Is the neo-hippie movement fading?

I can remember by the early 70s the original hippie movement was fading, people were becoming less idealistic and more jaded, or more "realistic" as they would call it. The past few years have seen a resurgence somewhat of the movement, but lately I've started seeing those fading signs again, people becoming less selfless and more into tending to their own nest. Does anyone else get this feeling?

 

When I look at teenagers today i think "goddamn, the 80's really are coming back!"


but mostly because of the clothing style.

Mall culture once again reigns supreme (along with a resurgence in Chrstian fundamentalism among teens)

yep, the world could end any day now.

 

Eh these things always go in waves. But where I've grown up I never noticed any particular peak in a neo-hippy movement, if there ever really was one. Most people were either preps, rednecks, or goths where I went to school.

 

If it seems to be fading, its only shrinking from the mainstream and becoming more underground, that's a good thing, belive me. The last thing we need is a bunch of frat boys fresh off of Dave Matthews Band tour to start thinking they're hippies.

 

SOO well said.

 

Well, there are no hippies here but me, and i am not fading! Peace and love..........peace and love.......

 

to the original question: what movement? I sure havent noticed one. Too many Gap and abercrombie & fitch kids....

 

I thought I was the only one! Sure is sad...

 

The eighties!!! Where did we go wrong!

 

I think there really has been a resurgence of "hippie-dome"
There will always be those of us that will stray from the norm and follow our own path towards the hippy lifestyle, however I have noticed that every-day people from stay-at-home Moms, lawyers, and scientists are starting to realize that less-is-more, the environment is beautiful and important to protect, and that maybe mainstream commercialism is wrong.
In the anti-war protests I went to last year, I saw those from all walks of life doing their best to support peace.
I see more and more people at my local health-food store from all sorts of backgrounds trying to help themselves and the earth buy choosing organic.
And most importantly, take a look at the VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY movement. More and more Americans are making a decision to step out of mass-consumption and corporate culture and go towards a simpler, more sustainable way of living to help both their spirit and the earth. If that's not hippy, i don't know what is.
It is just important to look beyond the clothes, hair, ect., and see what real things people are doing to advance "hippy" ideals.

 

there was never a resurgence...it just became fashionable to wear beads and floppy hats again...and so all the old skool hippies came out of hiding...


if you're sensing a change...maybe it's you thats changing...

 

It has cropped up in places. Here in Oregon you don't have to travel too far to see signs of life in it. Hey, the original hippie movement didn't take root everywhere; until the mid 1970s a man with long hair was living risky in the southern states.

People do seem to be less friendly lately. I've been to a couple of festivals so far this summer and the atmosphere wasn't what it used to be. People seemed more like tourists than participants.

For a while we seemed to be coming together in opposition to the Bush administration's policies which have us stuck in Iraq while our economy is still floundering. Lately though it seems as though we've gotten tired of it all and we're just waiting for the election to see if we actually can throw the bum out. But even if Bush loses the election, how much enthusiasm do we have for Kerry? Does it seem like he's just the lesser of two evils?

Maybe it's just me. Wish I didn't live so far from New York or else I'd go raise hell at the RNC next month; that just might be the adrenaline surge I need.

 

First of all this is my first post and I'm glad to be here! I'm only 20 but have been part of the "neo-hippie" movement for about 6 years. I agree that it is changing, but fading and going underground I strongly disagree with.


When I first started going to shows and festivals when I was a junior in high school there was a sense of comrodery. Everyone was so stoked to see so manyother people that were like them. The scene started to pick when Phish became a big name, then soon after that bands few bands stared to gain some recognition. It is my opinion that the NEW scene peeked at Bonnaroo 2002. Latley though I've seen a change in attitude, lifestyle, music, and the seen in general.
These festivals that used to be strictly "jam" bands are now incorperating more mainstream pop-rock in these festivals, and some bands have been leaning more toward mainstream with what they are making.
Examples: Srting Cheese going on Lollapolloza; Maroon 5 at Bonnaroo; Trey going Dave and making a bunch frat boys "thinking there hippies"; Trey and Dave special on VH1; 1 death at Bonnaroo from heroin.

I could go on, but I won't. The fans are more focused on drugs more then the music it seems.

