Keep our legacy alive children!

Hey man, Old hippie, Young hippie?

I know what the OLD HIPPIE was about. I was there.
Drugs, drugs and sex, if you could fit it in between drugs
But what is the young Hippie about??
Dont tell me that hippies are anything to do with saving mother planet or such. BULL SHIT!!!!! A true hippie wants to bath in mud, get stoned, and tye dye shirts.

 

That's definitely not true! Although I love the mud, I'd rather help save the environment then take a mudbath. Maybe some people are hippies for wrong reasons, but you can't speak for all of them.
And about Dosed's whole problem...I know exactly how you feel. Except for me school is so easy that it's become boring and I just don't try. My teachers are always telling me how smart I am, if only I would apply myself I could have straight As! But I hate grades. And I'm not just staying in school for the credibility or to get into college. I'm not relying on my average grades to get there anyway, I'm relying on my music. There's something about school...a lot of it is useless, but there are some things about it that just make me want to stay there. I don't want to be ignorant and uneducated when I'm older. But sometimes I do feel that if I was out in the real world learning about real life lessons, I'd be getting something far more valuable than the Pythagorean theorem. It's only a few more years, we can make it.
That was extremely long and disjointed...sorry guys, I have ADD .
Also, most of the posts here are really inspiring and beautiful. Thank you, Old Hippies, for handing down your legacy.

 

Right on!!

Peace

 

I have been thinking about what makes a hippy?
It's only my slant on things, but I see these things - peace, gentleness, love, freedom and non-conformity- but I think it is the way we express those things that makes up hippies.
Like not being afraid to go barefoot or grow your hair long or whatever - not feeling that you have to conform to how others look. And feeling free to speak your mind, or speak your heart, and not fear it because other people find it so hard to do.
Like standing up against injustice or inequity, fighting for what you know is RIGHT, regardless of the consequences. Or protesting as a group against something that needs to be changed...ie. group action as well as individual action.
Caring about people and the environment and doing whatever you can to help - so feeding the hungry and homeless, maybe going to live in the forest and plant seedlings beside trees that have been felled, or maybe forming an experimental community where people learn to live closer to nature and be self-sufficient.
It's about an attitude that is open to new ways of living and being.
It is being able to be still and JUST BE, when that is what is needed.
Being cool with silence and not always having to 'fix things'.
It is having the courage to keep your heart open, keep your mind open, and keep connecting with people, with animals, with nature itself and with all the little moments of living. Awareness, I guess. Not blanking out or numbing out, but keeping the fire of passion inside you, and the hunger for freedom and for joy that you hope the whole world can share in...one day...

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

My name is Alyssa. I'm 15 years old, and I'm a sophomore at a Catholic high school. For just about my whole life I've been conforming to ideas or beliefs that were being driven into my brain since I was born.

Since I was little, dancing with my Dad to the magical melodies of The Grateful Dead, to current times with having to start planning for my future the whole Hippy scene has been really appealing to me. I have been researching Hippy ways, and I soon found that I had many of the same beliefs that Hippies commonly have (give or take a few).

Like Doseup247 said earlier, I have also been struggling with the idea of school. Like Doseup I want to live a Hippy lifestyle, but with my parents urging me to graduate high school and then go to college so I can get a good paying job, the whole idea of becoming a true Hippy seems to be a conflicting concern. I have no desire to go to college after I graduate high school so that I can get a job and become a slave to the system.

I much rather be out in the country getting in touch with my inner self, or out in the woods living hand in hand with others who want the same things in the world like peace, love, brotherhood of men and women, and a government in which the people and the officials are on the same playing field.

I don't want to conform to the traditional ways of thinking, and I have a passion to actively support my beliefs and ideas with people who share the same beliefs and ideas as me. I want to exercise my right to peacefully protest against the things that I believe are wrong with society today, and with God's help make a difference in the world.

Maybe you think I'm a poser or hopefully you believe that what I have said earlier is what I honestly believe. Whatever you think can you please help guide me in the respected ways of the Hippies of the past and present.

 

I understand EXACTLY where you're coming from...

