Gettin' over the hippie stage...

Yep. I said it. I'm gettin' over the hippie stage. And I'm sick of being labeled as one. I'm not a hippie. And for crying out loud, being a hippie has more to it than sitting around smoking pot, not grooming yourself, listening to classic rock, and complaining about the government. They're supposed to DO SOMETHING about the things they don't like. Protest, for crying out loud. Vote. Don't just sit around on your butt whining about the government and going on about peace. If you stand for something, stand up for it!

And, just for the record, I never was a hippie. I dress as one occasionally (band t-shirts, jeans, scarves, whatever), my hair is long, I stand for peace and I like classic rock. But that doesn't make me a hippie!

Hippie might have been a good thing once: people fighting against the mainstream to make the world a better place. But now, the only "hippies" that are left are people clinging to the past, unwilling to change, sitting around and complaining. And, I don't know if it's just me, but isn't it insulting to have a Halloween costume made after something that once was serious, world-altering? It's like dressing up as Ghandi or Martin Luther King or an activist or something. It's making a joke out of it.

So, that's been my conclusion: modern hippies are a joke. No, let me rephrase that: any "hippie" that sits around and pretends to be something they're not is a joke. If you don't agree with someone, protest! Want to keep George Bush out of office? Vote against him. Want to complain about all the other candidates? Run for office! Get up and do something instead of sitting around smoking pot all day and whining about how "they" are doing you wrong and listen through Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club band for the 100,000,000,000 time! How on earth is that helping anything?

Same with emos. Don't tell me your life sucks when Mommy and Daddy buy you everything you want. Don't tell me your life sucks because your boyfriend of one week broke up with you for a much prettier girl that doesn't sit around whining. Sure, some people have terrible lives, but those are the ones that usually don't wear it out on their sleeves, caking on black eyeliner and whining about how unfair life is.

So. My conclusion: don't be someone you're not. Seriously. It's a betrayal to yourself. Don't just be something because you think it's cool. Most likely, you're not fooling anyone. Just be who you are. If you like dark clothes and heavy eyeliner, wear it. But that doesn't automatically mean that you have to cut yourself, listen to My Chemical Romance, and cry all day while writing suicide notes. If you like tye dye and The Beatles, do what you want. But before you go calling yourself a hippie, do something to prove it.

Sorry. I've just been ticked off about this a while. And since this is the anniversary of the Summer of Love, I've been thinking about it a little more than usual.

Oh, and one more thing: you're not fighting against the mainstream if you're dressing and acting just like everyone else around you. You're doing the exact opposite. And why should we try to be any one thing? (I know I've already concluded or whatever, but I'm ranting, so I'll probably still be writing a good bit more. You've been warned.) Okay, so you call me a hippie. (I've been called this A LOT.) But, on that assumption, would you know that I'm Christian, I've never in my life done yoga, I've never even seen LSD or marijuana, I don't like The Doors or Fleetwood Mac, I get nothing but straight A's on my report cards, I sing in chorus, and I get along well with people labeled as preps? I don't sound so much like a hippie anymore, do I? For a while, I wouldn't do anything if I thought it would ruin people's opinion of me. Would I ever be caught dead listening to Christina Aguilera (even though I really like her) in public? No! How dare people think that I'm not a brainless, classic rock-loving twit! Now I really don't care. Yes, I love classic rock. It's what I listen to the most. But I like other things, too. And I'm tired of being labeled as a hippie!

I am me. And other people should realize that about themselves as well. If you try to shove yourself into this stupid little cookie cutter that society's come up with, you're just like all the rest of the brainless morons that are doing the same thing. By calling yourself "emo," you're putting yourself in this little pocket of the world, sealing yourself off from many different opportunities. You might miss out on a great chance to make a new friend with that cheerleader across the hall. But you'll never know because you're too worried about being emo, looking emo, seeming emo to everybody.

I know I've only mentioned two stereotypes, but those are just the ones I've been thinking about the most. This is also pointed towards anybody that labels themselves as anything: goth, prep, jock, nerd, geek, gangsta, whatever!

Just be yourself. It sounds painfully cliche, but it still holds true. No hidden meaning. Just do it. And if being yourself does fall perfectly into one of the molds already preset for us, then so be it. Do what you want. Just stop being something because you think it's cool or it's the most with it trend.

Now, excuse me. I'm going to go watch Oprah and read the new Harry Potter. Or do I have too few brain cells left from my alleged toking that everybody thinks I do?

PS: Yes, I still love you all. I never stopped. I guess that's the most hippie thing about me; I love everybody...Literally. Anywho, here's a really groovy fanvid of Keith Moon I've had sitting in my favorites on YouTube for a while now. The song isn't The Who or anything to be expected, but I still really like it. It was really put together well.

I'm going to go ahead and get off before I think of something else to rant about. I bet you're thankful for that. :P