? Let the pendullum swing back, but this time, lets not let it go so easily.

Love and peace from your children of the garden

[Bosnia_hippi]

We must change change world...and search for peace,love,freedom,happines..the primary goals of hippiedom...of my mind!!
I SAY: TURN ON,TUNE IN,DROP OUT!....'cause we must drop out
By turn on,i dont think 'bout drogs!!! Let it be your mind,soul,spirit....tomorrow never comes,so live for today,it's all one fuckin' day...
we have earth enyoy in mother earth,don fuck it...and just search for LOVE,and FREEDOM. it doesen't matter who you are...it matter's what you are!
Peace :)

[luvhuffer]

We did change the world. And we made it (are making it) better. The environmental movement (if there had been no hippies we all would have been eating a lot more frankenfoods a long time ago), equal rights for women (still working on equal pay for equal work), forcing the white establishment to look at racial equality. The blacks made the civil rights movement but I think a lot of young kids shamed their parents into really seeing what was going on, and come to the realization that we were telling them the truth. The realization by ordinary people, about what it was about, forced the law makers into action for change. Not that it's perfect now a lot of racial inequality still exists. But our silence would have slowed the advancements.There are more examples out there I'm sure.

I went into a tirade about drugs and the influence to use them being generated more by the government, than by us, in another thread. So I'm not going to get into that again. I do think LSD was a good thing and a powerful influence on us to see that alternative realities were just as real and/or meaningful as our everyday visions (if you don't believe that then you've never had a meaningful conversation with a tree <g>). That brought hope that even the most far out ideas were possible. For all you who were there, I love you guys. We did good work, even though at times we were too fucking stoned to see it. We all have lost brothers and sisters to the drugs, but nothing compared to the brothers and sisters we are STILL losing to fucking wars, and arrogant jingoistic bullshit being still perpetrated on us by the worlds governments, (though some seem to want to give exclusive credit to the US for being bad, but honey it's fucking all of them!) and their lap dogs the media.

http://angryhippy.net/images/noname1a.bmp
This is not a solution!

EDIT: Welcome Bosnia Hippi. Keep those thoughts!

[luvhuffer]

And I am happier being poor, then I ever was with money.

InSearchOf. I couldn't agree with you more. A belly full of rice feels the same as a belly full of ChateauBriand. It's just the after taste that's different. Some of us haven't given up just yet, and probably never will. And yes there were a lot of fuckin posers/weekend hippies. Always has been, and always will be. Whether hippies, or conservative politicians who are suddenly concerned about the environment and jobs, now that the '06 election draws near.

Vote GREEN (http://www.gp.org/). Vote Often

[MikeE]

One of our biggest changes is the recognition of non-violence in opposition to the Man. We have changed the movement into a non-violent one.

OH, yeah "What happened?" well, we grew up and realized that the world is not a static thing. As youth we saw the world and we were going to change it. Over the years, I have realized that the world was going to change, with me or without my help. It always has and it always will. The world is bigger than me. All I can do is keep on chugging in my part of it.

[teepi]

Larry and I gave upalot of things to be able to live as we want.
Our truck is 21 years old,we have no running water or septic.
I sew alot of my clothes and shop in thrift stores,we eat ALOT of rice and beans.
We do not work for anyone else.
We never go out to eat,or to bars.
Our main type of outside entertainment comes from the library and our own music.
I garden,sew and cook to make things stretch and to do things for myself.
I paint for enjoyment and to make the 240.00 we need to live each month now.

And I have never been happier.

We were talking about success earlier today and I said that if you asked alot of people what that meant they would probably say"succes is making alot of money"

To me success is doing what makes you happy.

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here...

[hippiewise]

good advice voided, look within yourself, be the best person you can, don't lie to a loved one or a friend/be honest, don't pollute, work for world peace (no matter how bad it really is), treat yourself and other's with respect, love your higher power, oh ya and follow the golden rule

[teepi]

HAHA Sloth I cook them alot of different ways.
Alot of the time it comes down to what I happen to have to flavor them up with.
I love black beans. Ilove black bean soup too.
When I serve it I put a spoon of sour cream and chopped green onion on top.
Alot of times I cook them with a bit of ham or kielbasa.
And sometimes chicken.
In the summer I use what I can out of the garden fresh. I plant tomatillo's and use them with celery,onion.peppers (all kinds) and garlic for a base. Add cut chicken and let that cook covered ,then add my cooked beans. Pinto's, black,or red.
Then serve over rice. We only eat brown rice.
I love red beans and rice also. And we eat that with tomatoes,onion garlic and broth. I like to use ham or sausage in it.

I also like bean soup...navy or pinto. Pinto beans over rice with grated cheddar is something I can eat 3-4 times a week. Larry likes more of a variety but that with some corn bread and I am in gastromic heaven....

[Sus]

Mmmm..I just ate dinner, and I want to eat again, Teepi!

[teepi]

SUS!!!
So happy to see you!!!

HAHA we just ate too...no beans tonight.
Braised chicken with a ton of garlic.
Onions.carrots and red potatoes with a wine gravy.
Homemade buttermilk/flax bread.
I drank wine...apple we mage this summer and Larry had tea.
Pumpkin pie for dessert.

I just love to cook....a blessing and a curse..hahhahaha

[Sus]

Oh dear...I'm becoming faint... I'm immediately heading north; do you have any leftovers??? :D

[SLOTH]

Godd morning teepie,
I am for sure coming over to eat...lol
I read my husband your post,he said yep~
She's Cuban~Nice!
So far I like everything about you as a person~
Love how you incorperate your cooking,painting,and gadning skills
to reflect who you are and where you are coming from on this mb~
A lovely lady and a nice friend to have~
P.S. My husband and I enjoy each and every painting you post for us~
Gabba Gabba Hey~

Hey Steve~
Be careful,you are making me jelouse~
I cook good too babe~
I guess me and teepie will have to share you~
LMAO and only joking around for some light hearted fun~

[Hippie Chick 349]

We did change the world. And we made it (are making it) better. The environmental movement (if there had been no hippies we all would have been eating a lot more frankenfoods a long time ago), equal rights for women (still working on equal pay for equal work), forcing the white establishment to look at racial equality. The blacks made the civil rights movement but I think a lot of young kids shamed their parents into really seeing what was going on, and come to the realization that we were telling them the truth. The realization by ordinary people, about what it was about, forced the law makers into action for change. Not that it's perfect now a lot of racial inequality still exists. But our silence would have slowed the advancements.There are more examples out there I'm sure.

I went into a tirade about drugs and the influence to use them being generated more by the government, than by us, in another thread. So I'm not going to get into that again. I do think LSD was a good thing and a powerful influence on us to see that alternative realities were just as real and/or meaningful as our everyday visions (if you don't believe that then you've never had a meaningful conversation with a tree <g>). That brought hope that even the most far out ideas were possible. For all you who were there, I love you guys. We did good work, even though at times we were too fucking stoned to see it. We all have lost brothers and sisters to the drugs, but nothing compared to the brothers and sisters we are STILL losing to fucking wars, and arrogant jingoistic bullshit being still perpetrated on us by the worlds governments, (though some seem to want to give exclusive credit to the US for being bad, but honey it's fucking all of them!) and their lap dogs the media.

http://angryhippy.net/images/noname1a.bmp
This is not a solution!

EDIT: Welcome Bosnia Hippi. Keep those thoughts!Are you sure that this might not be the BEST solution? Thousands of lives lost to this war, in this picture only one would die - not bad, not bad.

I was about 9 when I went door to door getting signatures on a petition to halt the deportation of John Lennon. I was there in the 70's peace movement. I walked out of my classroom with all of my classmates and we sat in silence on the front lawn of the school in protest of the war. We thought we were so cool. We wore love beads and painted flowers on our cheeks and believed in all these infantile concepts that were idealistic and pretty and fairy-tale-like. But, all these years later I look back and realize how ignorant and naive we were. Overconfident. We believed so strongly in peace and love and freedom all being able to exist side by side and felt that if we waited and chanted and sang long enough, loud enough and strong enough, someone would listen and the rest of the world would catch on. We were overconfident but it worked.

The next time you see the news reports of the war in Iraq, notice that the women soldiers are right there next to their male counterparts. We wanted to be equal (women) and we're damn close. We've helped to open up all those doors for women. A woman can be a doctor, a lawyer, an astronaught, a high ranking polititian. WE DID THAT, KIDDIES! We helped that cause along - yes - the hippies along with the blacks and the space aliens and anyone else who wanted to follow along. It was very hip to have a "cause." It was like, all of a sudden we realized that we were the same and that no one color of the rainbow was any more brilliant than any other and yet, that's what was all around us - separation - we wanted to come together and we did.

The results of our actions have dominoed slowly over the years. The sexual revolution, the make love not war mentality, don't even know you're name but I think you're cute so let's make love, gave us VD, Aids, children who didn't know who their fathers were, babies named Moonbeam and Sunshine who had to live with that for the rest of their lives. Overconfident. We loved the name Moonbeam, why would we think that Junior wouldn't be happy with it?

