How many of us are old hippies and flower children?

[mandyky]

What are you now? Still a hippie, a yuppie?

I wish we could help young folks today get the social conscience thing. I could not believe that poll they did on the first amendment last week, and how the young think it goes too far.

[NMDemDist2]

1. I'm still a hippy (not to mention I have gotten a bit wider in the hips)

LOL

recycle, re-use, fresh food, farmers market shopper, growing my own veggies this year

my only vice is a newer SUV for my business, but am looking to buy a older 4 cylinder car for days I don't need to haul.

[SW FL Dem]

2. I'm too young to have been a true hippie or flower child

I was still in high schoool until the mid 70s, but I was definitely raised in a liberal family and was very politically conscious even at an early age. My high school civics teacher was stunned when I could discuss Watergate in great detail when most of the other kids were oblivious. Although my family was middle class, my parents believed in sharing what we had and taking care of our neighbors. My dad was a psychologist who donated hundreds of hours a year to help out in child custody, abuse and divorce cases. I remember once him walking out on a job interview, when the school superintendent told a racist joke. So I consider myself a pseudo hippie, if I had been old enough I would have been out there protesting the Vietnam war and demanding Nixon's impeachment.

[serryjw]

8. Your parents s/b proud

They did a great job!

[SW FL Dem]

9. Thanks! I hope to pass it on to my son

who at 13 has more knowledge of politics and current events than most adults do. Just today as I was driving him to his golf lesson, we discussed the issue of homophobia/gay marriage/civil unions. Most parents can't discuss sex with their teens. I am blessed that my kid feels comfortable asking me about anything. He's definitely going to be a good Dem.

[serryjw]

10. It's great you are doing such a great job

He is one lucky fella. He will grow up well adjusted with strong right/wrong convictions.:yourock:

What did he say about gay rights? Is it an issue personally for him at 13? Does he know young gay people?

[SW FL Dem]

11. He views it as a civil rights issue

As far as I know, none of his friends are gay, but he knows that my sister's best friend was gay and died of AIDS. His comment was essentially: "The stupid Republicans think they know what is right for everyone, even when they don't know them. Who are they to tell people how to live their lives or who to love? Families are made in different ways (he heard this from us since birth - he was adopted)".
I was very proud that he could extend that concept to gay families.

[serryjw]

12. WOW! give him a kiss for me

Many years ago when my LA girlfriend had young kids she was doing meals of wheels for AIDS patients and took her kids. She wanted them to know not everyone is healthy and well, people have problems and not to be frightened.
Are all his friends so well informed?

[SW FL Dem]

13. Unfortunately, his friends aren't well informed or sympathetic

But we live in a heavily repub area and all his friends come from evangelical families. Luckily, he listens to mom and dad when it comes to politics.

[serryjw]

14. At 13

that must be tough for him.

[SW FL Dem]

15. Luckily, he is a pretty well-adjusted kid

He disagrees with his friends but blames their parents. He focuses on the things they have in common and when he wants to talk politics, he comes to me. He is comfortable in his beliefs but doesn't flaunt them. Just before the election, he got a ride home from a friend's mom. All the way home, the talk was about how Bush made them feel safer. My son didn't say anything but he did notice that things got awfully quiet when they pulled up in front our house with the Kerry/Edwards sign out front. His only comment when he came into the house, guess they don't like our sign. The next night he invited the kid for a sleepover.

[serryjw]

16. LOL! You're lucky to have each other

n/t

[LuLu550]

3. more main stream in looks

but still the same old "flower power" hippie I was in the late 60s and early 70s. Still quite a lefty, too.

[Longhorn]

4. By the time I threw off the shackles of my Republican, conservative

upbringing, the hippy movement had pretty much passed me by. I've never done any drugs, including pot. The biggest concert I've ever attended was a Willie Nelson 4th of July picnic. The Vietnam War ended while I was still in high school so all the sit-ins and marches were over by the time I got to the University of Texas. I never had to burn my bra, thanks to my sisters who preceded me, but I did go braless for awhile (and regretting it now! ;))

I got married during college in 1976 and got pregnant with the first of four kids a month after graduation, so I spent the Reagan and Clinton years raising children. We were too poor to be considered yuppies. I was always politically aware but not really politically active until the last few years, when we contributed hundreds of dollars to campaigns and PACs all over the country and worked in the re-election campaign of our state representative.

