The idea of "Hippie" is really vague these days. Back in the 1960's, a hippie was someone who "spawned" from the Beat scene. Eventually the hippie scene "sold out", and became part of mass popular culture--or rather, people decided to capitalize on it. Everybody was a hippie, because it looked cool or it was the cool thing to do. Or maybe some were "on the bus" because they'd taken alot of LSD and is now developing schizophrenia. I think the Beatles inspired the generation alot, especially John Lennon, in terms of political thought, as well as a source for inspiration. People still to this very day , are inspired by John Lennon's ideal word view of peace. John Lennon and the Beatles inspired so many to do what many others have failed to do--to <i>think</i> about life. They encouraged love. I believe that the general "ideals" of the 1960's hippie counterculture have roots in the acid culture, popular music (especially the San Francisco scene , Jefferson Airplane etc.) Haight-Ashburry was the epicenter for the hippie movement. The hippie scene came about because of certain conditions. You have to think of it in terms of history--what was happening at this moment in time to cause this to happen? Obviously there was world war 2 , which had ended some 15 years before the 60's began. Post-war life was rather conservative, and this was growing tiresome for the youth. And that's when it began to change, because people <i>grew tired</i> of what was happening in the world.

So something might not come about that is quite like the 1960's, but eventually people are bound to get sick of what is happening and change. The 1960's were all about change.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: