If You Did These 16 Things in the ’60s & ’70s, You Were a Hippie
The 1960s and ’70s were colorful periods of social change, self-discovery, and expression. Most of you lived during that era, so if you were, you might have been part of the hippie movement, a marked period of countercultural revolution.
Here are 16 things that characterized hippie life. Want to reminisce about the wonders of a day gone by? Let’s get started!
Attended Woodstock
The music festival that symbolized it all was Woodstock. Time magazine says the 1969 festival in Bethel, New York, attracted nearly 400,000 people.
If you were one of the thousands of people who walked into music, peace, and love during this congregation, you were a hippie at heart.
Wore Tie-Dye Everything
Janis Joplin popularized the symbols of freedom and creativity that tie-dye clothing brought into the lingo. Bold, swirling colors embodied freedom and individuality, acting as a means of personal expression.
Making homemade tie-dye shirts was a favorite pastime within the community. This practice promotes creativity and strengthens the value of self-identity.
Practiced Yoga
Yoga wasn’t just a fitness routine; it was also a spiritual practice of hippies. Harvard Medical School found that Yoga is good for mental and physical well-being. It was with other fellow peace-seekers if you practiced sun salutations in the park.
Drove a VW Bus
Cruising around in a Volkswagen bus, screamed nothing else than hippie. Many found them a mobile home and part of a free-spirited lifestyle. Still, collectibles today with nostalgic charm, data from the Volkswagen Group shows these buses are desirable.
Lived in a Commune
After all, hippie culture was about communal living and living within shared resources. Compounds such as The Farm in Tennessee came to be as places to retreat for an alternative lifestyle. Living in one truly immersed you in the hippie ethos.
Used “Groovy” as a Regular Adjective
“Groovy” was the ultimate hippie adjective, capturing the essence of coolness and positivity. The University of Pennsylvania’s linguistics studies point to such terms as slang and show how they reflect cultural changes. If your conversations were peppered with “groovy,” you embraced the countercultural dialect of the era.
Sporting Bell-Bottoms and Fringes
Clothing was a requisite fashion expression of hippie culture. But as icons of that era’s style, bell-bottom jeans and fringed jackets emerged. This mixed eclecticism underscored individuality and the corporates of the city.
Exploring the Mind with Psychedelic Drugs
People called hippies were known to experiment with drugs like LSD and magic mushrooms because they thought it would expand consciousness and help to reach spiritual experiences.
In his book “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” Tom Wolfe documented the adventures of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, who popularized the use of these substances.
Attending Peaceful Sit-Ins and Teach-Ins
This was to bring themselves and others awareness of many social issues such as civil rights, environmentalism, etc. It was also a forum for discussion, education, and activism. Student-led activism had a practical outcome during the Columbia University protests in 1968.
Listening to Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock comes from the hippie movement, with its experimental sounds and trippy lyrics. The soundtrack of the era was composed of bands such as The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, and Jefferson Airplane. These albums consistently topped the charts all over the U.S.A. in 1968.
Creating Art and Music as Forms of Expression
For the hippies, art, and music were important for making people art and for social change. Artworks, album covers, and street performances were iconic of the free-spirited era. The Smithsonian Institution claimed that hippies used the arts to send a message of love and peace.
Hitchhiking Across the Country
Hitching a ride wasn’t just a way to travel around for hippies—it was a rite of passage. The adventure is what it was, and the trust in humanity. During the Great Depression and the Counterculture of the 1960s, hitchhiking became a common way to travel.
Supporting Environmental Conservation
They were the hippies, early advocates of environmental conservation, speaking on organic farming and recycling. April 22, 1970, was the first Earth Day, which hippie activists helped to organize, part of which forced environmental issues into the spotlight and prepared the way for subsequent ecological movements.
Engaging in Free Love
The hippie era celebrated “free love,” a movement that challenged traditional views on relationships and sexuality. It stressed open relationships, sexual liberation, and the abandonment of monogamy.
However, historian Beth Bailey says that this movement was controversial and, though liberating, ignited debates on gender and sexuality.
Listened to The Beatles on Vinyl
The Beatle’s music shaped sound and served as a vehicle for social activism. A survey conducted by Rolling Stone magazine showed that their album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” is still considered one of the greatest albums ever.
Protesting the Vietnam War
The hippie movement was centrally opposed to the Vietnam War. Thousands of young pro-peace people took part in protests and rallies. The Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, held on October 15, 1969, lured millions of Americans to protest against the war, making it one of the most prominent anti-war protests in U.S. history.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
Affordable Home Entertainment: 11 Must-Have Finds For Enhancing Your Family Movie Nights
Affordable Home Entertainment: 11 Must-Have Finds For Enhancing Your Family Movie Nights
How to Clean Your Smoker Grill Combo Like a Pro
How to Clean Your Smoker Grill Combo Like a Pro
10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience
10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience
