An event frequently linked to the hippie movement in the United States is Woodstock. The summer of 1969, referred to by some as the "Summer of Love" may be considered to be the peak moment in time for American hippies. The so-called Summer of Love focused heavily on the concept of "Make Love, Not War." The Summer of Love events that occurred in San Francisco during the summer of 1969 eventually led to the establishment of the first STD and drug rehab clinics in California. Whether it be at the music festival in New York or the summer activities in San Francisco, the summer of 1969 may be historically characterized by sex and drugs.
Nonetheless, I would like to look at the root issues at play in the hippie events in the summer of 1969. Namely, the longing for community. Few can deny the deep desires of those involved in the hippie movement for a world of peace in which everyone may live freely. This is easily seen in the songs of peace and friendship that characterize the 1960s. In addition, the desire for a free environment is most notably identified with "free love" and excessive drug use. While the desires for peace and community are noble, the hippie movement obviously went too far with many of their ideas. After all, is an environment of addictive substances truly free? The government may not be controlling the individual, but clearly the addictive drugs take hold. Also, free love may seem like an excellent idea to those seeking love and acceptance, until STDs run rampant and hearts are broken.
Community is an essential element of humanity. This is clearly seen in such movements as the Russian communists in the first part of the twentieth century, the Nazis in the 1930s, the hippie movement of the 1960s, and the modern day Tea Party movement. (Note: I am not placing all of these movements on the same level of morality.) People long to unite with one another under the banner of one cause. The communists united under the banner of economic equality. The hippies united under the causes of peace and love. The Tea Party movement unites under the banners of less government and lower taxes. Historically, one can see various movements of large groups of individuals uniting under a common purpose.
While uniting in support of a certain cause may be viewed as respectable, many movements in history have united for the wrong reasons and led to more problems than solutions. An extreme example of this is seen in the Nazi movement. The problem is not the uniting of individuals, but the causes of that union. As previously mentioned, community is an element of being human.
The hippie movement united in the name of love and peace, but led to excessive sex and drug abuse. In reality, the hippie movement focused on fulfilling sexual desires and creating a false utopia through psychedelic experiences. In essence- selfishness. While some may argue that hippies longed for a community that embraces everyone, most hippies joined the movement in order to fulfill carnal desires and feel good. The uniting of individuals for the purpose of promoting self-interests is not true community.
The hippie movement revealed a desire for community. However, any man-made group who is united around man-made concepts cannot truly reveal community. A concept of love that leads to sex with everyone is not true love. The concept of freedom through peace that leads to drug abuse is not true freedom. True community focuses on union through selfless love. While the hippie movement identified the problems of a society that is focused more on conquering others than uniting as humanity, the movement failed to provide a solution- true community. I would contend that true community cannot arise apart from true love. Unfortunately, the hippie movement chose selfish love over love for others. Therefore, the attempt to become a large community by hippies in the 1960s must be identified as a perpetuation of man's problem of self-love rather than a solution to man's longing for a community of individuals who share selfless love.
I believe in true community. I share the dream of every race and nation uniting in peace and love. So, on the surface level, the hippies got it right. However, on the level of practicality, the hippies totally got it wrong. As previously mentioned, true community must occur with true love. True love may only be realized through a relationship with the Creator, the very source of love. However, owing to man's rebellion against God, man is unable to have a relationship with the Creator through his own efforts. Therefore, man is unable to experience love in its purest, unselfish form. However, God came down to man's level in the person of Jesus Christ in order to provide a way to restore the relationship between man and God. This act of grace opens the door for man to experience true love and true community. The only way for true community to occur is through a union of individuals who have experienced true love offered by God and seek to reveal God's holiness to others. Therefore, community is not about seeking self-interest, but recognizing the love of God as revealed through Jesus Christ and seeking to show that love to others. Community in and of itself is not bad. The problem with community arises, as it did in the hippie movement, when we attempt to create an imitation of community in order to pursue our own interests, rather than pursuing love for the Creator and love for others.
Stay tuned for more additions to the So Call Me a Hippie... series.
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