The 60's was great but we've grown up and hopefully we've learned something. But we're still waiting for someone else to start the movement. One day it will happen and hopefully the kids of today will be a little smarter than we were and a little less stoned.

Drugs. There arn't many that I didn't do, there arn't many that I did that I didn't abuse and that didn't abuse me! They were just man-made chemical solutions to problems we didn't even want to admit we had! Why do people take drugs? To feel better. Why do people need to feel better? There's a question to look at. What's wrong with us that we need to feel better? The only drug I believe in is mother earth's drug - pot. Man didn't have mix it or chemically change it or whatever. Pot alone is the Creator's little gift to us. The rest of it is garbage, absolute poison. But when was the last time you heard of someone dropping down dead from smoking weed?

The power of peace is not in the white house, it's in you. It's in me. It's in the guy living next door and the lady working at the desk next to you. The 60's taught us how to swim, we tried it out in the 70's and nearly drowned, the 80's were placid as well as the 90's. The turn of the century has come and gone. We know how to swim...so let's jump in. Why don't we just do it?

Simplistic solutions don't exist. Once we chanted peacefully "Give Peace A Chance." Now, we must DEMAND that we Give Peace A Try.

September 21, 2006 - National Peace Day

We need to use our minds, our spirits and focus on forward-looking and figure out what to do and what exactly to peacefully yet loudly demand. Let's not make the same mistakes we made when we were kids and certainly, let's not lead today's kids down this same old road, although it was pleasant and fun and crazy, we could have accomplished so much more than we did. Overconfident.

We need to be leaders, all of us, young, old, rich and poor. Let's take back our country. We've got our hands full right here on U.S. soil sorting out the war mongers. Then, when we've conquored that we can move on to the rest of the world. It's easy to sit in front of your computer and type cute little posts but what YOU need to do is to take action.

We need something to focus on. Not the definition of hippy or whether they bathed or did drugs and had crazy sex but focus on what YOU'RE GONNA DO today, tomorrow, on September 21, 2006. It's time to work together and give the power back to the people only this time, let's use that power a little more wisely, shall we? But let's not forget to be overconfident. It works. If you live a peace filled life full of love and compassion and allow everyone to live their own lives as they please as long as it does'nt hurt anyone else - it will catch on.
Give Peace A Try

[luvhuffer]

"Are you sure that this might not be the BEST solution?"

Guns are never a solution. I'd be willing to change my mind if I thought the outcome of Sick Georges offer in the picture could lead to an end to the fighting. Unfortunately the hate in the Middle East is passed to the children. Thereby continuing the madness there ad infinitum. Too bad Jerusalem can't be turned into a world owned city.

As for our own madness, the President fails to see and confront the truth about the war in Iraq. He refuses to acknowledge that the Iraq war has nothing to do with the 9/11 attack on our country by al Qaeda, and it has diverted us from our appropriate response to that attack which was to go into Afghanistan and hunt Osama Bin Laden. He refuses to acknowledge the fact that our long term presence in Iraq is fueling the very insurgency that the President vows to end. He refuses to acknowledge that any mistakes were made and that this war was based on false pretenses. He ignores the tremendous financial burden on our citizens, and he completely ignores the thousands of wounded that need to hear that they will not be forgotten and that they will receive the care they need. Finally, the President even refuses to acknowledge that Iraqi government officials believe that we can withdraw within a two-year time frame, and he continues to demean those members of Congress who disagree with him.

What an arrogant asshole. I wouldn't mind seeing him duel it out with Sodamn Insane though, in the hopes that Hussein could get off a quick shot.

Oh and all that moonbeam sunflower stuff? You forgot Grace and Paul's baby, God. Aside from that, nice post.

Love like you've never been hurt,
and dance like you do when nobody's watching

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here...

[Old Hippy]

I've been away from the forums for awhile, busy with life, and had to come back for some comfort. I've been just feeling kind of nostalgic lately and wondering what happend to the generation that was going to change the world? When I listen to the music I remember the feeling I had being a part of it all, thinking we really were gonna find a better way. I think a lot of us have, in our own lives, made a difference and lived out our beliefs, but on the whole I see little change in society.

I don't know, somebody refresh my memory and tell me we are better off, that we have made inroads, and have left a positive lasting impact for the following generations. I know there are some positives, but I'm having a hard time seeing them right now!

The best answer to this question is answered with the obvious.
Way too many of us (Including myself) spent way too much time getting high!



If our lives at the time would have been centered around social reform only; lots more stuff would have been changed for the better.



Sadly……..our lives at the time (at least mine) were centered around drugs, alcohol, parties, & music. People high on drugs generally don’t get a lot of productive stuff done.



We made our choices, now we all gotta live with the outcome.

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here...

[Hippie Chick 349]

Hippie Chick349, Luvhuffer, I would like to extend an invitation (http://new.trafficsector.com/ezula_proc.php?uid=3294392&ezid=121582&elid=9329#do_redir) to the 'Howdy' thread as Mark and i[steve]and all there would appreciate your thoughts and input on these issues that are ours to help sort out in this our chance to do something if nothing but reach consensus about possible solutions...[yeah, that was a long strange sentence..LOL]
I read your words and your both the type we wanta talk to. Feel FREE, cause thats what we're about.....Invited, am I? Well, well, well, I could never turn down an invitation to good, positive, inspirational and educational conversations any more than I could turn down an invitation to a party. I'll stop by and introduce myself but I'm warning you I'm a optimistic radical with pacifistic tendencies who occassionally likes to bitch and moan and comes up with all kinds of solutions but the implementation of these ideas sometimes elude me. Am I still invited?

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here...

[shameless_heifer]

Good Morning Everyone.. I hope you are all keeping warm (burrrr it's cold in texas). We have the fire blazing and had hot chocolate with marshmallows. UMMmmmm..

Welcome to The Garden Hippie Chick, I hope you find a place here with our ever growing family.
Brightest Blessing
sh

[Old Hippy]

Hey Old Hippy:
Good Point!
Type more often,ok?
Gabba Gabba Hey
Hey Sloth!

Listen man........I'm not saying we didn't make a mark.
I'm just saying we could have done much more if we just kept away from the stuff.

Then again........If it wasn't for the stuff it wouldn't have been as much fun!

I'm just happy I made noise when I felt things weren't right. I really believe people had to listen when we yelled, there were so many of us!

I really miss the days when I did as I pleased. Not like that now. :( Responsibility sucks! What really get's to me is that the same system I spent SO much time complaining about I got sucked into anyway. Oh well..........I fought the good fight as long as I could. Hangovers hurt a lot more today. I don't even want to talk about the other stuff. It's a killer today.

Never had any kids. I always said I would never bring another child into this world & I never did. Sometimes I wish I would have. Too late now........the old lady isn't popping any more eggs & I don't have the stamina I use ta. :)

[teepi]

3 words for ya old sweetie....Horny Goat Weed.....I have an excellent source if ya's interested....

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here...

[Old Hippy]

Teepi
Horny Goat weed? :eek:
What the flip flying is that?

Sloth
Growing up for me came reeeaaaal slow. I had to come to believe in a life within the same system that I fought tooth & nail against for quite a few years. If I would of been thinking at the time I would of been in school learning something that gave me a position within the system to really make changes.

Sometimes I feel like going back to my old friends and leaning against them for comfort and support. Problem is.........they only offer temporary relief for the things I really need to change within me. All in all it's been a good life so far. Besides.........who knows what wonderful stuff this old life has in store for me tomorrow. Sorry........got a little flippy there..........I run off like that sometimes. :&

Really though.........I make changes in the system today by trying to help others make changes within themselves. People with great minds very often wind up running ragged because they just can't make any sense out of the world they live in. Lot's of em wind up dead because it's easier than pushing. All in all I've found lot's of people on this rock are cool as hell!
So is life.......if I choose to allow it to be. ;)

[shameless_heifer]

Good word to heal by Old Hippie, Welcome to the Garden.

Every thing is frozen out side.. it looks crystaline, like a ice feairy castle in the land of frozen delites.
The ice makes it hard for the Cardinals to hold onto the Cammilia bush that threy love to twitter about in and the pink and red Cammilias frozen in time sparkling in their icey prison.. If fact I see no brids at the feeder at all, their little wing fearthers must be froze shut. The Donkey did not bray his mornin' greating to us this morning. He must be too confused by the cold white stuff all around.
With the seasons comes change. Change for all living things. Change is a constant and with it comes hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Blessed Be
sh

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here...

[shameless_heifer]

where is the howdy thread, I couldn't find it.

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here!

[earthmother]

I don't think we have EVER quit changing the world. Everything goes in cycles. Things happened fast and furious in the 60's. Then I think that "IT" just went into a sort of hibernation for a while, things settled down after Vietnam and there was no big cause to fight for. Rock and roll was already here to stay, and we got complacent. Well, the collective "we", anyhow. It's happening again, this world changing thing, but there are alot of things in life and the world that are different now. We still do what we do, the real caretakers of the earth, but it's taking alot more to wake people up from the haze. They're too spoiled, and drugged, and drunk, and they're just now starting to come around....

