Over 50'S -- Were You Ever A Hippie And Are You Happy About That?

[Jingthing]

Over 50's -- pick the choice closest to your truth/bliss.

Under 50's -- this poll isn't for you.

Yes I know there are some under 50 ex-hippies and some older people who are still hippies, but face it, that's freaky!

I'm curious about how many ex-hippies are in our midst. As a kid, I was a full blown hippie in every possible sense of the word, and I'm happy about that because it was a great experience that my "straight" peers missed out on.

I bet a lot of people are embarrassed about it though now, perhaps at times when you pull out the photo album ...

Anyway, hope you dig this poll, if not, what a bummer.

Edited July 23, 2010 by Jingthing

[mickylonster]

From 1969 to 1974 I was in the merchant navy travelled all over the world , and smoked weed in most of the places we visited , maybe you could say I was an aspiring hippie , and still am !

[seanocasey]

mabye the pool should be who still smokes weed.

[seedy]

I had the long hair, wore the clothes, talked the talk ... but at the end of the day I still had a job. Needed to keep my bike running.

[granuaile]

I still consider myself a hippie and always have been. The song "Old Hippy" is my theme. Maybe I dropped in for a couple or so decades, but in the end that is what allowed me to in many ways drop out again. Some of my younger (I don't consider it freaky) friends and many of my contemporaries are just as much a hippie now as anyone ever was.

[Ulysses G.]

You forgot: I was a hippy when I was young and I don't regret it, but I am glad that I finally grew up and put it behind me.

"If you're not liberal when you're young, you have no heart. If you're not conservative when you're older, you have no brain."

[PhilHarries]

I had the long hair, wore the clothes, talked the talk ... but at the end of the day I still had a job. Needed to keep my bike running.

That was me 100%, 1968 started my craft apprenticeship, had the long hair, went to the concerts and festivals, rolled in the mud and was the kind of slob fathers have nightmares about their daughters bringing one home.

Mid seventies I'd got my haircut and now it's a regulation #1. But I still love the music and am happy I lived the way I did. I see aging hippy wannabes with their thinning hair in a ponytail and think "what a plonker" but it's their choice and that's what it was all about, freedom of choice.

You forgot: I was a hippy when I was young and I don't regret it, but I am glad that I finally grew up and put it behind me.

"If you're not liberal when you're young, you have no heart. If you're not conservative when you're older, you have no brain."

Very true, there's a similar quote by someone like Noel Coward that goes along the lines of "If you've not been a member of the communist party by 25 there's something wrong with you, if you are still a member after 25 there definately is something wrong".

[rfukata]

Woodstock & Hair, Hendrix, Joplin and more + the naked parties.

[smokie36]

I went for the grumpy....this is ageist option......but I did live in Anjuna for 18 months.....and as for still smoking...well....

[Just1Voice]

I was never a hippy, but I am neither happy nor regretful of that. While I loved the music of the time, and still do, back then my life was pretty much devoted to sport and athletics. In high school I was the first freshman in the history of our school to run on the varsity track team, as well as play short stop on the varsity baseball team. Most of my friends were hippies, and it was great because they understood what was important to me, accepting that, and me, with no problem. At parties I would be the only one with short hair, not drinking and not smoking anything, and it was no big deal to anyone. I think the significance of this is when, as a freshmen, I competed in the state finals for the 880 (half mile), and ALL of my hippy friends were there to cheer me on, throwing a wild party for me when I won. Ok that night I got drunk. hahaha,

[IMA_FARANG]

I wished I had been a "hippie"...whatever that is.

As I get older I understand now what exactly what the line from the Bob Dylan song means, "You don't need to be a Weatherman to see which way the wind is blowing."

I guess I don't like the way the wind is blowing.

Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

(I don't have a tea-bag up my a-- like some other other over fifties I know)

[Birdman]

Not 50 now, but soon. Have been a full-blown so called hippie, a freak, tramper and still am at heart. Peace.

OP, which of the guys were you.

[krading]

I'm picking the one in the orange pants

[Jingthing]

Not 50 now, but soon. Have been a full-blown so called hippie, a freak, tramper and still am at heart. Peace.

OP, which of the guys were you.

I probably should have said about 45 cut off line, I guess. There have been later waves of teens being retro hippies as kind of a fashion statement but if they didn't live through the peak of the phenom they can't really understand what it was really about, so I don't consider a teen in 1995 who poses as a hippie to be a real hippie. I guess that makes me the hippie police, or hippie pig if you please.

[Jingthing]

You forgot: I was a hippy when I was young and I don't regret it, but I am glad that I finally grew up and put it behind me.

"If you're not liberal when you're young, you have no heart. If you're not conservative when you're older, you have no brain."

