Modern Hippies – A New Face for the Next Wave

Posted by Steve McAllister on Oct 15, 2009 in Lifestyle, Other Stuff | 1 comment

In establishing the identity of who Modern Hippies are, our intent is to make clear what our goals are, who we speak and appeal to, and how we should effect change in our world and society. In considering how we differ from those who have come before us, viewed as ‘traditional hippies’, we embrace what methods they used that still work today, and let go of those that do not. Most importantly, we are now identifying who most embody the Modern Hippie spirit and stand out as role models.

A few years ago, what we call the Modern Hippie Movement was written about by Pul H. Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson in their book The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World. The concept of the Cultural Creatives, like that of the Modern Hippies, is a people that have not yet realized their unity. They do not yet recognize the power that they have or the number of arms willing to lock with them as they face the challenges which await them. Historically, when a group of people band together, there is a uniform to wear or at least a membership sheet to sign. The Modern Hippie doesn’t need to wear any particular clothes, drive a particular vehicle, or take a particular drug. He doesn’t need to attend any particular festivals or engage in any political movements. In this new movement, we are forced to realize our togetherness beyond the superficial and the easy, but often through the spiritual, intellectual, and sublime.

courtesy Sassy Smith

The Modern Hippie comes in many different forms and has many different faces. However, we are fortunate in that two of us have recently taken up residence in one of the most prominent homes in the world. In Barack and Michelle Obama, we have one portrait, one facet of life as a Modern Hippie. Though they may not even be aware of or claim the title, they embody many of the principles that pushed the first wave to shore and the spirit that continued beyond the point at which it broke.

courtesy Sassy Smith

Evident not only by President Obama’s recent winning of the Nobel Peace Prize or his being one of the few senators to stand firmly against the military invasion of Iraq, the Obama’s maintain a graceful air of understanding and acceptance that the Modern Hippie embodies. Through his push for stronger green initiatives and her planting a garden on the White House lawn, we see their respect for the environment and desire to cherish and appreciate it. And by their yen to reach past party lines, break down cultural stereotypes, and seek for diplomacy with all of our neighbors, they have once again caused the White House to shine like the beacon for which it was designed.

This is not to say that the First Couple should be revered any more than the next couple that treats their neighbors with respect and civility, protects and values the environment, and seeks for creative solutions to life’s challenges. It is simply an acknowledgment that, not only are we not alone, but we are also gaining momentum. As he humbly acknowledged his being awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize, President Obama stated that it was a call to arms to all of us to solve the challenges that face us in the new century. As we continue on and this wave reaches the shore, may we realize that it does not need to break like the last one, but only continue to flow.

Steve McAllister  (360 Posts)

Steve McAllister, Modern Hippie Mag's resident Lifestyle Guru, describes himself as a Renaissance Man. An author, filmmaker, songwriter, and perpetual artistic experimenter, he has recently re-released his second book The Rucksack Letters into paperback to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the journey. His latest book, a comical foray into philosophical science fiction, is How to Survive an Estralarian Mind Meld. His latest artistic project is The Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path. .