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This thread neatly divides into those that fondly remember the hippie generation and those that seem almost angry and bitter about its existence. Reminds me of the old joke about Republicans resenting people who might have more fun than they do.
I am grateful for going to college during that generation, back in New England. Coincidentally, I agree with practically all of newenglandgirl's remarks about the era; certainly, there were many ahead-of-their-time, wholesome aspects . . . not just dirty, drugged out people on wretched mattresses!
Anyway, back to the main point. I do have one regret. In the summer of 1969 I was working my summer job at Cabot Creamery in Vermont. A fellow college student worker (much more a true hippie than me) asked me if I wanted to go with him to Woodstock in neighboring New York. He had info about a giant music festival about to happen there. I knew nothing about it and turned him down. He went and had a great time. I've always regretted my close-minded decision.
Do I regret missing out on the hippie lifestyle, being lazy, immoral, stupid, and irresponsible. No, I don't regret it for one second. For one thing, I had to work to support myself. Not everyone has parents who spoiled them and gave them money to do whatever they wanted. Not only that, but I had a neighbor who went totally off his rocker from drugs, so skipping the drug scene was a great idea IMHO. Instead, I went to college, got a degree, started on a great career, met my wife, and started a family. Sounds a lot better than sleeping on the floor on mattresses with a bunch of dirty, drugged out nuts.
I was in the same boat you were in those days, and I can't say I regret missing out on that hippie lifestyle either. My parents began their divorce proceedings ( lasting five very acrimonious years) when I turned 18, and I and my siblings were pretty much scattered to the winds- we hung on till we graduated from high school, and then split to make our own ways. It was pretty much sink or swim for us, not only was there no money for college for any of us, there was no home to come back to, or any kind of physical, emotional or mental support either- not from our parents, who were most interested in getting back at each other, and in the kids taking sides.
I also worked to support myself and pay for college, I was also lucky enough to get almost a full ride between a scholarship and working on campus. It still took me six years to get my BS and professional certification, and I had some debt, but paid it off in a year- I didn't buy a car for two years after I graduated. I figured I needed my wits about me at all times, so I didn't even try the drugs that were all around- smoking always made me sick anyway. I remember in the late 60's, early 70's when the students from the university down the street from our school marched up the hill to our campus, threatening to shut down our school, and burn the new science lab, I sat on the steps outside the classroom where I had an 8AM class, tired from working a night shift, and commenting that if they were going to cancel classes they should just let us know so I could go home and sleep.
I think it was that incident where I remember confronting a bearded, dirty drugged out student who'd marched up that hill with his peers, who shouted at us as we sat on those steps, claiming how we were traitors to our country who didn't care about what was happening in Viet Nam and how they were going to burn down our school. At that, I stood up, poked the guy in the belly, and told him that not everyone had the luxury of having "Daddee" pay their tuition and throwing it away, not giving a ratz aZZ about it, that some of us had to earn our own way and appreciated what we had, and found it worth working for. Funny thing was, the guy was so looped he almost fell down those steps when I poked him, and he sort of just slunk away without saying anything else.
Even though I was in my early twenties at the time I missed out altogether and have no regrets. Six years in the Marines, then marriage and working/attending college. Full time work on graduation. I still have rather negative opinions of that era. Trying to get to campus for a scheduled class and finding everything shut down due to demonstrations, tear gas in the air.
I recall a lot of entitled young people with student deferments partying more than studying. Going to school on Mom and Dad's dime. The folks from a blue collar background getting drafted and sent to Vietnam delaying their education and entry into the job market.
Didn't miss out on much. What I missed was a conscious choice on my part.
I was in Southern California at the epicenter and knew a LOT of hippies who were self-employed because they wanted the independence. No one I knew had a trust fund. A lot of us worked to pay for college. We backpacked through Europe in the summer on our own dime and ate a lot of cheese and bread because it was cheap and fun and when you're 19 you aren't thinking about your cholesterol numbers at 65.