That's probably why we get along, even though you are right wing and I am left wing. You still have a trace of your hippie heart. Of course being a hippie is not only about left wing politics, not all hippies were political at all, and being liberal does not make you a hippie. We all know that old quote and it is cute, but do you believe it unconditionally like a scripture text?

[angiud]

I'll always remember with pleasure and I'll miss the wonderful 'acid trips' of my Seventies.

Please don't stare at the picture otherwise you could start to fly lol

P.S.: When I was young I was a "gauchiste" and still I am

Edited July 24, 2010 by angiud

[Jingthing]

I am sure a lot of us were frequent flyers, but in keeping with the forum rules, please avoid that topic or at least dance around it, he he.

[mauGR1]

Not 50 now, but soon. Have been a full-blown so called hippie, a freak, tramper and still am at heart. Peace.

OP, which of the guys were you.

50 years last month, still a hippy in my heart,in the 70's some locals in the Himalayas thought we were a tribe

[Jingthing]

That's interesting. I am not so clear about really being a hippie in my heart these days. Remember, grew up thinking don't trust anyone over 30 so I can't really trust myself, can I?

In the US it really started to sour when Jerry Rubin became a stock broker!

Yippee! Greed is good! Pass the vomit bag ...

Jerry Rubin (RIP) as a stock broker to be

Edited July 24, 2010 by Jingthing

[Ulysses G.]

We all know that old quote and it is cute, but do you believe it unconditionally like a scripture text?

No, but I think that there is a lot of truth to it. I do not really consider myself to be right-wing either - more a moderate with conservative leanings who plays on the conservative team on Thai Visa.

[PhilHarries]

Whatever happened to those young guns that sttod listening to the Dead (or whoever) in the pissing rain, up to the ankles in mud declaring our undying love for the chick stood next to us even though we'd only met five minutes before.

Whatever happened to our burning ideal of social equality where we all made the same money no matter what your position in the company was.

Whatever happened to those people who, no matter what, were never going to become like their parents.

The answer to the above, and more, is REALITY and it doesn't blow in the wind, it is the wind.

[xen]

It was either be a hippie or remain a redneck thug .

It seems to me that there were hippies to whom it was a fashion statement just like a Louis Vitton bag is to a Thai girl , just something to discard when something newer came along but then to some of us it was an introduction to lifelong interests like ecology and environment, Buddhism and other philosophies, organic food and health, natural alternative medicine,awareness of other cultures, travel,subsistence farming, building, literature including poetry,all types of music outside of rock, art, design, etc.etc. The list will be different for different people .

[phuketrichard]

Was a hippy and at heart still am and it all started back in the mid 60's. Was at woodstook and strawberry fields and more concerts at filmore east and west than i could possible count or remmember. grew my hair for most of the 60' and only cut it when i stared to travel. Dylan said it best when he said if u want to live outside the system at least look like ur living in it.

Its a state of mind not the clothes or music, MY daughtere seems more proud her dad was a hippy than she tends to admit :-)

[Jingthing]

Great, so nobody embarrassed about it so far ...

[HerbalEd]

I was definitely a hippy. Pot, acid, & mushrooms. Yoga & meditation. Went to Woodstock. Hitchhiked all over the world. Wore the hippy clothes, although they and myself were always clean. I also never lived on welfare or food stamps .... always paid my own way. Now I'm 65 and am still a hippy at heart and still wear beads, but also own and run a very successful and profitable herbal medicine company with 65 employees. Love & Peace brothers & sisters.

[Jingthing]

HerbalEd. Excellent.

[seanocasey]

I am sure a lot of us were frequent flyers, but in keeping with the forum rules, please avoid that topic or at least dance around it, he he.

I was definitely a hippy. Pot, acid, & mushrooms. Yoga & meditation. Went to Woodstock. Hitchhiked all over the world. Wore the hippy clothes, although they and myself were always clean. I also never lived on welfare or food stamps .... always paid my own way. Now I'm 65 and am still a hippy at heart and still wear beads, but also own and run a very successful and profitable herbal medicine company with 65 employees. Love & Peace brothers & sisters.

who needs Amsterdam when one can live freely now and enjoy Monterey get lost in del monte forest.

times were good when we were young, free love, we never did grow up, still looking for free love in Thailand

[ThaiPauly]

Never a Hippie....I was a Mod

still am

[David006]

So we have a few out there..hugh..I seem to remember there is still a commune on Vancouver island...complete with platted underarm hair and tie dye clothing...pendulous breasts and a distinct aroma..they seemed happy enough but pitied rightly or wrongly the kids on hips..

Me... never was real hippy ( but loved the music..still don't understand Dillon..lol)...was more into being a "mod" you remember them.. on chromed up Vespers and Lambrettas...as against the "rockers" on motorbikes.

Went as an observer to the "wars" in Brighton....our crowd was more like the "Wild Hogs" in the movie...wimps I guess..