Your advise to the younger generation

Well, I just wanted to hear what you old and wise hippies would want to teach the younger hippies. Do you see the young ones lacking in certian areas? Do you see a general trend you find good or bad? Any words of wisdom please.

 

Yeah,haul ass for th' high ground and hope the bushpigs never find ya.Welcome to th' madhouse.

 

If I were to try to teach anyone anything (whether old or young) it would be peace, love and commitment to your fellow man and the relationships that you form, over personal wealth or materialism.
The only reason that someone younger might be lacking in one area or another is that they may lack some of the experiences that the older hippies have had. That's not always the case and every person is different. I've met old hippies that thought being a hippie was smoking and wearing bell bottoms, and I've met some very profound younger hippies that were totally at peace and willing to love, share, and be a part of the human experience.

There are a lot of older hippies that have "sold out" and bought into materialism, and there are a lot of younger hippies that have never known a way to function outside of capitalistic materialism.
If there is a general trend, it's a trend that our society perpetuates by valuing the marketing, advertising, sales, sales, sales of anything and everything. We buy more and more and more and more and never think about just giving anymore. That's not to say that everyone is like that though. I've met some really cool people here on this forum (young and old) and have had some very positive experiences with people helping me out. If I have something extra now, I share it with someone that has a little less than me. We paid a strangers electric bill for her because she couldn't, and I keep thinking that the true gift that we gave her was just showing her a different way to relate. I keep thinking that if everyone could do that, we wouldn't have a need for class systems, rank order, and valuation of human existence based on material wealth...but that's just me. Every time I share something with someone, I think of the quote by Gandhi- Be the change that you wish to see in the world...well, I'm trying, and I guess if I had a message to give to anyone it would be that.

I fear that I digress. Never was one to stay completely on topic. Young hippies can be pretty cool. They're the next generation to question the status quo. Some can be pretty unfriendly at times too, but they're just reflecting the lack of love and peace that they've experienced in their lives. Society fears anything that strays from the path of normality and they stray as we all do from the path of normality.


Peace, love, and don't read this while your stoned...It might make sense


Ron

 

Keep your legs closed and pull up your pants! And always make sure all your tail lights are working so a cop won't pull you over and search your car!


And buy your elders cool expensive stuff! It's good karma....

Is that the kind of advice you meant? Because that's all I have.


*Kill Britney Spears!*

 

OK, I’ll take a serious approach.

Keep looking. You’ve come here for a reason. You’re looking for people with like-mind. Your looking for answers.

Today’s world is fast and furious. If you don’t move fast enough someone is going to get pissed off. Information is nonstop/24-7 and the pressure to conform has never been more oppressive.

Maybe you need to get unplugged for a while. Just take the time to see who you are without this constant bombardment of commercials trying to define who you should be.

You came here looking for answers and, like the lion from the wizard- the answers are already a part of you.

Peace

 

Old and Wise my ass! Wrinkled and Stupid is more like it...

But, my advice beyond the generation gap is:

~ Be sure to take care of yourself. You can't do any good for anyone else, or the world for that matter, if you don't.

~ If it feels good do it, while it lasts or at least until it wears out.

~ Take two aspirins and call me in the morning.

~ Above ALL else... Be Yourself. If that don't work, go ahead and be somebody else.

~ Don't take any wooden nickles.

 

I would say this:

Challenge the status quo. If you feel you're not up to it, support those who do. And follow the path of Love.....

 

Words to live by...what goes around comes around.

 

I agree with mushroomdreams & others. Bombardment from the media makes it hard to sift through, let alone asertain what is fact from bullshit. Its a fastfood world now. Fastfood war, fastfood sit-com, fastfood politics, even fastfood american idols. Pretty absurd huh? Maybe its time for a media break. I get my tent out from time to time and go stay in the woods for 3 days or so. Pull myself out of the corparation backed 30 second sound bite. Nothing but the beat of my heart, and birds & animals. Then you can reflect on who you are and your place & action in the world today. You have to change from within before you can change the world. Of course, I didn't know that when I was young. Life is mostly trial & error. I do believe it will give you a calmer prespective to address political, social, issues than just throwing yourself into the mix. Start with small things.....but START. I have dusted off my peace symbol, ( actually I had to make myself one) and I am deterimed to wear it until people on the planet stop killing each other. I never should have took it off. Don't be afaid to call a spade a spade. You won't be the most popular kid on the block, but you will gain something invaluable, integraity, some self esteem, and honor to yourself.

sorry about the spelling

 

my only advise to anyone would be yourself no matter what,,,

and yes parts of self evolve and change through the years but it is growth, learning and experience,,, but still be yourself,,,,, and learn to love yourself, before loving others ,,,

and no matter what happens in your life make it a positive, no matter how bad whatever it is you have to endure,,, even from very horrible things,,,, we can take good from it..... dont look at the pity me woe is me parts and make them a focal point,,,,,,, find a part of it and make it good,,,, from everything there is a lesson and whether we learn from that lesson is up to us

 

my advice would be to Question Authority......if something doesn't feel right or sound right to you, question it....whether it's a teacher, parent, boss, friend or lover and especially politicians......listen to that inner voice in you that says "this doesn't seem right to me!"........always listen to that voice -- that is your heart and soul speaking to you and so many people ignore that voice.....

and my next bit of advice to today's youth would be to act on what that inner voice is saying......once you question something, act on it and make it right....whatever it is, big or small.....act on it and make a difference in the world.....in your personal "world" or for the greater good of the world as a community.....

