Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was one of the poorer hippies, had to work part time, no parental support, even had to pay my own college tuition, but I took every opportunity to participate in the hippie counterculture when I could. I always envied my more middle-class, spoon-fed, college roommates who could go to a Vietnam war protest, while I had to work that night!
I still have one good hippie friend left, she has never changed through the years, her 60's philosophy/value system remains intact. Shunning materialism, most disposable income is spent exploring some part of the world, like myself.
I re-connected with one hippie friend I hadn't seen in 20 years, someone I used to LSD trips with, denouncing the establishment and materialism, and I was struck stupid when we met, as she had become an Assessor with the county government, nice suburban home, and after her lecturing me to get a good government job, I couldn't believe it this was the same person! Back then, she smoked like a chimney, and after the lecture to quit smoking (tobacco), I had had enough!!! I never saw her again!
The wealthiest hippies I envied the most! They were lucky enough to hang out in Goa, India, Puerto Angel in Mexico, Bangkok and Kathmandu, Nepal. I finally made it to Kathmandu in 1996, and the traces of it are still there, as they renamed a major street there called Freak Street, in remembrance of those times! Imagine what the scene was like back then!!!
Some things don't change. The richest hippies had the most fun!
I love it when someone posts a thread that makes me think. And this one did.
During those years, I thought it was a great time to be alive. All those hippies were going to change the world. Finally there was a generation that had some social conscience and was willing to fight for change. Then they got mortgages and had kids. And the technicolor rainbow sort of faded away. Buried in debt and the search for affordable day-care. Pretty soon they were too tired to care anymore.
I do believe all the protests hastened the end of the Vietnam War. Since then there have been many protest worthy events that have gone on without a whimper. I think we became even more apathetic. But I think the Millennial's are showing some promise.
Yeah, been there, done that and don't have any of those T-shirts or posters on the wall anymore.
It was a magical time of self discovery and mind blowing experiences in an alternate universe that unless you experienced it, words just can't describe although many have tried to weave the words together with the emotions but it was better living through chemistry.
I value the trip as a spiritual awakening which advanced my understanding and wisdom by light years.
No regrets !
Think that what we finally realized is that crowds are dangerous to join in when they are not controlled by people who want keep control and just make the point. I don't see many wanting to go back to those days. Its like those spitting on returning service members seeing it as some form of protest but now its seen for what it really was. Even Lennon learned that heroin was not really cool and many singers died from the problems with drugs at early age. Many suffered a lot before they even died at its hands.
... I recommend you all get ready for really tough times. The coming financial collapse will be horrible.
Any real look at the numbers put out by the government, tell us they are a lie. Just wake up. Go for a drive and look around.
All those empty warehouses and commercial buildings. No jobs in the paper. Do you see a 17000 economy?
Anyhow,those that retired already and have some money. Your dam lucky. Your kids and grandchildren. Not so much. Talk to them and tell them to prepare for whats coming. Help them out if you can. Get out of big city's ...
Thanks for sharing your opinion and predictions with us.
It does not resonate with me, however.
No jobs in the paper? This may come as a shock to you, but 97% of the job listings are online ... not in newspapers anymore. Are you stuck in 1960?
I don't have to drive around, I just need to take the 1 mile stroll to my workplace. Within a 12 block radius of my house there are dozens and dozens of new construction amounting to $3.7 Billion dollars ... and I don't even live downtown or in the city center, I'm on the other side of the river. One mixed-use building in my neighborhood is going to be 50 stories tall and they are nearing completion on a 33 story luxury building with rooftop pool a block away. Downtown another $5 or $6 billion dollars of construction is going on, including the tallest skyscraper in the US outside of NYC and Chicago. I pass restaurants and shops with "Help Wanted" signs everywhere - but most native born younger people don't want those jobs. My supervisor at work tells me and my colleagues he will pay us a $500 bonus if we can find a qualified candidate for employment that is hired.
So, everyone's observations are different. Some people live in depressed areas and others in booming areas.
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.
Dang! Missed my chance. Graduated in 1964, attended two years of college, enlisted in the military and was sent overseas, returned in 1969, went back to college on the GI bill, got married, had children, left the military in 1979, embarked on a civilian life with years in law enforcement including time as a narcotics agent, had more children, retired in 2009. Now please tell me what I missed. Augiedogie, you, too, got it right!
Yeah.. if you didn't get drafted. I personally like the early seventy's after Nam. I actually liked about all of my years until 08.
Forces beyond my control really screwed things up. I lost almost everything. The bankers and wall street haven't learned anything or really changed. I recommend you all get ready for really tough times. The coming financial collapse will be horrible.
Any real look at the numbers put out by the government, tell us they are a lie. Just wake up. Go for a drive and look around.
All those empty warehouses and commercial buildings. No jobs in the paper. Do you see a 17000 economy?
Anyhow,those that retired already and have some money. Your dam lucky. Your kids and grandchildren. Not so much. Talk to them and tell them to prepare for whats coming. Help them out if you can. Get out of big city's. A future violent prison of sorts.
Try this site. TheBurningPlatform check it out for a week. Tell your kids to also. Learn some truths.
That's a great website, but let's make it easier to get there.
Come visit us on the S-S & P forum. You won't find reminiscences of drugs, riots, and the collapse of the family over there. The OP in this thread almost makes me feel sympathetic to Sharia and the rules of conduct in Saudi Arabia.
Here's the menu. Of course, there's some garbage, but there's a great deal of worthwhile material.
HinWY: Good post. It appears a lot of badness is going to occur in St. Louis. This just gives law abiding, hard working, responsible people more reason to follow the advice of Kapie. ST. Louis is like a lot of other major cities in our country, with people that have a similar mentality.
The topic was about good times in the 60s, not the politics of today. Today's politics belong in either Current Events or Politics & Other Controversies. Thanks.
Back to the topic, I missed it. Had my son right after high school (1971) and became a responsible mom. Did party some with friends but never tried drugs. Some of it was very sad to see - a high school friend who became so hooked on drugs and overdosed, A beautiful man that all the girls in my hometown lusted after, after Vietnam was an addict who had nightmares over the things he'd seen and had to do. Another Vet I dated for a short time (his choice) because he couldn't get over the nightmare that was Vietnam.
In a sense, these folks saved me because I made the choice not to get into drugs. But they were such beautiful people prior to that.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I never saw her again!