But when they do, and it's already happening, it won't be just "hippies", it'll be all sorts of folks, and the lines of division will fade quickly as it builds momentum.

The whole world is goin' to hell, but that is just the fuel we need to get this fire going again, and THIS time we'll have the blessing of the majority, and alot more help. If all us "old" hippies have to get off our collective butts to make things happen, then we should! We have the experience to guide and learn from, and teach others how. Lots of everyday folks are sick of the "way it is", but just don't have the gumption or knowledge to move foreward. Most folks are followers. So, we need to give them a light and encouragement to show them the way. We're not done yet, just perfecting our approach...

[SLOTH]

Sloth Outta Here!

[bamboo]

I don't think we are done yet. Yea, we had to stop for a while and do that biology / darwin thing where we procreated and raised our families and all that. But from what i see the spark is still there and now we will have the spare time (again) to pursue it. I have connected with more old friends in the last two years and like minded souls then in most of the time that I was tied up in that passing on the gene pool thing. I mean, you know, some things were preordained by our genetic make up and just had to be done. But now........

[trystn]

I was born in 1960 and greatly influenced by Peace, Love, Togetherness and all that hopefull hippy "change the world" hype. You guys did change the world! But then many of our parents who rebelled in the 60's sold out to capitalism in the 70's and 80's. By the time I was old enough to stand for something, the only things left to stand for were Sex, Drugs, Rock-N-Roll and "If it feels good, do it." Self-expression (self-indulgence) was promoted while the media learned how to manipulate me better, corporations learned how to steal more from me, and the government learned how to control me more than they had ever excercised control over previous generations. (They decided they could never let another social revolution occur.) Once I was totally confused, broke and addicted to that CIA California Cocaine, they changed all the rules! Now they started telling everyone to "Just Say No", practice safe sex, live healthy and take one of these new prescription drugs to fix... whatever.

I am an original product of the break up of the family and the break down of social values. Prayer, parents and morals were all stripped from my formative years and were replaced with "comfortably numb". The TV didn't raise me. Black Sabbath, Aerosmith and Ted Nugent did! I was stuck between social revolution and the threat of nuclear disaster with nothing to stand for or to fight for.

Need a cause? How about the systematic and ever increasing pharmaceutical lobotomy being carried out on the masses. Young and old, rich and poor. Nobody needs to feel anything anymore. Passion, sorrow, anger and rebellion are becoming obsolete. If a kid at school is an individual now, they put them on a pill to bring them in line with the rest of the sheep that are being led to slaughter.

And what about Peace, Love and Togetherness? I have looked, but they evade me.

But hey, I am hopeful. I'm hopeful that I will find some of that here. Maybe get involved with something I can believe in. I am a cause waiting to happen. hehe

Peace!

[hippiewise]

yes i feel that so many of the 60's hippies became yuppies. but so many people just jumped on the bandwagon during the 60's and 70's, they weren't true hippies and protestors, just wanted to get in on the free sex and drugs. recently i have been going to spearhead concerts, a reggae/rock/funk band that are very political, they are out of san francisco but are a world known band, there are so many hippies, old and young at these concerts,that it gives me hope for a new day. check out their website:

www.stayhuman.org (http://www.stayhuman.org/)

angel

[trystn]

I dig the ism on the home page of stayhuman, "You can bomb the world to pieces but you can't bomb it into Peace."

Thanks for your reply angel. The last group that I came close to relating to was Matchbox 20 (their first albumn) and the Counting Crows, Perfect Blue Buildings.

How does your group relate to either of my "issue" suggestions? 1. Contrived and intentional pharmaceutical lobotomization of society, and 2. The search for true Peace, Love and Togetherness?

Peace - Trystn

[mimosa]

Now they started telling everyone to "Just Say No", practice safe sex, live healthy and take one of these new prescription drugs to fix... whatever.....

Need a cause? How about the systematic and ever increasing pharmaceutical lobotomy being carried out on the masses. Young and old, rich and poor. Nobody needs to feel anything anymore. Passion, sorrow, anger and rebellion are becoming obsolete. If a kid at school is an individual now, they put them on a pill to bring them in line with the rest of the sheep that are being led to slaughter.

And what about Peace, Love and Togetherness? I have looked, but they evade me.

But hey, I am hopeful. I'm hopeful that I will find some of that here. Maybe get involved with something I can believe in. I am a cause waiting to happen. hehe

Peace!
trystn, stick around, don't listen to the media and the government pawns, just say no to the pharmaceutical industry (one of my major gripes too, I could elaborate but will save it for another time). I hope you find some peace here....the world is ever changing....especially these days I think. hope you find what you are looking for.

[trystn]

Right on mimosa. I'd like to hear more of your thoughts about the pharmaceutical industry. What do you think of the suggestion that the trend to medicate everyone in this country for any little thing may be an effort to insure control of the masses?

Trystn

[dlo24844]

Gid'ay Mimosa.I was born in '61 and I understand how you feel.In the late'70s early '80's Iwas just waiting for "IT" to happen but it never did.Igobbled down all the Psychedelics I could ,they were spiritually rewarding but people couldn't understand.They said I lived in the past, and I would say no no no Ilive for the future but anyway I learnt one hell of a lot and still believe in it. Love and peace Sis.

[luvndrumn]

Right on mimosa. I'd like to hear more of your thoughts about the pharmaceutical industry. What do you think of the suggestion that the trend to medicate everyone in this country for any little thing may be an effort to insure control of the masses?

TrystnControl the masses? Bro, they already have something to do that. It's called teevee. And whilst you're watching mindnumbing crap like "Survivor: Guatamala" (did you know that that fuckin thing's last episode made headlines? HEADLINES!!:$), they bombard you with ads for everything from shit to help you sleep cuz you're so stressed out to shit what will help you get a woodie cuz you're so stressed out. Exxon and Ely Lilly: dem's da bosses!

[poor_old_dad]

OK, I think a lot of us are (still) pissed and we should be. In this old hippie's opinion, we've made progress and changed some things and helped prevent other things from being as bad as they would have been. Some may disagree with that and I think that's fine too. But, one thing I think we can all agree on is that in many areas a lot more needs to be done. Just look around, peace, economic justice, the environment, the homeless, the hungry ...OK, we all know that it's a long list. What I keep wondering is what are we going to do about it. Of course, a some of us have been and still are working on various causes for years, decades in fact.

Now I could be as full of stuffing as a thanksgiving turkey, but I seem to sense a new era of activism starting. And it would make sense if that does happen. I mean look at the situation. Most of us who have been around a while are into the "empty nest" time of our lives and so we have time (and in some cases money) to get active ( in mass, as a group, focused) again. And there are a LOT of younger hippies all around who are just as committed. Also we have this, right here, the internet. An organizational tool the power of which the world has never seen.

From the above, my mind wandered on to - How to do it? What my thinking keeps coming to is that we (as a group) need to be more politically active, and here's why. I think it's time to start working harder on making changes from the inside. To do that we'll have to get "some of our own" elected. I'm not talking her about the office of U.S. President (at least not for a while). I talking about city, county and state government. I'm talking about U.S.House and Senate. As I see it, only by changing laws and spending will true, large and permanent change be made.

Note - I know these forums have members around the world, but let's face it, if the U.S.A. can be straightened out and made a responsible member of the world community, the whole planet would be better.

Now, how to get "some of our own" elected. Well to start with I have dismissed the Democrates and Republicans (or as I call them - the Dummy-crates and the Repugnant-ones). As I see it they are two sides of the same coin, when what's needed is a whole new currency. My thought is that a big part of the problem is the "two party system". I think the "two party system" is a lot of the cause for the lack of voting. I think that there are too sides to too many issues for an "either or" system to truely represent the most people. In any other democracy (other than USA) there are many, many political parties, which I think leads to them being truer democracies. All this means either starting a new political party or finding an existing one that is close to what we want.

Well, these are my opinions and what I think. What do ya'll think?

Peace,
poor_old_dad

[earthmother]

Unfortunately I think that getting involved in politics will only work just so far, because "hippy" isn't exactly synonymous with "politician". I know there are some real activist folks out there who would gladly jump in, God love 'em, But I think alot of hippies have a problem with the "guys in charge" scenerio. It takes a certain type of person to WANT to be in charge. Now, the good news to this, It would be relatively easy to get your foot in the door politically, especially in smaller communities where there is almost no one on the ballots, and very few people actually vote. A couple years ago in my hometown they had an election, not sure who running for what, but most of those candidates had no competition, and only about 30 people even voted!! How hard would it be to take over something like that? There is a town nearby that has alot of hippies in the political scenery for this very reason. People were so apathertic about what was going on politically in their town, and some hippies went to a couple town meetings and figured it out. So they got real active, and got things moving in a certain way. Sort of took over. It's only on a small scale, but a bunch of small pieces add up to one very big puzzle.

