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By 1970, it was no longer easy to openly live the hip lifestyle in America. However, after careful deliberation, it is now clear that hippies did not disappear, but went into hiding in universities, rural areas or by putting on a straight disguise. Others had lost hope that we could make a difference and decided to give up the cause.
Several factors led to the demise of the hippies. Like most Republicans, Nixon sought to destroy stifle any new ideas. He and other warmongers appealed to the “silent majority” through fear over the communist menace. Citizens also were lulled into a false sense of security and accomplishment. The Vietnam war was over by 1973. New laws were passed that went down as victories for environmental and civil rights issues. Nixon’s resignation caused many young people to feel vindicated and ready to rejoin the establishment. Recession hit in the early seventies and oil prices rose dramatically. Many former hippies became yuppies, or, in some other way, sought a more predicable and safer life within the system. It was also time for us baby boomers to get busy with careers and families. Hippies ran out of credibility with younger people who should normally serve as recruits for their social movement. Most young people growing up during the quiet years (1973–2003) were not interested in stepping forward. Most young people have been either pressured to jump on the career advancement treadmill or tossed out by the system. Our commercial culture started rewarding selfishness and greed during these years. Politicians and marketers stress the importance of looking out for number one (brotherhood be damned). This reduced the social solidarity and pride that was part of the hippy experience. The media and conservatives also were able to falsely portray the hippies as dirty, lazy, and crazy -- while scaring people about the disintegration of modern society. In fact, the press focused on the Charles Manson murders in a way that was cacluated to scare the public about hippies in general. Manson was an evil and crazy person, but he was not a hippy in the true sense of the word. He used the hippie disguise to lure young people under his spell. During the sixties, my hippy friends and I honestly felt that we were on the edge of a social transformation, no joke. Clearly, there was energy and enthusiasm for a major overhaul of society. People were young, carefree, and optimistic, but, unfortunately, the public hippy era was far too brief (peaking between 1964 and 1970.) As with other social movements, powerful groups with vested interests in the status quo were threatened by the hippies unconventional philosophy and practices. However, there has been recurring interest among young people about the hippy philosophy and lifestyles. Perhaps the hippy “gene” skips a generation. Young people are finally waking up to the reality of government lies, broken dreams, environmental threats and a stalled economy. I hope to encourage and empower young people to take a chance and get involved. We will all be happier, healthier, and more creative if each of us is able to live more like the hippies. This site will show you how!!
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