Why do hippies have long hair?

Its natural, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono grew their hair to protest the war.

 

I have long hair because I like it.

 

i tell my hair to grow and it grows

 

You confuse hippies with people who just don't give a flyin' fuck if their hair is long or not and don't need no particular hairstyle to have personality. The minute you look hippie and call yourself a hippie, you aren't a hippie to me.

 

hippies use their long hair as both a broadcasters and antennae to recieve and send love which is why it is important for them to have long hair

 

Actually I don't make this mistake but if you insist on "being right" who am I to piss on your party?

 

hair = warm + cuddly + pettable + beautiful.

 

I have long hair because it feels natural, keeps me warm, and I like my hair. Now, why other people have long hair I do not know. I think long hair had a lot to do with standing out against the norm and protesting during the 60's, but it's more of a preference now.

 

Why do short haired people have short hair?

 

We have long hair because we can

 

That might have been true in the 60's, but I keep my hair long now so I don't look like a cop. I travel a lot and a 40 year old man with short hair who tries to find weed... well... it isn't easy. If weed was legal, I'd cut my hair, it's a lot cooler in the heat of the summer. Nothing worse that stringy hair on a hot, humid summer day.

 

I was one of the "original" hippies (although a little younger/1969-15 yrs. old), so I can answer from personel experience, but only from a Metro-Detroit/Ann Arbor, Michigan perspective.

"Asmodean" asks (in his post): "Why do short haired people have short hair?". Then, "unionjack67" gave a very good answer: "If weed was legal, I'd cut my hair, it's alot cooler in the heat of the summer. Nothing worse that (then?) stringy hair on a hot, humid summer day." How very true!

In the later 60's, I had shoulder-length hair (that "mop top" BEATLE's influence and MOD-look). TEENAGERS see, TEENAGERS do! Teenager "peer pressure", as it's known in psychology. From my time-period viewpoint, I was just a teenager growing up in the late 60's/early 70's, nothing more. Like normal teenagers do, they follow the latest trends, fashions and ideologies, of their given teenage time. The older establishment (and parents) labeled our generation as: HIPPIES, and a little later, some would label us: FREAKS!

Besides that LSD-usage issue, "THE GENERATION GAP" issue was much discussed by the main-stream media, back then. But then, psychologists/psychiatrists maintain that "teenage rebellion" is a natural stage in human developement and if a teenage doesn't display some form of rebellion, it's not right! It was much to do, about nothing!

In the early 70's, I let my hair grow way down past my shoulders, and with my round, wire-rimmed ("granny"-styled) glasses, alot of hipsters remarked that I looked alot like JOHN LENNON, although my brothers thought I looked like JOHN DENVER (Farout!). But, I got tired of trying to take care of it (washing it, which would clog drains more easily), plus if it wasn't tied-back (which I never did), it would blow all around, block my vision and sometimes feel irritating. I went one year to Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, which has summer DESERT temperatures, up to 115 degrees F.! HOT!!!

If you're into swimming, running or speed skating - BALD is BEAUTIFUL (or at least real-short hair), as it offers less air(wind) and water resistance, supposedly to slightly increase your speed. Also with long hair, you have to worry about bug infestations, unless you wash it regularily, with a good shampoo. Another very popular 60's/70's comment was: "Is that a boy or a girl?". This is self-explanatory. By the way, the LONG HAIR issue was usually ONLY with HIPPY males! Long hair on girls was considered "the norm". However, in the olden days, ALL males had long hair - BIBLICAL characters (MOSES and JESUS), old English, VIKINGS, etc., except for some ancient Egyptians.

I haven't had long hair since the early 80's. I don't have real short hair, but it's not real long, either. I love mountain-biking through forest and hills, with big trees and ravens, sometimes next to lakes, so I need less air resistance and better vision (not blocked by blowing long hair, unless I tie it back, or wear a bandana). If I miss a turn, it's like into big trees, raven drop-offs and/or lakes. We're talking some potential serious injuries, here. I do wear a bike helmet, which is an excellant safety idea, against deadly head injuries.

Hippies had long hair in the 60's/70's because it irritated the "ESTABLISHMENT" (teenage rebellion), but also because it was worn as a "mark of identity". "union"jack67" stated in his post that he mostly keeps his hair long because it's easier to find weed. He's simply using his LONG HAIR, as a "mark of identity", a form of "non-verbal" communication, which shouts: "I'm a HIPPY!!!", or at least someone who MAY smoke weed. This concept is also known as: "STEREOTYPING". The Jamaican "dread-locks" hairstyle would work even better! Don't forget that rainbow-colored TAM (Jamaican hat), mon!

As a "mark of HIPPY identity", I like to wear alot of tie-dye clothes. Alot of people, nowadays, seem to smile at you, if you're wearing tie-dye. It symbolizes past happy-times in the 60's and 70's (NOSTALGIA), plus it also symbolizes: PEACE, LOVE and HAPPINESS. I also wear a hemp necklace (made by a hippy, who was a vendor at THE ANNUAL ANN ARBOR HASH BASH), to which I attached a porcelain - TALISMAN/MEDALLION, featuring a gold-leaved 7-pointed STAR, symbolizing the 7 SISTER STARS of the PLEIADIAN STAR SYSTEM and symbolizes SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION (which I purchased at the ANNUAL MICHIGAN RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL). I still have short hair, but many people know of my HIPPIE origins and beliefs.