Now here's an idea for you... I had a crazy friend who, back in the 70's, started an "anarchist escort service"! (She had connections in the world of money and power.) Of course she didn't call it that, but the theory was to have beautiful hippy women working undercover as "escorts" (we all know what that means) for big name politicians. They would use their "pull" (no pun intended) to get these guys to do and vote in certain ways. Even going so far as blackmail. I guess it was a short lived but rather successful idea. Radical to say the least...

[El Duce]

Flowers dont work well against guns and a material world.

[trystn]

Shotgunning: Lot's of great ideas and no focus. Seems like we're putting the cart before the horse. Perhaps it would be a good idea to establish the cause first, then discuss ways to work for change or reform. I'm not sure if this forum has a poll option, but maybe we can each list one specific cause we are interested in discussing. I will volunteer to keep track of these over the remainder of the week. I will then post a list from which we can choose an issue that we as a group can discuss ways to work together on?

I know I'm new here, but I sense that many of you feel like I do. We know there are plenty of us from our generation who would like to get involved and do something, yet we are fragmented and unorganized. Wanting to do something is a long way from actually doing it.

As I stated earlier, having been born in 1960, by the time I was a teen the cultural/social revolution was over. Attitudes changed from the "WE" generation to the "ME" generation. I think that is the one element that I have missed most in my life, and one I need to have. That is, uniting with those of my generation and working together with them to acheive something positive.

Alright then, far out! I'll go ahead and jump out on the limb and start a list. Here's an issue I am concerned with.

1) The drugging of America's children.

I've been guilty at times of talking alot and doing little. I know it's cliche', but action does speak louder than words. I hope others will join me to at least take this first step. PM me with your issue, or post it in this thread. I will start a new thread with the ideas as they are received. Then.... well, we just take the next step.

Peace - Trystn

[trystn]

Alrighty then... Time to get real.

I want to believe that I have finally found a place where I don't have to wear my boots to wade through through the bullshit? I think one of the most positive attributes the 60's gave me is my desire to always be transparent, real, honest and sincere. Sadly, those qualities are a deficit to success in our society. And it's no revelation to anyone that the Internet is filled with people who are fake. I have a feeling that I will find that Hip Forums is, at least to some degree, an exception to that rule.

I will then post a list from which we can choose an issue that we as a group can discuss ways to work together on?Check it out...

http://hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135611

Power to the People Baby!

Peace - Trystn

[mimosa]

trystn, I do have thoughts to post on that subject, still thinking them out...

[trystn]

Anarchic Harmony eh? Sounds good but will never work. People must be governed. Bob Dylan said it best, You gotta serve somebody. It is the way in which we are governed that poses the problem. Our government is supposed to be Of the people, By the people and For the people. Unfortunately, in many cases it is Of the elite, By the one with the most money and For the special interest groups. However, even though I couldn't stomach it myself, I think the suggestion of getting involved in local politics to effect changes in your own community is a sound one. If you can't beat them from the outside, join them and do it from within.

Grass roots activist groups are also a proven and effective way to initiate change. Look what MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) was able to accomplish. The ACLU and NAACP both began as a small group of people with a common goals, issues and interests. The NRA is another example and I'm sure there are plenty more. (By the way, I am not endorsing or opposing the above named groups.)

It's not enough to just say, "Fuck the government." Without a voice, you're the one that is going to get fucked. And quite frankly, I've been fucked long enough.

Peace - Trystn

[zzand]

LoL...

http://83.149.116.22/preview/667637475.jpg (http://www.imagecash.net/image.php?file=667637475&owner=goodday)http://83.149.116.22/preview/123784650.jpg (http://www.imagecash.net/image.php?file=123784650&owner=goodday)http://83.149.116.24/preview/62672057.jpg (http://www.imagecash.net/image.php?file=62672057&owner=goodday)

[luvhuffer]

The world is being manipulated the same way gas is. They take it from $2/gal to $2.75, then after awhile were happy that it has gone down to $2.50 before they raise it to $3. The same is done with our political parties. John Kerry and George Bush were both Skull and Bones (http://www.parascope.com/articles/0997/skullbones.htm) men. They are being controlled by the Bilderberg group. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3773019.stm)

In 2004 while everyone was concentrating on the election the Bilderberg Group was meeting to discuss the 2008 elections. They are letting Bush take us to $3.50 a gal. Then the next president will be a Democrat to take us to $3. So who did they choose? I don't know, but I found it interesting that Kerrys' running mate John Edwards (http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040606-103603-4126r.htm) was at The Bilderberg meeting in Stresa. So were a few others. Those who don't believe in the conspiracy theory about a shadow government running the world are naive and foolish.

2003
Guests in the 2003 Bilderberg Meeting included:

US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Richard Perle
David Rockefeller as well as various other members of the Rockefeller family
Henry Kissinger
Queen Beatrix
Bill Gates
Carlos M. Collazo
High officials of various assorted governments

2004
Guests in the 2004 Bilderberg Meeting, held from June 3 to June 6 in Stresa, Italy:

Many of the people who attended in 2003
British Petroleum chief John Browne
US Senator John Edwards
World Bank president James Wolfensohn
British Prime Minister Tony Blair
President George W. Bush
Melinda Gates, wife of Bill Gates
[edit]
2005
Guests in the 2005 Bilderberg Meeting, from May 5 to May 8 in German Bavaria included:

Josef Ackermann of Deutsche Bank
Jorma Ollila of Nokia
Richard Perle
Vernon Jordan
Jürgen Schrempp of DaimlerChrysler
Peter Sutherland of Goldman Sachs International
Daniel Vasella of Novartis
James Wolfensohn of the Worldbank
Among others who were expected to be present (according to the Financial Times of May 2):

Henry Kissinger
Carlos M. Collazo
Natan Sharansky
Bernard Kouchner

"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and start slitting throats" H. L. Mencken

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke

[Old Hippy]

Trystn



I think it’s great you want to work toward some kind of organized movement in the right direction. I will again quote a line from a Who song. “Let’s get together before we get much older.” I’d really, really, really like to believe that that’s possible. In the last few years every time I heard that line I said to myself; too late, we all got older. This forum has kind of sparked something off in me that I believe is called hope. I’d like to believe that we can come up with one or two things we could all work toward.


Here’s a topic I feel we could all discuss.
I’d like to work toward a real plan to take care of us after we can’t work anymore.

Did ya know that the main dudes working in the government have a plan that gives them the exact same money they make working when they stop working?

It’s true. They also get the same healthcare plan when they leave office. FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

This has troubled me for some time now. Lot's more lately as I get close to the time when I might not be able to work.

Oh well…….food for thought.

[gate68]

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3773019.stm :

Formed in the spirit of post-war trans-Atlantic co-operation, the idea behind Bilderberg was that future wars could be prevented by bringing power-brokers together in an informal setting away from prying eyes.

"Bilderberg is the most useful international group I ever attended. The confidentiality enabled people to speak honestly without fear of repercussions.

"In my experience the most useful meetings are those when one is free to speak openly and honestly. It's not unusual at all. Cabinet meetings in all countries are held behind closed doors and the minutes are not published."
end quote

Actually i blame the girl scouts as a kid i was left out of their meetings and not allowed to join.Where does that cookie money really go?Bill gates?Come on.These theories give idiots like timothy mcveigh a reason to kill innocent kids.Usually invented by some talk show host to boost ratings and increase profits.There's your conspiricy.Keep on keeping on.peace

[gate68]

Same old, same old. Would be nice if some who call themselves hippies would simply get real....Instead of OLD!!!
i agree 100% it's called paranoia.Too much coke will do that to a person...

[teepi]

Its called being REAL....if your 25 you may still be in the "immortallity phase"...if your 50....your feelin' "IT"...

There are conspiracies...on many levels.

'Peace talks' are conspiracies...on a more public level.

In this world Money=Power.
Power to manipulate things like gas prices....last time we got gas it was a real experience...I was not on coke or feeling paranoid.

Recently the credit card companies got together with their cronnies in the big house and decided to change some bankruptcy laws.....to benifit the credit comp.

I hate credit companies, I don't carry debt. but it was a manipulation nontheless.

People were buying their drugs from Canada... exchange rates at the time were 40% under our dollar a great savings for people finding it hard to afford their meds...."OUR" gov. has made it illegal now to do so.

Us everyday people who have a little savings, work to pay our bills,worry about next week, next month etc. cannot imagine what is going on at the "top of the heap"....

I see what greed does to people, and I am never surprised.

[trystn]

We were gonna change the world...what happened? (http://hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2020223#post2020223)

Juding from some of the posts in this thread, it's pretty clear what happened. Apathy, fear and submission.

People that think like you are the problem, not the solution.... Find out what it is so you'll know what your talking about before you put it down.
voided37, Please enlighten me. What exactly is Anarchic Harmony? What problem is it a solution for?

