I just dont get it

Ok old hippies.... If that is your real agenda. We as a youth culture need your help. You have GOT to explain to these kids that what you were doing back in your day had NOTHING to do with the drugs or music, and that those were the result of what you were trying to accomplish. Seriouslly some of you old timers need to pop into the "Young Hippie" form and see just how fucked in the head some of these kids are. They think that getting wasted, avoiding good hygene, trying to have lots of unprotected sex, talking about peace and activism without having direct action are all part of being a hippie. Explain to them that they need to stop living in YOUR past and start living in THEIR future. I begging you for the sake of these kids, for the sake of the people as a human race. I know its fucking cool as shit to see youngins getting down on the shit you experienced first hand but you have to realize also that today there is NO Youth culture.
There is no movment for us. We live in a world of MTV, where we get told whats good, and told what to like. And these kids will point out how they hate that stuff and its all about conformity, but then fall into these hippie stereotypes. Please old hippies if you really are who you claim to be then you know that what I'm saying is right. The youth need to find a voice of their own instead of your voice through a new face.
To me its just another form of apathy. Their not being free thinkers. They're being 60s thinkers. And in our society today it just doesnt apply, and you know its true. When was the last time you saw a commune? I'm an anarchist and I can't find one to save my life. When was the last time you saw someone with a plate of sugar cubes giving away every single hit for free? When was the last time you heard one of these kids come up with a profound and original thought on any subject that did not in some way mimic that god damn stereotype?
In our world, apathy and emulation are close bedfellows. Because apathy is not caring and emulation is copying a life thats not your own. I would like so much to have a conversation about politics on here that you couldn't summerize as simply another Bush bashing thread. I want to talk about economics, trends, laws, drug policy, medical research, morallity, religion and how we as citizens can influence change upon them. We need to encourage these kids to take ACTIVE roles in shaping their future instead of just reading news blips and posting comments on a message board. Im sure there are kids on here who think they are speaking out because they are saying the same thing everyone else on here is saying.

We need a new movement. One that doesn't fall under a category of counter-culture from the 60s. Ok so I condone violence to influence change in this country. You may not agree with me but would you prefer that it just stays the way it is now... These guys saying they want to make a difference in the world but never make a motion to do it.

We need to influence change. And that cant happen so long as these kids hold onto a culture thats not their own.

 

You have to understand that 90% of the members in the YH forums don't consider themselves hippies at all. Also, keep in mind that a lot of "hippies" back in the day were just following the trend at the time.

You don't need a label on yourself to influence social change.

 

And thats what Im saying... I just get tired of seeing people classify themselves and modify their behavior acordingly... Like the question, "Can I own a gun and still be a hippy?" People were actually telling him Yes or No rather than "Does it matter?" To me.... thats no bueno

 

old hippies have an agenda?

 

i agree with you man, but liek i think, i may be wrong, but alot of us who want to start something and make a change have no idea where to start.

 

Fuck you.

The last thing I want to be is a hippie, and the last thing I think of when I think of hippies is success.

 

I don't like movements. They always want me to do things.

Hippies succeeded in making the years between 1964 and 1972 a haze.

 

You talk about these "kids" and there misconceptions like your a expert, remember your but a "kid" yourself. Not all "hippies" of either generation could fit into any specific steriotype, just as there are those who think it is all about drugs and music now there were those who thought the same then.

 

Exactly my point.

 

i agree with you there. and to the person who said there's just a bunch of confused kids who want to change the world but don't know where to start, i agree with you as well.

who was faye keesey? the name sounds familiar

 

First of all, I agree with Dark Lunacy when he says that the younger hippies (myself included) are living on the ideas of the 60's, but also doing nothing about them. They TALK about peace, but there are no real war protests going on, with the exception of a few at the soldier's funerals which I personally find pretty bad that they would do this, one reason is that is shows no respect for the families. No matter HOW the person died, they died. Whether it was in Iraq, in an auto accident, or even if they were killed at a peace demonstration. So that family needs to mourn for their lost loved one. It doesn't matter HOW they died, they are dead, so let the family say goodbye! If you want to protest, DO IT!!! Just do it at a place that is a little less disrespectful.

I agree! You have so much to teach us! HOW do we organize? Personally, I live in a very conservative area where a lot of people support the war, and have kids or siblings in Iraq right now. I know very FEW people against it. So how do I get hooked up with people to protest with?