Some of us built very lucrative careers based on the contacts we made in the 60's. And what we learned by meeting all sorts of people in all sorts of places. I knew hippies who went into the Peace Corps or volunteered to teach in Head Start. There were guys with deferments but they had to keep their grades up. Everyone I knew who had a deferment also had a job to pay for school. Many found Jesus. More than a few went to ashrams. I knew some who went to Vietnam after getting the "Greetings" letter from Uncle Sam. Then they came back to the world and grew their hair long again, went to college for a couple of years on the less-than-generous GI Bill of that era and debated students who were pro-war.... but didn't serve a day.
Last edited by DewDropInn; 11-18-2014 at 11:41 AM..
Born in '53 so I was only 15 in '68. Anyway I picked and chose what suited me during the late 60s to mid 70s.
Had the long hair, clothing styles alternated between preppish and somewhat hippyish, bell bottom jeans with denim shirts, tie dyed shirts etc.
Also enjoyed smoking quality weed, partying and partook of the abundant, commitment-free sex that was so readily available.
Into Tull, The Doors, Hendrix, Creedence.......
Other than that, I was a capitalist; always worked, liked making money and drove a cool car. Bathed regularly too. None of that "earth mother", "natural is the way to go" crap for me.
I thought all that anti-materialism was more for people who didn't like to work, didn't like being in a competitive environment or were just hypocrites.
Went to the big Earth Day thing in '70. Had fun AND we cleaned up after ourselves.
I regret that I was just a little bit too young for the whole hippie thing. I was only 12 in 1969. I would have loved to be 5 years older and able to experience Woodstock, Haight-Ashbury and all that. Then again, it might have ruined me. But I thoroughly enjoyed 70s music from age 12 or 13 till now, and just the general "atmosphere" of the 70s. I never was into drugs or anything, but the 70s were a magical time. Wish I could go back.
I'd say many who partook also found a life they did not expect. I myself am a teen of the mid 60's and frankly the Hippie life style was and is still over blown. Basically you can go to Seattle and see same life style on the streets there now. Its like people now going back to the 50's would not see that as the idea time in America. Those who lived then tho thought they were living the American dream especially those who went thru great depression then WWII it must have been just that. I pretty much was the other version of the time; American thing portrayed with girls and cars and the beach in movies. Then of course ;army stopped that and when I returned it was not the same. Still I went on to what I see has a good life which I am still living. No regrets.
Do I regret missing out on the hippie lifestyle, being lazy, immoral, stupid, and irresponsible. No, I don't regret it for one second. For one thing, I had to work to support myself. Not everyone has parents who spoiled them and gave them money to do whatever they wanted. Not only that, but I had a neighbor who went totally off his rocker from drugs, so skipping the drug scene was a great idea IMHO. Instead, I went to college, got a degree, started on a great career, met my wife, and started a family. Sounds a lot better than sleeping on the floor on mattresses with a bunch of dirty, drugged out nuts.
This sounds great....I wish i was there right now!
But seriously, why was it it an either/or? I went to college, have a great career, been married nearly 30 years, AND also indulged quite a bit. Enjoying the drug scene my whole life to now, even trying heroin for the first time in my early 50's. It was to be experienced, not read about IMO.
IMHO, the more I think about those days, the more I realize I really hate that era. What a bunch of naive children those people were. Kids who never built or accomplished anything, "tearing down the establishment", in favor of what, chaos? If you mature, you start to realize you need industry to provide the necessities of life and jobs for people. You need law and order, prisons and police. You need a defense dept. and weapons of war to protect your country and the people in it. You realize that drugs just make you screwed up and stupid. You realize people have to work to support themselves and it is the height of injustice to tax the hell out of some people so that others can sit on their butts, stuff their face and watch TV. That's what in some places is known as slavery.
Sorry Dave, there's nothing good about drugs. Just look at the drugs and crime that the drug business has brought to the shattered inner cities of our country. Just think about the drug wars and the victims of these cartels. When you buy those drugs, you're supporting drug lords who chop off peoples heads.
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