I am proud to say that we definitely did our part in raising socially-conscious citizens, all of whom are liberal and paying attention, even the Marine.

[Eloriel]

18. The conservative shackles thing kinda fits me

I wasn't Republican, though, just terribly obedient, conservative in that way, and not much of an anti-authoritarian (except at heart). So I never was a hippie in actuality, just at heart. Got married at age 20, in 1968, to an Army guy who went to 'Nam 17 days later. And then had my one and only son in 1971. I've often "mourned" not having actually been a hippie/flower child, but unfortunately that doesn't get it.

But there are key beliefs, understandings, philosophies, etc., etc. from having grown up in the 1960s that are as much a part of me as they can be. It was THE BEST time in the history of the world, IMO, to grow up. Hell, as I've often said, the music alone made it the best time in the history of the world (well, maybe vies for first spot with the baroque period. :evilgrin: )

I would go back in a heartbeat, and simply stay there. I miss it with all my heart, more every day -- the sense of innocence and hope, the belief that we could change the world (and it would stay changed), the ineffable spirit, and so much more that I've never found adequate words for.

And the worse the world gets (and it worsens by leaps and bounds DAILY), the more I miss it and in many ways the more hopeless I feel by comparison.

[FloridaPat]

5. My Mott: You can take the girl out of the 60's, but you can't take the

60's out of the girl.

Still a hippy at heart in some ways. Anti-war, love gardening, into social and other justice. Oh, the good ol days.

[lapopessa]

6. Yeah, but now

I think it makes more sense not to trust anyone UNDER 30. What's up with kids today anyhow? LOL - Glad to see some of them out on the streets, but where's the great anti-war movement we should be seeing for this inane conflict?

[serryjw]

7. Welcome! I posted this a few months ago

As a Boomer, teen of the 60's I remember the draft and "hell no, we won't go"..I spent a great deal of time in the last year on college campuses and the kids are either clueless or they have no problem with a draft....WTF?

[seventythree]

21. loved the don't trust anyone under 30 comment!

[madrchsod]

17. hippie till the day i die

well at least in my mind.

[Blue_In_AK]

19. I'm an old hippie...

I was 20 in 1967, the summer of love, when I tuned in, turned on, but didn't drop out quite yet, since I had one more year of college to finish. After that, I "countercultured" with a vengeance, dropped more acid than I can count, moved to San Francisco, living on the corner of Haight and Broderick, close to the action, demonstrated against the war on a regular basis. I worked but I was stoned ALL the time. A couple years later I quit my job, moved to Bolinas in Marin County, and just hung out on the beach playing music for the next few years. Later moved to a commune in southern Oregon and lived in a teepee there and in Death Valley for a while. Finally, in '75 with a three-year-old child, I decided to rejoin the unreal world, moved to Alaska, and "settled down," but I look back with VERY fond memories of those days. Oh, the adventures we had. I wouldn't trade them for anything. Someday I'm going to write a book.

[seventythree]

22. You WERE a hippie

I married a Nam vet when I was 20. Met him just after he came home --lived in a one room apartment, worked and went to college, and marched against the war. We weren't very counter culture, except in our political views. His hair was on the longish side -- but whose wasn't. And he convinced me to toss the bra, but we all did. The last march we did together was for the ERA, around 1983. Our politics became more main stream, holding local office, but also doing advocacy work. After twenty years of either being in office or running for one, I hang it up next month. Time to do something else -- let the youngsters take over and beat their brains out trying to change the system -- I have a headache.

[bearfan454]

20. I'm an old hippie

I don't turn on anymore or drink.

[livetohike]

23. Old Hippie

My brother was showing some old pictures to my nieces and nephew about 10 years ago and he said "Your aunt is a hippie." He said is, not was, so I guess I still am :-).

[jdots]

24. old beat nick

everybody l loves an angry young man ,everybody hates an angry old man. Graduated high school in 1967,that was probably the best summer the planet ever had unless you were in Nam.
One daughter (23 ) is a totall hippy and the other daughter (20) is not a repuke but trys to cop in to the enertainment generation.
Todays yuppy is a neocon.

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Yep I still feel like a hippie

but I usually wear a bra these days.