I think we've all got those questions. I don't know what I would love more than to take part in a demonstration, or do something, anything, for the cause.

 

whoever said there are no anti-war protests going on right now should open their eyes. there are none in the NEWS, but there are TONS happening. the difference now is that no matter how many people gather in front of the white house and sing "give peace a chance", it's not going to be reported. nobody will hear them behind sound-proof doors. the media is entirely controlled. and who are we trying to influence anyway? most people (and the statistics are drastically warped, so who knows what's true?) do NOT support the way the government is operating. but so what? votes are thrown out and false ones are counted, and the blatant fascism is really frustrating. i personally feel like there's nothing i can do, and i think a lot of young people share that feeling. all there is to do is wait until they've taken this charade as far as they legally can, and pray to god they don't find a way to change the rules. wait, and then, start the revolution. because otherwise, all those protest signs will just be more trees cut down for no reason. they will ignore us as long as they can, until they can't anymore.

 

DL, I think you are totally contradicting yourself in your post.

Your argument is that Hippies aren't active in their ideology, that they're just following a label that's dictated to them by the media or some 'higher power', so they can 'fit in' or whatever, while actually just bumming around, etc. My argument is that the label hippy is dictated to you by the media also, not just their ideology but in fact the whole group of people you are arguing against. How many 'new-age' hippys do you personally know... not as many as you are implying "think that getting wasted, avoiding good hygene, trying to have lots of unprotected sex, talking about peace and activism without having direct action"
That is YOUR idea of being a new-age hippy, NOT what a new-age hippy 'is'.. and it's also probably the most stereotypical and closed-minded view of them.

The problem with todays under 20's is that they generalise too much

 

Here's an idea. Start preparing now for when gas gets too expensive for the average person. Learn how to grow your own food. Learn how to forage. Learn herbalism. Learn how to hunt. Learn how to build a house with locally available materials. Learn how to make clothing. That's activism and it doesn't require you to find any like minded people to do it, though that'd surely make it more fun.

 

So if they ARE going on, and no one knows about them, than that just means another form of protest needs to be figured out. When civil rights began, black people would go in and sit at "whites only" places. That worked then. Times have changed, everyone is welcom everywhere. Thus combatting racism would need a differant form of protest. Protest is all about drawing attention. So if those protests aren't getting attention, there needs to be other forms that the media CAN'T ignore. Something like what happened at Avery College CAN'T be ignored! But it would probably be harder to pull off again. As a result, we need to find differant ways to attract attention to the cause. Something more drastic. In the 60's, protesting at all wasn't normal, so any form of demonstration would get attention. Nowadays, it is much more common, so other means need to be found. Farenheight 9/11 is an example. It drew a lot of attention. It is also in its own way a form of protest. So maybe if we can't attract the media anymore, we have to BE the media.

 

Some good responses on both sides.... In another thread I mentioned it was arugments like that that made me stop coming.... Debates like this are why I show up at all =P
Just thought I'd add that before my little rebuttle here =D Ok I'll be responding in order so if I accidently skip you its not cause I'm avoiding your point but because I just got off work and my brains a bit numb. NOW!

Everyone does whether they are concious of it or not... Part of being human. =P

Hemp726: To influence change all's you have to do is try. Change one mind and its a start. Theres a thread floating around about lowering gas prices. It offers a GOOD idea to lower them rather than an unfocused one day boycott. Not to say that boycott's are useless but if its on a one day span its not very effective. Speaking out publicly about your views in the company of people who think differently (rather than the same like on here) using rational thought and good arguments is another way. Just be active in your beliefs rather than passive.

Spooner: Well than I guess I'm not talking to you am I?

Loudi: Then just sit back and enjoy yourself man. I'm addressing those who say they move for change and do nothing. You do nothing and enjoy it. Keep it up your doing exactly what you say =D

Sila: I'm well aware that I'm a young person. I just say kids in reference to anyone between say 13-16. 17/18 I consider young adults. But I'll also say kid in reference to anyone of any age who uses a juvinille thought process. And while I agree that some people in all groups think its about the stereotyping, it shouldn't be an excuse to allow it to prevail no?

