Alright, first let us take a look at the flower power that is the Counterculture. According to the book Hippies and the American Values. “Counterculture was a romantic social movement of the late 1960s and very early 1970s, mainly composed of teenagers and persons in their early twenties, who through their flamboyant lifestyle expressed their alienation from mainstream American life.” (Timothy Miller.) Young people during this time were dissatisfied with the government. and rejected middle-class values. Many of them protested the Vietnam War. Actually, the term "flower child" came from when protesters would go up to soldiers and out flowers in the barrels of their guns! These protests led the phrase "Make love, not war." The Counterculture movement began on college campuses and spread across the country. Many of the hippies that protested against the war considered themselves to be singing and smiling activists. Although some people were considered to be part of the "New Left" (which was the political part of the counterculture) still lived the same cultural values as hippies.

Hippies were described as dropouts and cultural dissenters of the mainstream values at the time. They smoked weed, used psychedelic drugs such as LSD, peyote, psilocybin (magic mushrooms) to explore altered states of consciousness, engaged in liberal sex, lived in their own communities opting to "drop out" of mainstream society. Their beliefs included Peace, racial harmony, and equality. They listened to rock and roll, blues and jazz music. Hippies often wore brightly colored clothing and wore unusual styles such as bell-bottom pants, vests, tie-dyed, garments, dashikis peasant blouses and long, full skirts.

Note This information was taken from two interviews with two close friends who follow this lifestyle closely and internet research!

Now for today, during one of my interviews, I asked my friend what she defined an ultimate hippie as and she said the following,

• Highly values nature and living a healthy and positive lifestyle
• Does not value materialistic things
• Does not follow society's norms
• Art-oriented appreciates art greatly
• Mindful of actions and how they affect others
• Psychedelics

I also asked her if hippies today have a cause or movement that binds them together. She said

• People pretend to be a hippie for the look
• Go along with social media or the media and general and believe it
• Want reputation (social media and real life).
• Escapism

And this is what she has observed. That I agree with. But hey I have conversed with people that embody hippie ideals but I have not formed close relationships with them. But they are out there doing their thang.

Also, I am going to hit you with some vocab.

Wookie/Wook- I have this word thrown around a lot to describe a type of new age hippie. They are described as "the dirty hippie", listen to various types of EDM music, use psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin and or the drug ketamine.

- This is one variant of new age hippie that does not necessarily live by the ideals of a hippie but can.

- Music festivals and EDM shows are also big in the culture. Music festivals, which can be similar to Woodstock have the same sense of freeness and feeling of togetherness brought by music.

- Experimentation and usage of various types of drugs are prominent in both cultures of the 1960s and today.

- The clothes of the 1960s have also impacted how new age hippies dress today. Since fashion has been known to recycle itself between generations, I have seen people in clothing from the 1960s described above. This also includes harem pants and other fashion seen in Eastern countries.

All in all, I believe the similarities between the old culture and the new culture still value peace and love greatly. Also, many people of both cultures reject the certain aspects society that they deem to be restricting. The difference between old and new is the emergence of technology and social media. These have greatly impacted the culture of today. Many people today might just be talking to talk of a hippie and not walking the walk. Again, I cannot speak for the people of the 60s, there were most likely some people who were a part of the counterculture who wanted to just fit in as well. But what I can say is that these cultures have brought people together, have inspired people to take a walk on the wild side, reject societal values. Good or bad? A touch of grey? That is up for you to decide. This is a part of a culture and history of our country and needs to be looked into more in depth to get a better understanding of culture and impact it has on human connection.

Note: If anyone has anything to add to this please let me know! This is only one little Italian girl's findings! I am open to learning more.