[Freebird12004]

26. I'm an old hippie who refuses to grow old.

:hippie:

I'm still not afraid to speak out about the things that I have always believed in.

[Zen Democrat]

27. '69 I was 21 (Just like Jackson Browne). Still a Hippie girl here!

And .... I have three beautiful grown children who are all way left of center, including one in the military really carrying the torch among his peers.

[libodem]

28. I'm kinda an old hippy

kind of a wanna be from the '70s.

[Dragonfly]

29. Feet in different realms but generally joined

via occasional head/heart co-operation for what-feels-like effective continental joint soul operations.

Part of me feels the pulsating, life-affirmative save-the-Earth energy emanating from British Columbia. Another part lives day-to-day in the midst of the urban labyrinth, hopefully moving toward growing enhancement of core multicultural relations concerning vital middle-class-on-down issues.

Better balance is the immediate and long-term goal for me. Thinking about how to respond to your query helped engage the busy historical video reflecting my personal series of voyages, viewing this amusing life-ride from a just approaching 56 and one/half perspective ....thanks for your post.

Definitely believe that we will have the opportunity to put our collective best "spiritual-political" range of solutions out there as a tangible alternative to the current prospect of never-ending war.

Peace...

[annabanana]

30. graduated HS in '67... went to NYU, so

yeah.. a hippy then, a hippy now.
Fillmore East and Electric Circus were my places...
Whee!

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

31. I was a "hippie" in the 60's

One of the Flower children - I did every drug around in those days. I went to the Filmore East, too ! I don't remember the Electric Circus - but there's a lot I don't remember. I used to hang out in the East Village - St. MArks PLace

I participated in the takeover of my college campus (Queens, CUNY) in '69. It started a lot like Cindy's vigil - we just went to talk to the college president about on-campus recruiters. When he refused to meet with us, we just sat in the admin building and waited. I think we occupied it for 2 weeks until the NYC cops came in and hauled us out.

I dropped out and came to CT to stay awhile with friends and was supposed to head to FL to meetup with another friend. Its been 35 years and I'm just getting ready to head to FL!!! I went mainstream for awhile - working, getting married, having a kid, buying a house - but since the 2004 selection I've been getting involved in activism again.

I'm proud to say that the kid reads every issue of The Nation from cover to cover

[MrBenchley]

32. Acid, Abortion and Amnesty!

I'm still kind of a hippie...spent the summer of '69 on the streets of NY...

[Acryliccalico]

33. I am still !

I chant to my 17 yr old son "HELL NO! WE WON"T GO" all the time. He gets it :toast: :kick:

[shanti]

34. yuppie on the outside

hippie on the inside :)

[Totally Committed]

35. I'm still a Hippie at heart, for sure!

Peace, Love, and Understanding is what we STILL need above all.

I also believe more than ever that youth is wasted on the young. :rofl:

TC

[ChickMagic]

36. My mom told me

"You know what your problem is?" I'm thinking, "I have a problem?"
She says, "You never outgrew that hippie shit." Oh well - she
raised me. What can I say?

[havocmom]

37. Bloomin Idiot here. Still think love is the answer

but forgot the question.

Seriously, have not sold out. Haven't had a lot of what our society would call
'success' but I feel my life has mattered and been more constructive than destructive. Never felt too bad about not being a success by the standards of a society which is not sustainable or even accepting of basic human conditions.

Guess older hippy. Grow some of my own food and like that. Make and wear clothes which feel good to me and don't worry about Vouge. Feel time spent in nature is best.

Love freedom.

[Serial Mom]

38. Very nice response

I too am an older hippy... haven't sold out to materialism, although I tried hard to get my kids an education.

Seriously, have not sold out. Haven't had a lot of what our society would call 'success' but I feel my life has mattered and been more constructive than destructive. Never felt too bad about not being a success by the standards of a society which is not sustainable or even accepting of basic human conditions.

Your words above ring so true and are so thoughtful.

I haven't grown my own food, but my other half, his sister and her other half talked about doing that as soon as we can "retire" and have health insurance or something similar. Sort of a little "commune"

We all love freedom and peace!

[marlakay]

39. Bit hippie bit yuppie

Yeah...can I have back my peace sign mobile and black lights with cool posters, long skirts and macramae headband...

mainly I want the feeling of hope of the future I had back then...I feel so cynical now....