Drumminmama: Yes exactly! Thats what its about, doing something besides talking about doing something. We do need to defy culture but thats not the only thing I'm talking about. Its about furthing stereotypes. Take for example the stereotype that seems most evident. Hippies do drugs. Is that true? No. There are plenty of hippies who choose to remain sober. A more accurate stereotype would be "Hippies are ok with people doing drugs." Still not accurate but its a start. I guess what I'm trying to say is that in any counter culture group it should be more important to focus on the change rather than definition of the change. For example next time someone asks that all to common question "How can I be a hippy" (change it any way you like about hippies not regarding to history) don't respond with you're typical ways. Instead encourage them to NOT focus on the label and work to just being an individual. Some of you do this and thus this statement isnt toward you =D

Rayne_Lyric: I encourage you to be a one-man protest. Don't be afraid of speaking out against the war but be smart about it. First you have to accept the fact that there are a lot of close minded right that you will never reach (I've actually heard the argument "If George Bush wasn't a good leader he wouldnt be the president.") Avoid arguing with these people UNLESS you are around people who aren't so close minded. Your presentation of facts to their rebuttles of "Your stupid" will speak volumes to the more open minded. Don't offer propaganda, and drop the war for oil argument as it will instantly label you as "One of those" people. Also when arguing with them don't get scared when threatened with violence. It will happen sooner or later. Make note verbally that they can't defend thier viewpoint without resorting to fighting. Be prepared to actually fight, because if you don't back down its a likely chance. Be able to fight, this can either come with time or experience. If your a pacifist this can even be better. "I'm a pacifist, and your going to prove your point by beating someone who wont fight back?" Then if he does attack you, pull a Gahndi and don't fight back. Its gonna be painful but your non-violent aproach will make their ideals look like tyranny.

Prismatism: Read Rayne's post. Its got a lot of merit to it. Non-Violent protest has lost any power that it used to have as its become just another media blip. You have to be active in new ways to merit more attention than newspots for brief times. Gureilla tactics work wonders. A protest wont acomplish much without some kind of shock tactic. For example: Get some people to help design a HUGE banner stating a message that says something (not "Peace in the Middle East" it needs to command attention and abstract thought.) Then durring a protest get onto the roof of a building. This can be tricky but its do-able. Secure the top of your poster securlly to the side to where it will take time to remove. Throw it, make sure it wont snap off when you do this. One method of doing this would be to attach eyelet to the banner top like this:
O O O O

O O O O

Fold it over and padlock it. After you throw it run like hell. It can help if you wear maintainence coveralls over a button down shirt and slacks. Dont be afraid to attack a rent-a-cop on the way out if you need to to get away. You getting arrested wont help anything. For an escape plan I recomend you go down a couple flights enter the floor wearing your shirt and tie get up, then move to the elevator.

chameleon_789: You totally missed my point. I'm trying to SMASH those stereotypes not support them. My problem isn't with the active people. Its with the inactive ones who believe that those stereotypes are the ideaology, whether they say it verbally or act it (sub)conciouslly. The problem with 20 somethings is they reduce the merit of younger peoples words =P

ChandraShakti: I can do all that. =D.... Survival tactics I picked up in my paranoia days. I can make a weapon out of almost anything (McGuyver MFer =P) start a fire with glass, or a bar of Hersheys chocolate and coke can (that ones pretty cool), create a shelter out of materials you can find anywhere on the street (I make bums look lazy) find food in the wild, fish, hunt (without guns too,) skin an animal and use almost all parts of the body (FYI blood can make predators show up), cook, forage, etc etc. I think everyone should learn survival tactics because they can help in certain situations other than the end of the world (like getting stranded 20 miles from the nearest phone in the middle of the woods.) I also think everyone should learn how to hike cross country. If you get stranded your only hope for survival is the amount of ground you can cover in a day.

 

Hey man, thanks for the replies and such! Thanks for the encouragement to be a one man protest too. That would be pretty cool, although the idea intimidates me. I am planning on spending some time at the park this summer though singing protest songs and handing out anti-war literature. Maybe some other people will join me too. That would be awesome.

I also like your guerilla tactics and such. Greenpeace has done a lot of banner type stuff like that. They really have some awesome ideas that could be used or at least inspire some ideas to use for anti-war tactics, too.

I saw the thing about the coke can and candy bar on Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel. You can also start a fire with a ball of ice, but in order to work well it is best if it is completely sphearicle (spelling?). Good tactic if you find yourself stranded in a tundrid area. That is, if you are fortunate anough to find crystal clear ice and have time to shape it into a sphear before you freeze to death.

 

Thanks for the link, the site has awesome ideas!