 

Newo, it's true.. I was a teenager in Oklahoma in the mid 70's. Because of my long hair and liberal ideas, life was tough sometimes. People sure can be unfriendly these days, but not as unfriendly as they were "back in those days"

In reference to the lesser of 2 evils.....less evil HAS TO BE a good thing..LOL

Man, I'd like to see people learn to love others for being themselves.


Oh, Newo......Keep on "keepin on"


Peace to ya'll

 

There is a change in the air and a lot of people can feel it. It shows in the fact that mainstream music is getting better, and the songs have more feeling and essence than they have for a long time. Stuff like Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse and Phish is getting popular, and I don't think it's because it's meant to be "cool". I live in a small hick town, but even here I can sense a change in attitude. And even though there are a lot of youth who have conservitave ideals, there are many more who don't. I think a lot of them just haven't figured out how to express it. And if you think about it, you can't just count the run-of-the-mill hippies. You have to count punks, emo kids, new new-wavers, goths, and many more who have the same political ideals as hippies. I believe there is another movement coming, I believe it whole-heartedly.
By the way, where do I go to "Ask the Old Hippy"?

 

My views on the whole thing is that everyone is hippie to an extent, its just the outside pressures are forcing you to dump all of that to survive, as much as somebody wants to be true to themselves there is 100 reasos why you cant. Im mostly against big buisness and desk jobs but to at least be able to have a stable living in life ill need to take a job like that, you cant survive in this world anymore just by travelling around and picking up part-time jobs here and there. Everything is becoming 110% computers and rapish sort of, i dont really know how to explain it but rap seems to be chaing the views of the entire world. I dont know if a movement really did start or if some big clothing company just said hey lets bring hippies back into fashion, and everyone we think is a hippie is really just some phony following the crowd. What we need is to change the way of living for 90% work where people live there life to work, and bring back a lifestyle where you only work say half the time and the other times are spent doing more important things, like saving the enviroment, spending quality time with your kids, or playing in a rock band. Those good old days where thats what people did in their spare time are fading, and being replaced with oh ive got to talk on my cellphone, sorry gotta go into work to do work, gotta travel across the world to talk with a supplier. I just want a way of life away from all that.

 

I totally disagree. People don't need computers, and people can survive traveling around like that. I plan to. Just get rid of all your materialistic needs, once you do, you'll never want to go back. And rap isnt chaning the entire world, just what you see on tv.

there are people who live life like that. Don't try to follow a set way of life, live yyour on life the way you want to. If you don't want a job, don't get one. Start a commune, where all the other members help out with things in the community. You won't need money, or possessions.

 

This is alot easier said then done. You are 16, and I'm not tryin to knock you or anything, but I had the same ideals when I was your age. When you gradute from high school you'll see that the world doesn't work like this. Hippies have to work to. It costs a lot of money to do something like this and unless your parents are loaded it is not going to happen just like that.

 

well, i dont know about hippies, of course there are some of them to, but i think the youth is getting more and more alternative, and less mainstream, but of course then the mainstream puts on the alternative act and the untrue ones get lost. the bottom line is, hippies are gone, the belonged to the 60-70ies... i have a problem with having to much on my mind, so it gets hard to put it one paper, so basicaly all you read on this forum that i have posted could be mistaken for the rablings of a mad man, and probably is to. o, and people ! if you ever feel down, just tell yourself that nothing matters, and it will go away, cause nothing realy matters at all, the point of living is to do what you want, no rules, morals or laws of society can chain you.. well, completely of topic, so goodbye

 

Once again but you are very young, and trust me your ideals will change as soon as your out from under your parents wing and sent out into the real world by yourself. A lot of things matter and if everyone thought like you there would be a whole hell of a lot of crime in this world.

Now to stay on topic hippies ae not gone!!! I don't know if you've heard of Bonnaroo, but it's been happening for 3 years now. It is a music festival that is much like a Woodstock. This year over 150,000 people gathered to rural Tennesse for 4-5 days for PEACE, LOVE, and JAM BANDS. Hippies never left or went away. It is hard for someone in this lifestyle to stray away. Believe me I'm considered one. Hippies have changed though. It is not as easy for people to do what they did in the 60s & 70s. Prices have gone up and you can't sell tyedye to get by anymore. These people have jobs now. You could work with a hippie and not even know it.