Hippie Stuff

 Despite everyone's admitted struggles with George Orwell's 1984, our book group had a thoughtful discussion.  We spent a long time talking about group mentality and how easily people seem to be influenced, especially when in a crowd.  That surely was evidenced by the chanting "Lock him up" at a recent political rally.  Seems impossible to believe that everyone in that group felt comfortable with that mantra, yet the words resounded loudly and with passion. 

But you know, understanding your audience and using your influence can be a good thing as well.  When I was in high school, I remember my American Lit teacher telling us that Henry David Thoreau was the first hippie.  It didn't take long before one, then two, then three and then whole bunches of students could be seen carrying copies of Walden.  Not a bad thing.  We found each other.  Eventually more discoveries were made and little splinter groups began to bring their ideas back to the group at large.  Some kids discovered Steal this Book by Abbie Hoffmann, one of the Chicago Seven.  This was his manifesto on living outside the establishment.  We found I Ching, a centuries old Chinese book of religious, social and philosophic wisdom.  Of course it helped that there was a little gimmicky coin tossing to lead us to the right passages to read each day.

How interesting that that teacher's simple statement had us walking away from Rebecca and The Outsiders and seeking out Black Like Me and Manchild in the Promised Land.  He planted the seed and left it there to take root as it pleased.  He influenced without coercing.  Our little band of hippies might have had smaller voices than we  perceived them to be.  Still we spoke - as individuals; there was no herd mentality for us.  Thoreau spoke to us of individualism and we listened.  Those were good years.

I wish we could find a way to spin things in a fresh direction - a direction where solo voices were heard and respected.  Where influencers used their voices for significance, rather than to tout the latest hairstyles, or to spew hatred and conspiracy theories.  

Where is that English teacher now, I wonder?  He wasn't with us more than a year - signed up for the draft and left us.  But there are a lot of us who have remnants of his words still with us.  Mr. Weiss. I think that was his name.  Pretty cool guy.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay safe and healthy and happy.