Peace - Trystn

[Mellow Yellow]

I'm glad I stumbled across this thread, lotsa good ideas on here, most of which I agree with whole-heartedly, and pardon me if I miss the obvious, I kinda jumped in in the middle. I don't have the time to read the entire thread right now, but I'd like to be a part of it, so I figured I'd throw some crap against the wall and see if it sticks, and now I'll have it on "my posts" list if nothing else, so I can keep checkin' on it...

I agree that the root of the problem is apathy and complacency, but the system is setup to do just that, make us feel powerless, like nothing we can do can make a difference, and to some extent it's true, and it's gotten worse, but I still think there's hope. Poor_old_dad hit it on the head when he described a sense of a "new era of activism." It may seem naive, but I live near a college community and I sense it. The younger generation as a whole seems to be rejecting the "work your ass off for the man" mentality so prevalent in the 80's and 90's, in favor of more grass-roots ideals. We can only hope they remember these ideals when they get out into the "real world." BTW, I also made a similar statement denouncing bi-partisan politics a few days ago on a different thread, good to see someone shares my views...

Things are way over the top right now, and historically that's been an opportunity for large-scale change. The scary thing is that Journalism is so distorted these days that most Americans don't have the knowledge to make informed choices when it comes to influencing policy, and many of our policy makers are (evidently) ignorant when it comes to History.

"He who does not learn from his mistakes is doomed to repeat them"

[gate68]

Its called being REAL....if your 25 you may still be in the "immortallity phase"...if your 50....your feelin' "IT"...

There are conspiracies...on many levels.

'Peace talks' are conspiracies...on a more public level.

In this world Money=Power.
Power to manipulate things like gas prices....last time we got gas it was a real experience...I was not on coke or feeling paranoid.

Recently the credit card companies got together with their cronnies in the big house and decided to change some bankruptcy laws.....to benifit the credit comp.

I hate credit companies, I don't carry debt. but it was a manipulation nontheless.

People were buying their drugs from Canada... exchange rates at the time were 40% under our dollar a great savings for people finding it hard to afford their meds...."OUR" gov. has made it illegal now to do so.

Us everyday people who have a little savings, work to pay our bills,worry about next week, next month etc. cannot imagine what is going on at the "top of the heap"....

I see what greed does to people, and I am never surprised.
Those in power will abuse it,but to shift that power to another group is is only transfering power so someone else who will abuse it.It's human nature.It will not fix things it would only cause turmoil.We could be like Somolia with their warlords each their own private little governmentThats what would happen if we did truly revolt.No,we need to fix what we have to the best of our power.Voting is worthless.That was proven in florida and even to a greater degree here in California when arnold was crowned.Voting is just a passification of the public that is too lazy to do anything..If you truly want change quit blaming the government and realize that we are the government and take charge.i guess my problem is that at 50 years i still believe in the goodness of human nature.

[trystn]

Those in power will abuse it, but to shift that power to another group is is only transfering power so someone else who will abuse it.
Exactly why I disagree with Anarchic Harmony. It could never be accomplished. Someone, or some group will always step up to "run things" the way they see best. (Though I still haven't been enlightened as to what the term Anarchic Harmony actually implies by the one who brought it into this conversation, I can only assume it means to exist in a society where people can co-exist harmoniously without an organized system of control and order, and people to facilitate it.)

If you truly want change quit blaming the government and realize that we are the government and take charge.

Right on! While "the system" may present many obstacles to prevent change, there are plenty of ways to work within the system to force it to submit to the people's will. It is not enough to speak up, we must also stand up and be willing to do something about it.

i guess my problem is that at 50 years i still believe in the goodness of human nature.
No disrespect my friend, but where did you get the idea that goodness was ever an integral quality of human nature? Human nature is driven by the biological instinct to survive. It doesn't consider good or bad. That was the problem with the hippy creed "Peace, Love and Togetherness." The same as Anarchic Harmony, it's a great concept but can never be a reality on a large scale. You guys established a vision for it and even lived it to some extent, yet the notion of Peace, Love and Togetherness continues to evade those who continue to search for it. Still, even though it may only be a naive pipe dream, I also continue to seek those qualities in my world. I still believe that likeminded individuals can join together and at the least, begin to influence others in that direction again.

The key question is, what is your definition of goodness?

[luvhuffer]

Anyone ever hear the joke about the farmer who called the guy in the big city who was a mule tamer, and hired him to come to the farm and train his mule? When the guy got there he took a 2X4 out of his bag and started bashing the mule in the head.

The farmer yelled "What the hell are you doing. That's no way to train a mule!"

The mule tamer said "I know, but I haven't started yet. I'm still trying to get his attention!"

What happened in the '60's was we all got hit in the head by that 2X4. The problem was once they got our attention, they left. We were on our own. We attempted to do something no one had tried before. But we made mistakes, and the dream got fucked up. Now here we are in the 21st Century. The middle class is under assault, and the poor live under the shadow of Corporate Welfare being directed by a man who's family did business with the Nazis. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1312540,00.html) Another unjust war drains the blood of our youth and once again, we are getting hit in the head with that 2X4.

I'm hopeful that eventually the true Christians will open their eyes and see through the rhetoric of the Christian Right. And hopefully the middle class will open their eyes as well. A lot of the young people are getting a headache from that 2X4, and the Iraq war. What can we do to help them? We're a bunch of old pot head fogeys who they might not want to hang with, but we need to figure a way to teach them to learn from our mistakes. when I get the opportunity to hang with my kids friends (he's 17) I try to talk to them, and explain how things work in the world. And they listen! They want to know and understand. Don't forget they are being indoctrinated by the same system that indoctrinated (or tried to) us. We need to figure the best way to use our experience. What's the old saying? "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

Gate68. The Bilderbergs have been around long before Talk shows and television. McVeigh didn't blow up Oklahoma City because of the Bilderbergs. He did it because he was pissed off that the Army wouldn't take him into Special Forces, even after he got a Bronze Star in Gulf War 1, while serving as a lead gunner on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. His favorite movie was Red Dawn, about fighting a Commie invasion, and his favorite book was "The Turner Diaries" by former American Nazi Party official William Pierce. Writing under the name Andrew Macdonald, Pierce pumps out a litany of hate through the main character Earl Turner. This "hero" demonstrates his contempt for gun control laws by truck-bombing the Washington FBI headquarters. He also appears to favor Adolf Hitler and dismiss blacks and Jews as worthy of annihilation.

I don't watch much TV but I doubt talk Show hosts are talking that line. And I doubt Oprah had anything to do with training McVeigh to kill. I hope those quotes didn't appear to convey my acceptance of violence as a solution though. The overthrow of a violent institution by violence begets nothing but more of the same, although I confess that at times, like Mencken, I feel like sliting some throats. sigh.......

Anyway, I would like to put forth a path one can consider. There's lots of talk about Democrats and Republicans, and this party and that party in other countries as well. That fragmentation of control is one of the weapons they use to hold on to power. That's why I chose to become a member of the Green Party. The Green Party U.S.A. is but a part of the Global Green Party. And I think that's the way to go. A global government is what the big boys really want. Now is the time to start forming the Global Opposition Party. I would ask you one favor. Read our Preamble to our charter. That's it. If you find it interesting, then check out the Green Party in your country. We're growing. We're winning municipal and state races all over the U.S. We're not a powerful enough entity to challenge the big boys but we're gaining slowly but surely.


Preamble
We, as citizens of the planet and members of the Global Greens,

United in our awareness that we depend on the Earth's vitality, diversity and beauty, and that it is our responsibility to pass them on, undiminished or even improved, to the next generation

Recognising that the dominant patterns of human production and consumption, based on the dogma of economic growth at any cost and the excessive and wasteful use of natural resources without considering Earth's carrying capacity, are causing extreme deterioration in the environment and a massive extinction of species

Acknowledging that injustice, racism, poverty, ignorance, corruption, crime and violence, armed conflict and the search for maximum short term profit are causing widespread human suffering

Accepting that developed countries through their pursuit of economic and political goals have contributed to the degradation of the environment and of human dignity

Understanding that many of the world's peoples and nations have been impoverished by the long centuries of colonisation and exploitation, creating an ecological debt owed by the rich nations to those that have been impoverished

Committed to closing the gap between rich and poor and building a citizenship based on equal rights for all individuals in all spheres of social, economic, political and cultural life

Recognising that without equality between men and women, no real democracy can be achieved

Concerned for the dignity of humanity and the value of cultural heritage

Recognising the rights of indigenous people and their contribution to the common heritage, as well as the right of all minorities and oppressed peoples to their culture, religion, economic and cultural life

Convinced that cooperation rather than competition is a pre-requisite for ensuring the guarantee of such human rights as nutritious food, comfortable shelter, health, education, fair labour, free speech, clean air, potable water and an unspoilt natural environment

Recognising that the environment ignores borders between countries

and

Building on the Declaration of the Global Gathering of Greens at Rio in 1992

Assert the need for fundamental changes in people's attitudes, values, and ways of producing and living

Declare that the new millennium provides a defining point to begin that transformation

Resolve to promote a comprehensive concept of sustainability which

protects and restores the integrity of the Earth's ecosystems, with special concern for biodiversity and the natural processes that sustain life
acknowledges the interrelatedness of all ecological, social and economic processes
balances individual interests with the common good
harmonises freedom with responsibility
welcomes diversity within unity
reconciles short term objectives with long term goals
ensures that future generations have the same right as the present generation to natural and cultural benefits
Affirm our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations

Commit ourselves as Green parties and political movements from around the world to implement these interrelated principles and to create a global partnership in support of their fulfilment

Global Green Party Site (http://www.globalgreens.info/)

Current Office Holders U.S. (http://www.feinstein.org/greenparty/electeds.html)

Current Office Holders World Wide (http://www.globalgreens.info/officeholders.php)

Green Party Links World Wide (http://www.globalgreens.info/federations.php)

[trystn]

The problem was once they got our attention, they left.
Good stuff luvhuffer! Who do you refer to as "they"?

