Echoes of the '60s: Being a Hippie or Passing Through?

I was born in 1953, which means by the time the events that defined the 1960s hippie movement were happening, I was already well into adulthood. However, my active years as a teenager and young adult coincided with some of the most transformative and countercultural moments of that era. My firsthand experience was with the challenges and realities of the period, particularly the Vietnam War and the broader countercultural movement.

Adulthood, not Adolescence

Alas, I was but a wee one when Woodstock, possibly the defining moment of the hippie movement, took place. But that didn't mean I wasn't influenced by the broader cultural shifts. I remember hippie styles; my parents often took us to hippie restaurants because they served plenty of healthy, plant-based dishes. There was also a restaurant in the Fairfax neighborhood of LA near CBS Studios called simply 'HELP.' The place was fascinating: when you walked in, a guy clad in robes greeted and seated you. You passed through a tunnel of psychedelic wall paintings, and the dropped ceilings were adorned with flat, square lights painted in a popular 'mod' style. The menu was full of what was then called 'health food,' which was quite different from what I was used to, but I enjoyed the place every time we visited.

A Venerable Vietnam Veteran

During my formative years in the 1960s, I served as a Vietnam War veteran in the U.S. Navy. No, I wasn't a hippie in the traditional sense, as the Navy frowned on the lifestyle and manner of dress that characterized the countercultural movement. It preferred sailors with short hair, not long hair like the hippies. However, sailors shared the hippies' fondness for 'free love.' Unfortunately, the women we associated with were not as liberated, as they were not given much freedom by the societal norms of the time. This period was filled with contrasts and complexities.

The Truth About Hippies

It's important to note that there were almost no hippies in the 1960s, if you discount those who merely adopted some of their outward signs, such as hair length, trendy clothing, and a certain aversion to conventional jobs and politics. Many who claimed to be hippies simply did so because they wanted to appear more rebellion-minded. The truth is that many of these individuals lived relatively conventional lives, often working 9-to-5 jobs and voting for politicians like Richard Nixon.

Personal Reflections

Since I wasn't alive back then, I can't know for sure. However, I have never been particularly enamored with the hippie lifestyle, despite its significant cultural impact. I imagine if I were a 1960s version of me, I would be a relatively quiet person with strong opinions, but I would be unwilling to express most of those opinions in public, closely mirroring my current personality. The psychological and societal landscape of the 1960s was vastly different from what I see today, yet the spirit of questioning and seeking alternative lifestyles remains.

Conclusion

Being a hippie or simply passing through the countercultural movement as a teenager and young adult in the 1960s was a complex experience. While I wasn't a hippie in the strictest sense, my life was certainly influenced by the broader cultural shifts of that era, particularly through the perspectives of my parents and colleagues. Woodstock and other iconic events of the time remain significant chapters in the history of American counterculture.