In Defense of 'Crazy Hippies'

What is it with the 'crazy hippie' comments? It's almost predictable in any thread where there is a discussion of Permaculture philosophy or principles or ethics...someone will respond with "don't want to look like a crazy hippie" or "if we mention the ethics we'll sound like a crazy hippie" or sometimes it varies with 'hippie religion'. Why is it so bad to appear like a crazy hippie? I like them. I am one. It is always in reference to something kind and good it seems...or maybe utopian and naive...Does Permaculture wear a suit? I just don't get it. Sometimes I think it is meant to be cute but other times it sounds kind of derogatory. It especially bothers me when hippie is misspelled.

Perhaps it is because permaculturists are 'in the same boat' that we were in 'back then'.

We didn't just accept as truth everything the government (or Corporate America) tried to tell us.
The free thinking of the movement is what defined it.

Many aspects of life in America are different now than they were before the hippie era.
Hippies helped break down barriers between race, religion, age, and social status.
They challenged the 'benefits' of war.
They pointed to 'organic' as a healthy option to what was being offered at grocery stores throughout the land.
And yes, "Better living through chemistry" wasn't how DuPont pictured it.

Disregard the paradigm "they" want you to believe, and you will be labeled "crazy" too.

While I haven't noticed these comments here, I've seen them often enough in various contexts. It seems clear that, in the US at least, hippie culture is seen as the antithesis to the American capitalist dream. The hippie movement was before my time, but it seems to me that, especially in terms of permaculture discussions, we should be viewing terms like "crazy hippies" as compliments, rather than insults.

yep yep, i get this too myself. people say i am "real" hippie even. ah its kinda odd.
i am just me =) but i do appreciate anything thats about freedom, being natural, "back to the land" and about joy, these things are somewhat linked to that i guess.....

hippie did get to be somewhat of a derogatory term, although its used more endearing these days. but its seems like it was confined to things that it was never really about- hairstyles, drugs etc. sure maybe that was something of its expression, but it really was more like an expression of freedom, and that doesnt look like anything in particular. so it kinda got cheapened imo.

really the so called "hippies" were way way ahead of their time

There is a lot of hate in the world and so much anger. You have to ignore those comments and live your life. Be you. Don't worry about how you are judged.

My two cents: I interpret “Don’t want to look/sound like a crazy hippie” to mean “I don’t want to look/sound different than mainstream society”.

To each his or her own.

I revel in being different. If everyone wore purple shoes I would want to wear green shoes; that’s just me.

So when someone says about me “she’s one of those crazy hippie types” I take it as a compliment because it means they think I am different from them – and I REALLY don’t want to be like most of the people that I know in my local area.

America has an effective defense against dissent. Not police state actions. It simply absorbs the outward appearances and cliches of the dissenting culture and regurgitates these in the form of fashions and fads. Hence , the dissent of the 60's occassionally returns as nostalgia for those times. Those who contempoarily dissent are then pegged as hippies or hippie wannabees - Occupy Wall Street , for instance - and then shrugged off as passe'. Although my hair is short and I wear a goatee I am a crazy hippie , libertarian enviromentalist whacko , freethinker , skeptic , redneck goat roper , whatever. I try to stay tuned in to the process of constructive dissent and positive change and not let the Walmart UberKulture propaganda effect me. Way in the background I hear David Crosby
" Almost cut my hair today , But I didn't and I wonder why - I feel like I owe it to someone " . Peace , Brothers and Sisters!

These responses confirmed the kindness, thoughtfulness, and independent thinking I noticed after joining this site. There is a group intellegence here that I love and learn so much from...and that helps me focus on positive actions...no time for negativity...I should change the title to "In Praise of 'Crazy Hippies' ".

Judith, that is one of the reasons I love this site so much. Paul has done a fantastic job keeping negativity away.