[gate68]

Still, even though it may only be a naive pipe dream, I also continue to seek those qualities in my world. I still believe that likeminded individuals can join together and at the least, begin to influence others in that direction again.


...and that is the goodness of human nature...

[luvhuffer]

They being Seargeant Fletcher Industries and the whole Military Industrial Complex. The Political Institutions, etc. Once they got our attention it was up to us to spread the word that we were getting hit in the head. There was plenty of spreading, but not much in the way of finding solutions to stop the pain. Those who were ready to step up and offer solutions were silenced. ML King, Bobby Kennedy etc. I was a campaign worker for Bobby and was at the Ambassador Hotel the night he got shot. We were in a lower level conference hall. After speaking to the big wigs and the media upstairs, he was headed down to talk to, and thank all us "little guys" that worked for his/our dream for a better world. That was pretty much the end of my politicization, except for some political sniping I did during tricky dicks bid for reelection. I remained pretty much apolitical till the Dubya fiasco and demonization of the left began in '01. The reappearance of the trickle down economics by the boys from the Reagan administration. Rummy and Cheney and especially those motherfuckers at The Cato Institute (http://socialsecurity.org/) You can read about Cato and their "simulated rationality" here (http://world.std.com/~mhuben/cato.html). They operate under the guise of Libertarian, but Libertarian has about as much to do with them as "The Friendly Forests Initiative" has to do with being friendly to forests.

[IronGoth]

You got into the weed and decided to sit around smoking instead.

[gate68]

From Rush to Tom Bell to chuck harder,they wouldn't have lasted without making up conspiracies.Sure there are secret groups.but you get a room full of different minded people like the ones mentioned it would be like me and voided conspiring.It ain't gonna happen.The group is too diverse.Honestly to get "real" it's the poor (usually druggies) that rip me off,steal shit out of my truck.Bill Gates doesn't need my saw.Price fixing does happen and the gov does get bought down.This is a flaw not some elite group.We are them.

[teepi]

HHMMM...ever paid any money into Social Security???
They don't need your saw either...but someone got into the money...and it wern't no druggie.

I never voted to use the money that was in there...never voted for the ones who thought it was a 'good' idea.
Even after all this broo haha about the bux ain't gonna be there after a short while....they'll still take it out of your check every week.
My son is 22...he works...they say it ain't gonna be there for him..period.
But when he got paid last week...duduction was there for SS...

Now thats a rip-off if I ever heard one.

I worked in a pharmacy for years...alot of people could not afford their meds, I gave away my employee discount every chance I got.
People started going by bus to Canada to get their scripts filled...saved them money...didn't have to eat hot dogs and beans every night whooppee...now it's illegal to do that.

lots of big boy back scratchin' goin on....

[IronGoth]

SS?

Ronald Reagan took all that money in the 80s... spent it

[gate68]

and my wifes doctor after comping us services and giving us boxes of free samples until she could get on one of the services offered by the drug companies for free and discount drugs.When she was well enough to work full time and get insurance the doc helped us conspire against the insurance to get her drugs paid for.SS is broke cause it was a pipe dream in the start.A pyramid game.It is "social insurance" not a retirement plan.Too many took advantage.Like welfare meant for those who really need it.Not spoiled kids or parents too wasted to provide for thier kids.Certaintly not for those working under the table and we've all known a few.Really i'm not so sure that wasn't bill gates in the back of my truck.

[teepi]

your right about ss...however they still took the money out of your check.
Still taking it. Whether its social insurance or not.
Larry and I are a couple of the lucky ones. He will collect in just under 2 years and it will cover every cent we need to live.
If he had invested every cent of it at the start...who knows if it would be there or not. My father lost a bunch of his vested money in the 80's.

Thats great about your wife, at the pharmacy, the pharmacist and I gave meds out at cost when we could.
I also have found sympathetic docs who gave me samples.
And yes htere is a program here in Ohio for people who have trouble paying for their meds too.
I'm not sure what the criteria is however....some peole are the working poor...make just a tad too much to get much help.

{{{{gate68}}}} I just love you.

[trystn]

...and that is the goodness of human nature...I'll take that as a compliment my friend, but that quality is something I learned and takes effort and practice to maintain. On the other hand, my human nature continues to tempt me to give up on all that "feel good" bullshit, face reality and buy in once and for to the notion that good guys finish last.

Young people these days either feel hopeless or are totally self-centered. There is no connection to community or the common good. Even the Christian churches have embraced and now teach that plenty of personal "bling bling" is evidence of goodness. Our society is fragmented and has no solid value system, ethics or morals to live by. So... in order to revive and sustain a community that values the type of goodness I believe you and I refer to, we who know the definition must live it, and teach it to those who don't. I taught my own children, but I find few adults who are able to embrace it as a way of life. I agree with the notion that there are plenty of young people out there now who are looking for alternatives and that now is the time for us elders to get together and lead them in a better way. You can bet your ass that there are plenty of "dark" forces actively recruiting them.

So our conversation rolls back around to apathy. Will those of us who know better continue to hide behind the fear of failure, or will we get something started? What? How? When?

The Green Party U.S.A. is but a part of the Global Green Party. And I think that's the way to go.I did have a look at the Green website and surfed around a bit. To be honest, while the tenets of the organization sound good, the politics espoused there don't seem any different than those of the Democratic party. I'm not sure a global government of any form is the way to go. We live in America. For all the faults and corruption of our system, our nation has done a great deal of good in the world. In my opinion, I do live in the greatest nation. We just have to work to make it better. By doing so, we can influence world change. I'm not ready to abandon my own country to support a group that is positioning itself for world domination. I will have a closer look, but if I were to join a new political party, I would want to join one that is focused on America.

Is there such a thing as a moderate or conservative hippy? ;)

[gate68]

Pleasure bumping heads with you Teepi.i appreciate that you don't take my disagreement on some issues personal.i know we strive for the same.
i think i'm the most liberal conservative that i know or is that a conservative liberal?
Who shot the kennedys ? it was you and me.

[mosaicthreads]

...
So our conversation rolls back around to apathy. Will those of us who know better continue to hide behind the fear of failure, or will we get something started? Ah, well said. We have been hiding behind the fear of failure, and have accepted defeat and apathy as our lot. We lost the vision in the 80's and tried to play the game. The rules of the game weren't fair, and we got confused by that, and disillusioned. I see a great spark of what we once had, in the eyes of my son's and daughter's generation. I hope we haven't made their world too comfortable for them to run with that spark. :o(

Is there such a thing as a moderate or conservative hippy? ;)You bet there is my friend!

[Old Hippy]

Same old, same old. Would be nice if some who call themselves hippies would simply get real....Instead of OLD!!!
What are ya looking for dude? :confused:
What is it that ya feel this forum is for?
What direction would ya like to see it go?

[Old Hippy]

Ya want change? Try acting and sounding like someone that has tried to change themselves.

If ya go through life beating and pounding on a system that needs change then that’s all YOU will ever accomplish. Everyone knows what’s wrong with the system. Not very many people want to try to effect change from within it. Real change comes from accepting what ya can’t change & changing what ya can. Pounding one’s head on what’s wrong is NOT the way to change things.

I’ve heard lot’s of good stuff on this forum. I originally came here to spend some time with people of my own age; and share some thoughts on where life goes from here. I really never expected to run into people still beating on the same bullshit that I used to beat on in bars drunk 30 years ago! @@#^&**@@#!!%^

In the words of one of the greatest poets that ever lived, I quote;

“We’d all love to hear the plan.”

Solutions people! Don’t just beat on the same old problems. Let’s come up with solutions.

OK………I’ll shut up now. My rant is over.