 

Alyssa and dose up,

Normally I try to stay clear of advising people or showing insight to what your real questions are. As we go through life we hit various stages of demanding answers - and the one we really demand them from is our Self. Who are we, what are we, what can we do, what gives us some meaning ?
The indians used to do vision questing about this time in life that you are going through. Those of us that can find a way to get apart do so too.
You see without an internal something to give us fire and purpose we aimlessly stumble from one crisis in our lives to another. Once we find something that we can aim toward - a meaning (and it grows and changes as we do - and those that do not change are part of the living dead) - we can hold that up and see what things help bring this purpose to manifestation and what doesn't. Make your dreams and visions and then Do something to help make them happen - act as if they will. Yes, be flexible and open to chenge, but believe in your Self. And to thine own Self Be True.
There are many who will help you on your Way - and many who will talk the talk - be one of the few who Walk the Walk - follow your own Way.

Brightest Blessings and energy sent your Way - Do it.

 

Having seen high school from both sides, as student and many years later as substitute teacher, I certainly understand that it can be boring and seem pointless. School systems are products of many forces over the years, not all of them for the best interests of students. First, it is unnatural for people of that age to be supposed to sit still and quiet for so many hours out of each day. Far better would be a kind of modern day apprenticeship, where young people could actually try out different types of work. The criticism of this would be that such a system would track students into some careers, closing the door on college and other possible careers. In my opinion, such critics do not take into account what it is actually like for many students now, where so little learning of any kind takes place. Also, school systems are massive institutions, and as such, are bound by intertia. Change is just too difficult, and it is so much easier to keep bureaucrats busy writing new proposals, and have the teachers try them out each year as the innovation that this time will surely make a difference. As a practical matter, students that can manage to stay in the advanced placement or college preparatory classes will do much better, both in terms of classroom environment being interesting and not debased, and in potential to do well in college. This advice is not much help to those who are already academically behind by the time they're in high school, though. I will let you in on a secret: the business world does not mind at all that you are bored in school, because most of the jobs out there require a highly developed tolerance for boredom. Schools just the way they are now are perfect for turning out service workers who are already used to pretending things just to get along. My advice is stay in the advanced classes if at all possible, and if not, start thinking now about how you are going to make a living once you get out of school. Then start doing something along those lines. If it's something you really love doing, great! If it's just something that you're good at and can tolerate doing, that's fine too. You're already better off than most of the world, and can spend the rest of your time doing what you love. The point is, to have a skill that can be used to earn some money so that you'll have a certain amount of freedom to do what you really want to do. The alternative is unhealthy working conditions and mind-numbing long-hours that sap so much energy that there's none left at the end of the work day. I've done that too. Ordinary people are losing the gains that were made by the working classes over the last 140 years. I'm sorry that we adults have failed you like this. Many of us are still working to improve things, but many others have given up and are only looking out for themselves. There is a fierce struggle underway globablly for dwindling resources, and the corporations know no limits on their greed. That's the way the stock market system works; the only measurement of value for management in a publically traded company (that's almost all of the big ones) is shareholder return. Everything else means nothing to them. Think about that. The implications are staggering. And this is the accepted economic system in this country. If you object to it, they call you a communist. Welcome to the brave new world order.

If there is an upside to all this, it is that things have become so out of balance that it is very hard for anyone to fail to see it. The problem is, most people are too scared to speak out. They have families to support, and cannot afford to lose their jobs or chance at promotion. For this reason, it has always been young people that have driven change. There are many of us older people who want to help, but you have got to get involved to the extent that you're able to. At least vote! The good guys, or the lesser of two evils, however you want to view it, lost this last election because not enough young people turned out to vote. The radical right, who for the most part have been persuaded by the world's most sophisticated propaganda machine to vote against their own best interests, turned out to vote in far greater numbers than young people. It will take much more than voting to really improve things, but voting is a prerequisite to any real change for the better.

 

Dear oldwolf and redhatter,

Thank you both very much for your guiding messages. I appreciate that you took time out of your day to lend me some very helpful advice. I feel much more confident about my future. Thank you for everything, you have both helped me in ways you could never know.