"unionjack67" also stated that: "...but I keep my hair long now so I don't look like a cop." Haven't you ever heard of "a NARC" (another popular 60's/70's term) for an "undercover NARCOTICS police officer"? They can have long hair, beards and drive a Harley-Davidson motorcycle! How do I know? It could be because I lived right next door to one in the late 70's and 80's! He was a STATE POLICEMAN undercover narcotics officer. OFF DUTY he never bothered the neighbor teenaged pot-heads too much {probably because he had his own two kids to worry about, retaliation you know). It's a dangerous job. Actually he was a friendly guy and I got along allright with him. It was an unusual situation, but everyone was happy with it and everyone benefited from it. Besides, a CITY COP also lived in our subdivision too, and his kids "blew the weed", if you know what I mean. Everyone was cool. Strange days.

"unionjack67" could have the best of both worlds, if he'd have short hair, but pop on the old "realistic-looking long hair wig" for weed sales. If he was seen after the weed sale, he'd have just short hair, and not be suspected, as much. Undercover cops dress up all the time, and fool people? Don't they?

You don't need LONG HAIR, and/or use marijuana and LSD to be a HIPPY, although it was of great importance "in the day" (60's/70's). Being a HIPPY is a "state of consciousness" and a lifestyle, it is about being FREE, pursuing LIFE, LIBERTIES and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, about REPSECTING NATURE, ANIMALS and PEOPLE and other PEOPLE's BELIEFS and CULTURES and eating GOOD FOODS to maintains one's HEALTH (HEALTH FOODS) and of great importance, is to connect into "hyper-space-time" and become closer to ALL THAT IS (the PRIME CREATOR). PSYCHEDELICS were supposed to help HIPPIES do this. As an eternal spirit/soul, the universe is a playground of "experiences" and "lessons", basically we must learn to LOVE and LEARN!

LONG HAIR is cool if it's worn by personal choice and enjoyed! If it's worn as a HIPPY "stereotype", or any other type of "stereotype" than that's just phoney!

Peace Out. Trip out.

 

We've come full circle. Nowadays there are short haired hippies and long haired rednecks!

 

It's a sign of non-conformity.

 

it´s beautiful and another individual choice, just a part of freedom

 

hair accumulate energy
the longer hair you have, the more energy from the world you accumulate

 

The Originals grew hair to show individuality, our nonconformity to the establishments way of thinking.. having ridige dress codes and being humiliated publicaly when not adhered to. Being suffeled around like clones of worker ants being programed to slave for the government for 40 yrs and then die an earily death.

It was the Natural way, the way it was created to be. Would one shave the creatures of the forest.. we were trying to find a more natural way to live on/with the earth.. hair was just being natural.. for some it did mark their politics tho, most long hairs were liberals, left wing back in the daze.. it was on a spiritual level also..a lot of the orignals were seeking a higher spiritual connection and were emulating a christ like appearence, then again some were emulating the freedom of the american native, altho that too was on a spiritual experience, as we did live as the natives, in our country communes we developed a traditional attitude and culture practised by the Indains of ur region..

As to say; whatever your beliefs dictated.

That's what I brung home

sh

The Eastern Philosophy/Religion also promoted long hair/long braid or shaven heads. I think the shaving of the head did have a lot to do with hygene, it was also a sacrifice to prove your loyality or dedication as to giving up worldly behaviour and appearence.

The Royals shaved their heads and wore wigs because of lice, bed buds, scabies and other infestations. It soon became fashion.

 

To me, having long hair is manly, and that isn't to say short hair isn't manly. But manly in a different sense, more bestial type of manly; and having long hair helps me to express that.

I have a strong belief that we should revert back to what we really are: animals, and this doesn't mean reverting to violence, either. But to go back to the real meaning of life.

The lyrics of Wolf of Man, by Metallica, best describes my point:

"
Off through the new day's mist I run
Out from the new day's mist i have come
I hunt
Therefore I am
Harvest the land
Taking of the fallen lamb

Off through the new day's mist i run
out from the new day's mist I have come
we shift
pulsing with the earth
company we keep
roaming the land while you sleep

(shape shift) nose to the wind
(shape shift) feeling I've been
(move swift) all senses clean
(earth's gift)back to the meaning, Back to the meaning of... LIFE

bright is the moon high in starlight
chill in the air cold as steel tonight
we shift
call of the wild
fear in your eyes
it's later than you realized

(shape shift) nose to the wind
(shape shift) feeling I've been
(move swift) all senses clean
(earth's gift) back to the meaning, Back to the meaning of...LIFE

I feel a change
back to a better day
(shape shift)
hair stands on the back of my neck
(shape shift)
in wildness is the preservation of the world

so seek the wolf in thyself

(shape shift) nose to the wind
(shape shift) feeling I have been
(move swift) all senses clean
(earth's gift)back to the meaning, back to the meaning of wolf and man
"

 

back in the day, many cia agents were trying to infiltrate the ranks of hippies and the way we could keep them out was by growing our hair long cuz when they reported for work at langley, it was required that they have short hair and in this way, we could keep cia agents out of the hippie movement

 

i love wild long hair! it looks so pretty