[Ursula Buendia]

Recently I saw the movie "People vs Larry Flynt" then I found in net that this film was about true evens that happened in 70's80's. I just wanted to say... Isn't Larry a hippy in some ways? I mean he says: "god created a man, woman, her vagin. So who the hell you are to hide what god has created?!" also " What's more beauty: Judes in Conclagers, dead soljiers, or nude women" etc..
I mean you hippies were trying to have world more free and he was also trying it and I never thought that porn needed so much pain and unhappiness to be allowed in some ways (larry was shot and became paralized; therefore his wife became drug user and died because of AIDS)
So.. I'm interested what do you think about him?

[Old Hippy]

Recently I saw the movie "People vs Larry Flynt" then I found in net that this film was about true evens that happened in 70's80's. I just wanted to say... Isn't Larry a hippy in some ways? I mean he says: "god created a man, woman, her vagin. So who the hell you are to hide what god has created?!" also " What's more beauty: Judes in Conclagers, dead soljiers, or nude women" etc..
I mean you hippies were trying to have world more free and he was also trying it and I never thought that porn needed so much pain and unhappiness to be allowed in some ways (larry was shot and became paralized; therefore his wife became drug user and died because of AIDS)
So.. I'm interested what do you think about him?
The moral majority is neither moral, nor the majority. Yet it seems that when one or two of them speak out against pornography they get their way. Is it right? NO. Is it the way society moves? YES.

Porn has been around since the beginning of time. The amount of people that have been touched by it; negatively or positively is endless.

Larry was fighting a fight that he had no chance of winning. Ya see………..most people that like porn don’t want the people that would chastise them to know they like porn. So for the most part the only people that spoke up were the people that were against porn.

Of course……..when those people went home and did themselves they made sure they locked the door.

People tend to be hypocritical……they have the side they want the world to see & the side they feel is dirty.

I remember my old man caught me doing myself when I was a kid. He told me it was dirty & never to do it again. Lots of people think this way. Is it healthy? NO. Does it continue? YES.

Larry was a victim of the system. Ya gotta admit though…………lots & lots of people are spit out the bottom of the porn industry scarred for life.

[Ursula Buendia]

Old Hippy, I like the style of your writing :)
That's all right of course, but is larry a hippy? I think he is, 'cause hippies try to have freedom in love and larry tried to be nudeness allowed. And do you think that to have porn magazines, movies, web-sites etc. had cost so much? that man became unhappy till the end of his life for what?? For having you able to watch how penis gets in vagina? Is it worth while?

[Old Hippy]

Larry wanted to make money. The system felt that he had gone too far. Yes he fought for free speech; but I don’t think he did it for the same reasons lots of the “Hippies” back then did it for. I really believe he did it for selfish reasons. Keep in mind though that that’s just my opinion. Sometimes my opinions are clouded by what I see as truth.

Was it worth it? Well……….that depends on who ya ask. If ya ask me, I say no. Lots of other people would say yes. Sometimes people use free speech to push things that I myself don’t believe in. That only means that for me what they are pushing is not worth the time or the energy those people are putting into it. People that are worth listening to will always express what they feel is right or wrong in their world. People create grand distractions to fill their needs. It’s when they become consumed with the idea that what they believe is what every one needs to believe that the problems start.

They become delusional, and most times push what they believe to be truth into other peoples lives. People don’t like to have other people’s opinions becoming laws. That’s what I believe Larry was fighting against,

[gate68]

i don't think of it as world domination,i see it as one family.All egual.No government,it juxt is.However i realize as an individual the bigger tha group the less the individual.You lose certain rights to live in a town,More in the city,more to the state and on and on up to the federal level/It would be domination on the individual.No i'll stick with what we got.As nations go this is a great one.Not to say we don't have problems.Yes we do kill and exploit.We need to stop.Thats our job.

[gate68]

madam claire knows all sees all.
"Madam Claire,Where were you on Sept.11?

[gate68]

[QUOTE=trystn]I'll take that as a compliment my friend, but that quality is something I learned and takes effort and practice to maintain. ;)[/QUOTE

aand that is what makes us human.
You're easy you answer your own questions.(LOL)peace

[teepi]

When I lived at EPP there were no 'rules'...we all did our best to respect each other and most scoped out a half acre or so and built a home,grew a garden,lived a sweet little life..
There was 592 acres...and everyone was welcome....I guess there were unspoken rules...such as respect the forrest, don't fuck with anyone etc. but these are basically the golden life alaround rules.
This seemed to work very well for us...we seemed to be on the same page....there were the people who lived at the park,about 25 or so) and then the weekend communers would come up on vacation, passing through to Canada, some local towns folk would also hang out.

We had a free kitchen and you were welcome to bring what you had to throw in the pot and people would eat, there was a free store where you could get some supplies, clothes etc.

Everyone shared what they had and knew.
A convent on the Canadian border needed to be torn down and some went and Larry and I got materials for the house he was building.
All the wood, windows, tin shingles etc. were brought to the land for all to use.(We got some great stained glass)

I loved that place....a piece of my heart will always be in Vermont.
Alas, I had to leave in 1971.

When I finally was able to go back in 1997, I went on a search for my sweetheart.
I went back to the land to find everything burned down.

I did find someone who was able to lead me in the direction of finding him again.

I finally found out what happened to that glorious free place.
In early 1990 a group of people were there and they started logging the land, making money, they had no interest in what the park stood for.
No interest in respecting the land.
They were interested in their own profit.

they started dealing drugs...and with that came rip-offs, pissed off girlfriends etc.
Some one got busted and helped set up a sting.
(of course the local police had a thorn in their side for 2 decades with EPP tatooed on it)
It all went down and the feds seized the land.......
Totally fucked the ones who still lived there from 1970.

Ok I know this is a long boring story...but I have a point....

NOT EVERYONE is on the same page.

Yes sweet Gate, "one family" would be what I too dream of.
Everyone respecting each others space, all working for a common good and goal.
All being comfy and cozy and just a-lovin' each other to death.....

But I know that while I may be able to create that right here on my little piece of the planet...it ain't goin' down in the big picture.

And changing the world...mmmm.....how much time we got???

So the best thing I think to do is work on yourself, and branch out from there.
Grass roots Orgs. are great.
Change does come about.
A depression in this country may be a catalyst.

We as a society have gotten way comfy....

Every time I hear talk of letting illegal immagrants into the country because they will "do work" americans won't do....I think,"shit, let those americans get hungry enough".

[Ursula Buendia]

Dear teepi, it wasn't a boring story at all! it was very interesting, sad story
:( I'm very sorry.. have you found your sweetheart larry??
I just haven't understood 2 facts: why have you left that place? and what does EEP mean..

[Ursula Buendia]

Larry wanted to make money. The system felt that he had gone too far. Yes he fought for free speech; but I don’t think he did it for the same reasons lots of the “Hippies” back then did it for. I really believe he did it for selfish reasons. Keep in mind though that that’s just my opinion. Sometimes my opinions are clouded by what I see as truth.

Was it worth it? Well……….that depends on who ya ask. If ya ask me, I say no. Lots of other people would say yes. Sometimes people use free speech to push things that I myself don’t believe in. That only means that for me what they are pushing is not worth the time or the energy those people are putting into it. People that are worth listening to will always express what they feel is right or wrong in their world. People create grand distractions to fill their needs. It’s when they become consumed with the idea that what they believe is what every one needs to believe that the problems start.

They become delusional, and most times push what they believe to be truth into other peoples lives. People don’t like to have other people’s opinions becoming laws. That’s what I believe Larry was fighting against,
Maybe you are right.. Maybe he was doing all that for money..
Thank you for you answer!

[Ursula Buendia]

MAYBE!?!?!?yes.. isn't there a chance that he did it just for freedom? and then for money?

[trystn]

You're easy you answer your own questions.(LOL)peacehehe, that's because I think outside the box, play the devil's advocate, and honestly try to see things from other points of view.

The goodness of human nature. What is it? Let's first define what we think goodness is.

Goodness is... Automatically looking for what is right with a person rather than what is wrong with them.

[earthmother]

Ya want change? Try acting and sounding like someone that has tried to change themselves.

If ya go through life beating and pounding on a system that needs change then that’s all YOU will ever accomplish. Everyone knows what’s wrong with the system. Not very many people want to try to effect change from within it. Real change comes from accepting what ya can’t change & changing what ya can. Pounding one’s head on what’s wrong is NOT the way to change things.

I’ve heard lot’s of good stuff on this forum. I originally came here to spend some time with people of my own age; and share some thoughts on where life goes from here. I really never expected to run into people still beating on the same bullshit that I used to beat on in bars drunk 30 years ago! @@#^&**@@#!!%^

In the words of one of the greatest poets that ever lived, I quote;

“We’d all love to hear the plan.”

Solutions people! Don’t just beat on the same old problems. Let’s come up with solutions.

OK………I’ll shut up now. My rant is over.