 

Turn off the tv. Why be a watcher, when you can go outside and DO something? Have fun

 

You probably won't like this one so much because it is not about love, peace, insight, God, being one with the world etc. - but I am going to post it anyway.

It is perfectly true that money is not everything (but maybe it is way ahead of whatever is in 2nd place?) - maybe lots of money will not make you happy (I would not mind trying to see though) BUT having a good rock solid career where you can make a good income and be considered a respectable sort by others (no matter what your private habits or political opinions) is a very good thing. For some reason or other, a lot of young people I run into seem to have no clue how much money it takes to even begin to live comfortably. I guess parents do not teach this, I certainly learned it from mine. Money (and a decent job) also give you a lot of leverage if you happen, just happen, to run into trouble with the Agents of the Law. Money gives you leisure to learn, travel, enjoy life. Money can give you power when you need it - I am NOT talking about power over other people (I suggest leaving THAT to others), I am talking about the power to get other people to leave YOU alone.

So consider this carefully and think seriously about what kinds of jobs you might do well, (or could STAND to do for the next umpteen years) whether you are suited to have your own business, what education you need to pursue those goals and so on - and then, pursue this with single-minded dedication no matter WHAT else you happen to be doing.

Once you have established a viable career (NOT that you cannot change it later, but you know what I mean by "viable") THEN you can do all that other stuff----

I know, I know, I got in trouble with the hippies in the late 60s and early 70s too because I was first a college student and then, actually working 40 hours a week, beginning in my profession------They thought I surely could not be a real hippie --- even though I was listening to the music, spouting the opinions, taking the drugs, free-loving, generally talking the talk and walking the walk -----

I have never been sorry that I walked both paths at the same time though (or, at least, that is how some people saw it)

 

Now that's a Righteous reply, Oldgypsy! One that I heartily agree with.

Most of us Originals were involved in higher education in the mid to late 60's, and because of that fact, we were in contact with what was going on in the forefronts of being politically savy.

When we were dubbed "Hippies" by the press, we revolted and buried the damned hippy. I mean... what person on the road towards enlightenment wants to wear a Media Label? We didn't, but it's become so much easier these days to just go with being called whatever. I was, in those days, a Radical, not a flower child.

BTW, and I know that you didn't mention this in your reply, using mind altering substances does not necessarily preclude one from establishing a "viable career", but approaching life with no purpose in mind, and consistantly looking for something for nothing does.

When you can make your own way in this society, it does give you a certain amount of personal power, and with that power comes the realization that You, yourself, can make the freedom that others claim doesn't exist.

Like I said, Awesome reply... and I wave to you from 3 miles above the Mason-Dixon Line.

 

I had the carrier and for a while I made boo-coo-bucks but that wasn’t happiness.

Even though I agree with Oldgypsy that you need to pay Caser, I still think you need a plan. A plan to be able to buy back your freedom.

Our economic system isn’t that much different from the sharecroppers. Someone owns everything and we’re just working to pay “the man”. Not that different from slavery.

Find a way to work for yourself. Find something you love and make a living at it. You may still be paying “the man”, but at least you’ll be happy with your day to day life.

 

Hi MushroomDreams,

I just moved from Boulder to Atlanta a few months ago. Nice to see a Boulderite in the Old Hippies forum. I lived in Colorado most of my life and it's been quite an adjustment for me. I heard it was about 45 degrees in Boulder today.....are you staying warm?

 

why be normal?

 

I just wanted to second everything sweatin' said. I'm learning more and more to listen to my gut above all else. Advise from anywhere else (including my own brain) always seems to wind up having some kind of alterior motive.

 

Wow! I thought they were trying to sell you some stock for a miniute. I do agree with the thread that, "money can't buy you happieness." I don't have much money. I don't have to have money to make people leave me alone. ( that is a bizzare idea) I think people can become a puppet of money....it makes you do all kinds of things. Mostly things you don't want to do. I'm relitively happy. Humans, .....as an animal really don't require much. Food, shelter, love. Yes, you can attract love with money. But what kind of superficial, shallow, individual do you REALLY want to live with? But the career thing seems like a good idea too. I'm for learning as much as you can.
But what was that, "there is nothing wrong with becomeing a respectable person" ????
That's what money can buy you. A paper dream where you think (in your own head that you are OK...you "belong".)
And who is doing the deciding who is respectable??
Is it, if other people think I'm "respectable". I'm not that concerned what others think.....but thats just me.
Respect = self respect.....doesn't require money
Happiness = state of mind.....doesn't require money
freedom = state of mind
Love = free!!!

 

Sweatininthesouth, Atlanta is a radical change from Boulder. I lived in Virginia for 6 months and it was really different. I think people in the south are still fighting the civil war, I tried to open a bank account and the woman actually called me a damn Yankee. I really kept a low profile for a while after that.