At 46 I'm too young to have been around in the Sixties. I had a Roman Catholic upbringing which gave me the Peace and Love side of things. I've since become an Agnostic. I used to have long hair, still have some hippie clothes, but don't tend to wear them outside festivals. For me, the Hippie ethos is a philosophy of mind rather than being about appearances. So I equate being a hippie as being a Christian without the God part, if that makes any sense. I hold on to the basic ethics and morality of Christianity, but I'm also inclusive about LGBT etc, which the Catholic Church clearly is not. I also think that I hold no special position in the world compared to anyone else. That is very important to me, and is a personal philosophy which I have developed as I have got older. I am saddened by how so many people are so quick to damn others for the sake of their own egos. One world, one people.
Yes, this does make sense to me I've always been pretty loose with the definition of hippie and apply it to anyone who has a free spirited, non judgemental, open and loving vibe. Sort of like ol' Jesus.
STRONGLY disagree as someone with a Catholic family. There is no love only hate and guilt in that religion. Maybe you were lucky enough to not deal with that.
Thank you for posting that Joshua Tree! I also believe that being a hippie is a state of mind rather than adopting some type of costume. I am amazed at your liberal attitude being from a Catholic family, but have known others from that cult who also believe in the peace and love teachings rather than the exclusiveness or strict adherence to Catholicism. I visited a Catholic church back in the 60s that was celebrating mass in English (unusual for the era) and was joyously enjoying folk music with guitars instead of the usual 'church type' organ music. It was an enlightening moment for me when I realized that within a group there can and will be many free thinkers willing to get "outside the box". Thanks for saying that Meliai! I agree wholeheartedly!
I was a Hippy in 1967. I remember all the formative years and events. Being a Hippy has changed and evolved in areas; but, there has always been the independence facet of it. Hippies in the sixties identified themselves as individuals who can think for themselves and break away from the establishment if needed. So we got the tune in and drop out...as in drop out of society. Hippies did not want to chase the American dream. They wanted to have fun, be themselves, and do what is right. Hippies supported the civil rights movement and marches of the sixties. Hippies were against the wars. Hippies wanted to care for Mother Earth, and took the time to read Silent Spring. Hippies accepted other religions. I think Hippies are the best thing to come from Planet Earth.
My take on Neo-Hippyism I'm not sure that I know what neo-hippyism is. Unless there is something new and some kind of different from regular hippie. Are there new different things or is it all just a continuance of the same on going hippie? If there is something newer and better then maybe I want to change up and become a neo-hippie, and quit being a hippie. Please fill me in. I have no clue. My son is your age and he's a hippie. I don't think he even knows the term neo-hippie. He was born into a hippie commune. He lives in Arcata California. Smoke? As far as religion goes have you gone to an Episcopal church? or talked with a priest? It's sort of a not strict version of the Catholic Church. Check it. Did you know the bishop of the cathedral in San Francisco is a gay man? The Episcopal church has female priests both straight and gay and gay male priests. You might want to talk with one. My philosophy on God. I love and believe in God. I reason that if there were no God in the universe then there would be no reason for love to exist at all. To me the idea that love is real leads me to believe that God is real. Make any sense? Real. So, do you live in Joshua Tree? I'm just down the road. Peace and Love
Agreed, and well put Joshua Tree. I've thought this, often. And although my own Catholic upbringing was the opposite of liberal or open minded, I have drawn the parallel between Jesus and "hippie" philosophy; the Catholics just do their best to hide it.
I believe that being a hippie is just one layer of who a person is. I was born and raised Jewish. I no longer practice; I am an active member/participant in a local Unitarian-Universalist church. I go to Wiccan meetups, I work at cleaning up and saving the planet, and I invest in socially responsible enterprises. I don't support everything that comes down the pike from the GLBTQQII community because not everything I--in my opinion--has merit to get my validation at face value. My hair is shorter, I pay taxes, I work for the government, I buy savings bonds, I use a fuel vehicle,and I still have an account with a bank (rather than a credit union). I still consider myself a hippie. I support the arts and consumer goods that are provided without the exploitation of children or slaves. I've got other opinions, but I'm not in the mood to ramble. I think the hippie life can be multi-generational. It's a lifestyle that doesn't have an expiration date!
eh, it just depends on the church and the person. i was raised as a catholic too and there were definitely some terrible things about it, but ultimately most people from my church really were about peace and love and all that good stuff.
Interesting to see some of the opposing posts by Catholics in here. I'm with undies...there were some terrible things--I'll never get over the priest telling me that, no, my dog was not in heaven because animals don't go to heaven. What kind of sadist would say that to a little girl crying her eyes out over a golden retriever??? Guilt, definitely comes with being raised Catholic, but I was never taught hate. Not once. In fact, I recall my church being very inclusive. Anyway, yeah, most things should just be a state of mind and not a costume.