Yea, ok. I don't usually spend alot of time hanging on forums, got a farm to run, musical evens to plan, songs to record, etc. But the weather's bad and it's my slow time before the holidays. So, I come here for some ENERGY. I find peoples enthusiasm inspiring. It charges my batteries, greases the gears, gets my mind working. I don't give a damn if putting your thoughts on forums is all you EVER do, because it REALLY HELPS to know there are other folks out there with the same fire and truths as I have. It gets lonely up the holler where all the neighbors are either hillbillies or rightwing repubs, folks.
It's great to have some real thinkers to bounce ideas around with...

So. I tend to be a doer rather than a follower. I have lots of ideas, reasonable ones that could actually be accomplished. I spend alot of time on this actively. I think it would be interesting to know what everybody here is currently doing towards this ultimate goal. And the goal? In my book would be to bring the concept of peace/love/brotherhood/kindness to the masses on a large scale. You can put out your teachings, but no matter how you candy coat them, there will be those who just won't latch on, and there ain't a thing you can do about that. But if enough effort was put into simply demonstrating these acts of love, it could have significant impact.

We as individuals HAVE alot of power actually. Especially now that computers are all the thing. I can put just about anything in print, state it as a "fact", and have a certain amount of people believe it. You can be "John Nobody" and create an image of yourself on the computer as being a big deal. We can use this to our advantage people! I'm not saying to make up things just for the hell of it, I'm saying that in order to gain momentum in any large undertaking you need PUBLICITY. Taking it to the masses. We can spend our entire lives sitting around going "oh man, buddy, I hear you!" or "no, I think it's THIS way...", But until we get out there in the world, we can't change a damn thing.

So, here's MY idea. and what I'm doing about it. Everybody else share theirs too.

We already have a FREE peace and music festival here every year. Lasts officially a week, unofficially about 3. The whole thing is on a volunteer basis. Everybody donates food, labor, or talent. The theme is all about peace, love, brotherhood. The musicians are mainly selected according to the type of music they play... What I mean to say is that the appropriate VIBE must be attained in order to reach the most people, and the music creates the atmosphere. Anti-war speakers are welcome to take the stage as well. People are encouraged to take what they have learned here out into the world and spread it around. Last year we had a crowd of about 1000, which is really something for being so far out in the sticks and being about the poorest county with one of the highest rates of apathy and ignorance in the country. (Well, OK, that last part is a matter of opinion, but we ARE one of the poorest counties...) And the beauty part is that there was only about $400 invested to make it happen, including advertising.

At any rate, my idea would be for others to take it upon themselves to do a similar thing in every state in the USA, and other countries as well. Peace concerts. All over the globe. The more the better. The key is the ADVERTISING. Reaching the most people possible is the goal. Or how about a "wandering Woodstock" that tours all over the place? Taking it to the people. People love music and they'll come. Then it's up to us to give them the "experience".
What do YOU think? Anybody want to be a part of this? LETS GO!

[IronGoth]

Did anyone see the South Park on this subject?

[Mellow Yellow]

Sounds like a plan, and a good time.

We go to music festivals through the summer months, bring the kids to the "tamer" ones, but the vibe is always the same, pretty much a gathering of like-minded folks with similar visions and goals, and grass-roots values. We always make new friends and come home feeling happier and more at peace with ourselves than when we got there, and the vibe seems to be contagious.

I agree you can't affect change through anger, "pounding on the system," doesn't get you anywhere (whatya gonna do, overthrow the government by force? I don't think so). A majority of people in this country are fed up with the system, and many are recognizing progressive ideals, but it's not gonna change over night, it takes time to affect change, and it takes organized effort (and a defeatist attitude doesn't do squat either). The Internet is a powerful tool for change as well, as earthmother points out (this forum is a powerful tool for change for that matter). At least people know that others think the same way and want the same things, that's a step in the right direction...

[trystn]

What do YOU think? Anybody want to be a part of this? LETS GO!All right earthmother, you have my attention. I like your idea. You have no doubt read my posts and know that I have the desire, passion and need in my life to be a part of something like you describe. You seem to have the experience, knowledge, and it sounds like the leadership ability to guide those of us who are like me?

I'll take this op to put in my resume. You let me know how I can help.

I have 14 years experience in radio and television. Much of that time was spent in advertising and promotions. I am a novice webmaster and am fairly up to speed on Internet communications. I have formed several non-profit groups and served on the board of others. I'm not wealthy, but am willing to give what I can financialy in addition to my time and other resources. I am unemployed right now, so time is one thing I have plenty of. I also am a writer and poet, singer and songwriter; although, I've never seriously attempted to capatalize on my creative abilities.

That's it man! When do we start?

[gate68]

The reason americans won't do the work is cause the money ain't right.It's the employers not the employees legal or not.
When we change, the world changes.If we change for the better ,the world changes for the better.It don't take any time except a few minutes of meditation or maybe a good doob.Actually every time you post, things change a little.
The world is a family.Global warming,polution,nuclear fallout.We're on the same planet and need to coexist.i'd rather sink in my hole too.In fact more often then not i do.Thats why we chose leaders to do the dirty work and then we down them for doing it their way instead of ours.Actually i just want to live and die.
free the land.Land ownership is a sin.i own my property,don't want people wandering around.Of course i'm gonna do what works for me and mine,but is it right?It was stolen in the first place.

[gate68]

yes.. isn't there a chance that he did it just for freedom? and then for money?his freedom to make money?Nah He just didn't like being fucked with.

[teepi]

thats my point....the money is hardly ever right for menial labor...the mexicans will come and do it..because 1.00 in US dollars is 10.00 in pesos.
If they make 2.50 an hour its 25.00 when they go back over the border.

Talk to alot of these kids out there today....no way they would wash dishes, for minimum wage.
Minimum wage is impossible to live on. Yet the Gov. views it as fair.

[teepi]

As far as the land being stolen in the first place....if the land should belong to everyone how could it ever be stolen???

EXCEPT now your land and mine can be stolen...in the name of greed, the Supreme court and their new eminent domain law.
USED to mean the goverment could aquire your land for the good of the public:ie, railway,highway building and such.
NOW Mr.Doohickey builds a strip mall next to your land and needs your place for a parking lot...OK!!You lose.

And there's lots of money in porn...mostly because it is taboo.

Tides are turning.

[trystn]

Well, I haven't heard from earthmother yet, but I have gotten some positive feedback from many folks over the past few days.

I think that getting something started has been a seed that has been growing inside me for a long time, it just needed a place to take root and flourish. This forum may just be the fertile ground needed for this seed to grow.

In fact, after I posted my reply to earthmother, the idea cystalized more clearly in my mind, and it didn't take long before I had put something clear and precise into words.

You can HELP by clicking the link below. Let's get something started!

http://hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2024984#post2024984

[gate68]

Most of the illegals i've worked with i've known for years.They stay here the money goes back to the families.The thing is though,can you blame them?They're looking out for their families.The wages are slightly higher down there now but even at a 1/10 exchange rate they were only making a few pasos a day.We bitch and moan but thats unliveable.It's the employers who need to be held liable.These guys live in fear of their jobs everyday.They're scared shitless of losing that minimum wage.Their employers know they're scared and play on it.myself as an employer,i wouldn't hire an illegal.i believe in hiring local.i also believe in paying well and passing on all the knowlege i can.As a result i have well trained kids who work hard and do whatever needs to be done.If i say jump they'll say'go screw yourself"but they'll say it with respect.rambling.My point is the employers need to be held responsible.
Frankly i'm a buccanon nationalist.i've read his books and voted for him.i don't see him as a racist any more then jesse jackson.Look at his vice presidential
running mate,a black female socialist.i also voted for jerry "moonbeam" brown and nader.i'd like to see nader and buccanon get together.
Nafta could have been a dream.Establishing a viable economy in south america and making it better for all.No reason to come up here then.Ask most of the illegals,they'd rather be home where their roots are.Unfortunatly it was just business as usual,both sides got screwed.peace

[gate68]

As far as the land being stolen in the first place....if the land should belong to everyone how could it ever be stolen???

EXCEPT now your land and mine can be stolen...in the name of greed, the Supreme court and their new eminent domain law.
USED to mean the goverment could aquire your land for the good of the public:ie, railway,highway building and such.
NOW Mr.Doohickey builds a strip mall next to your land and needs your place for a parking lot...OK!!You lose.

And there's lots of money in porn...mostly because it is taboo.

Tides are turning.
the world is yours,the world is mine.What gives us claim to it except an arbitrary piece of paper passed from one warlord to the next until it was finally bought and sold by greedy landbarrons who let us use a piece of it in exchange for a piece of our life.Who did they steal it from,they stold it from all of us and they're never gonna give it back.
A strip mall is for the good of the public if they sell porn.

[teepi]

ha its very easy to live on...larry and I live on 230.00 a month.

But we built our own little house way out in the woods on land we are buying from a friend.
We ahve a 21 year old truck that he can work on and I cook from scratch.

But if I lived in a city and had to rent and had a kid...well, thats another story.

not true...physically/literally speaking i could very easily live off of a minimum wage...mentally...that's another story.