All my gratitude,
Alyssa

 

You're quite welcome. I'm wondering about your thoughts on college. You wrote that it seems to you that the main reason your parents want you to go to college is so that you can get a well-paying job. I have a feeling that if you asked them more about this, it would turn out that there are other reasons to go to college. There is more to going to college than learning how to better serve the ''system.'' However, I personally think it can be good to take a year off between high school and college. There are lots of interesting things one can do for a year that allow for taking a break from schoolwork. Working in a job or an internship helps to get an idea of what the world is like outside of an academic setting, and can help to focus better on returning to college. I'm still not saying that college is necessarily right for you, but you've got a couple years to think about it, right? That may seem like a long time to put up with something you may not enjoy a lot of the time, but these years are the best time to get that high school degree (rather than get a GED later, which is what most people eventually realize they need). My personal belief about college is that it should be taken seriously. I have a lot of friends who teach in college, and they tell me too many students skip class, etc. We just get one chance at life, and once you get to be my age, the problems of the world really do start to appear in focus. Based on what you've written, my guess is that you are going to want to look back someday and think to yourself that you were effective at doing something to make your part of the world a better place. The college experience can help a person to be more effective in implementing real improvements, where they matter. That's real. Best wishes to you.

 

Hi Alyssa,


It makes me happy to hear your views. I understand just how you feel about school and college. I think we adults tend to forget that education can and should be a life-long thing - not just about a few years in school or college.
I wanted to be a Psychiatric Nurse and I left school at 16 to do that.
Later, when I was married with two little children, I went back to complete my education at night. It was fun and I was actually interested this time!
But the point is...follow your heart.
The only thing I would add is that everyone needs some kind of income or assistance to survive in this world right now. Even in the forest you still have to eat something. So if you have some kind of creative talent or interest, think of ways that you can foster that so that one day you may be able to get by with it. Even if you stay at school you can focus on creativity and making a difference, instead of only making money. There must be courses that you can use to full advantage? Maybe environmental awareness, social work, political studies, anthropology, art, music, performing arts, permaculture and self-sufficiency etc.
Anyway, you have a great head on your shoulders and a good heart. I know you will make a wise decision...
Many, many blessings to you.

 

Hey everyone,

I'm a high school senior and for the past year I have been thinking about the whole college thing. I had some problems with the idea at first. I thought it would make more sense to skip college and travel around the world spreading good vibes and good ideas. After talking this over with several people (some hipforumers included), I decided that college was the place for me. College campuses seem to be the hot beds for change. These are the places where young people unite to spread their ideas. I want in. I'll be attending Oberlin College next fall and I know from my visit that there are many liberal students with great ideas on campus. I'm excited to jump into that pool of thoughts and maybe form/join some movements along the way. I encourage all other young people around my age to take a step in this direction (if you can feel it is right for you). All we need, besides love, is a bunch of young hippies, who are true to the cause, to speak out on their campuses and settle for nothing less than change. I know there are already plenty of us out there, but let's keep growing! Don't stop until our voice is heard. Even if the man tries to put you down, remember that our services are for the good of ALL humanity, even him. Keep up the love, keep up the passion, and like an earlier poster side, "Tune in, turn on and stay in school."

Love, light, service, and good vibes to all

I bid you goodnight.

 

hey everyone i have 2 questions!! first (please dont smack me!!) what is SDS??? and second is there a food not bombs website or something so i can find out if i can help out in my area???

i totally dig the idea of standing up for what we believe in and i want to be a part of it as much as i can!!

if there are anyother orgaizations that could use a helping hand let me know i wanna do everything i can to help the world from self destruction!!

 

SDS back in my day - Students for a democratic society - or damn that's what it used to be - been out of the loop on so many things that may have changed too.
On the food not bombs web site - don't know and just too lazy to look it up for you. but you could probably find it with any good search engine
And hey no slap upside the head - so please don't take it that way.
Blessings along your Way

 

thanks for the info and the no smack!!

 

Watching yesterday's inauguration made me cringe. How could we have allowed a warmonger in the Oval Office?
I thought we remembered our friends and family members who died in Vietnam. Where are all the people who walked with me, who chained themselves to an overpass in Boulder, Colorado in 1971, shouting "Never Again! Never Again!"
Well, we did it again. We've gone to WAR without justification.
I thought we would be the generation to change things, to end war, to
promote love and peace and tolerance. But we're just like all the other generations... maybe worse, because we knew better.
Thank you for giving me this forum to get this off my chest.
I don't know who to scream at.


P.S. My husband's band still plays "hippy music." Check out www.lordtiger.com and see if you agree....

 

You know - what we said and what we meant,
though we may walk it - or not
was that we would not let our own lives be determined by a corrupt society.
Some do - some don't

 

Hey, guys...wow this thread has been very inspring to me. Anyone fimiliar with Americorps? I've been looking into doing some stuff with them...