Hippies Turned Yuppies: The Exclusive Cliques and Corporate Success of Modern-Day Flower Children

The word "hippie" is used to describe a countercultural movement that started in the 1960s and 1970s. This movement focused on personal freedom, social justice, and alternative ways of living. While the hippie movement may have faded from the mainstream consciousness, there are still those who identify as hippies today.

In recent years, there have been reports of certain groups of modern-day hippies forming exclusive communities where they only allow individuals who share their beliefs and lifestyles to join. This kind of behavior goes against the whole point of the original hippie movement, which was to accept and include everyone.

Also, it has been noticed that people who live in these exclusive hippie communities tend to have some of the most important jobs in society. This is a problem because it means that people who aren't part of these exclusive communities might not have the same professional opportunities as those who are.

This goes against one of the main goals of the original hippie movement, which was to break down social hierarchies and make society more fair and equal. By forming exclusive communities and hoarding professional opportunities, modern-day hippies are perpetuating the very structures of power and inequality that the movement sought to dismantle.

“We Won’t Fight Another Rich Man’s War!!!” — Vietnam veterans against the War, circa 1970.

It's important to remember that not all hippies today act in this exclusive way. Many still hold onto the original values of the movement and actively work towards creating a more inclusive and just society.

But people who do behave in an exclusive way need to realize how bad it is and work to make the community as a whole more welcoming. Only by dismantling the very structures of power and privilege can we truly create a society that aligns with the values of the original hippie movement.

It seems like some modern hippies have lost their way, forgetting that the original movement was about being open and accepting of everyone in favor of cliques and corporate success. Maybe they need to be reminded that true hippie values are about breaking down social hierarchies and promoting equality, not about keeping them up.

In the 1950s, there was a literary and cultural movement in the United States called the Beat Generation. It was known for rejecting mainstream values, praising individuality, and loving jazz and other kinds of music. A lot of the writers and artists who were part of the Beat Generation went on to play important roles in the 1960s hippie movement. Here are some of the main characters of the Beat Generation and their most notable works:

1. Jack Kerouac — Perhaps the most famous of the Beat writers, Kerouac is known for his novel “On the Road,” which chronicled his travels across the United States and captured the spirit of the Beat Generation. He also wrote other novels, such as “The Dharma Bums” and “Big Sur,” as well as poetry and essays.
2. Allen Ginsberg — Ginsberg was a poet and political activist who is best known for his poem “Howl,” which was a manifesto for the Beat Generation. He also wrote other influential works, such as “Kaddish” and “The Fall of America,” and was a prominent figure in the countercultural movements of the 1960s.
3. William S. Burroughs — Burroughs was a novelist and essayist who is perhaps best known for his novel “Naked Lunch,” which was controversial for its explicit content and unconventional style. He also wrote other novels, such as “Junky” and “Queer,” and was known for his experiments with the cut-up technique in literature.
4. Neal Cassady — Cassady was a writer and countercultural figure who was known for his wild and charismatic personality. He was a close friend of Kerouac and was the inspiration for the character Dean Moriarty in “On the Road.”
5. Lawrence Ferlinghetti — Ferlinghetti was a poet and co-founder of the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, which became a gathering place for the Beat Generation. He published many of the works of the Beat writers, including Ginsberg’s “Howl,” and was a prominent figure in the literary and countercultural scenes of the 1950s and 1960s.

After all, what’s the point of being a hippie if you’re just going to turn into a yuppie? Let’s bring back the love, man.