Society tends to construct boxes. These boxes allow us to clearly classify individuals so that it is easier for us to attempt to understand them. But what happens when we meet people who don’t quite fit into a box? Well, most of us manage to shove them into it whether they fit or not; we alter who they are in our minds so that they more smoothly fit the mold. Recently, I have been forced into the box labeled “hippie”, a term I do not identify with, but have been labeled as regardless. So why are these conclusions being made even when I, myself, feel that I do not fit its mold?
Before I begin I would like to clarify that not identifying with the hippie culture in no way means that I have a negative view on the subject, I simply mean that this is not me.
Even before I announced my enrollment as a student at UC Berkeley, some of my close friends and family would teasingly call me a “hippie” due to my beliefs and interests. I admit, I have always been quite liberal, but my views are definitely not so extreme as to be identified with the hippie culture. After deciding that I would be a student at Cal this fall, the more this label popped up and the more I received warnings that if I was not already, I would transform into a full-blown “flower child” and that I better not become a (direct quote) “nudist tree-hugger”.
I have always been concerned with the state of our planet and the way we impact it as humans. I believe in protecting our environment and the organisms that inhabit it. I do not support zoos, aquariums, circuses, or any other means of exploiting creatures and I brake for stray animals in the road. Most importantly, I believe that human greed is destroying our planet by driving global warming. However, this concern for the environment and appreciation for nature does not make me a hippie.
I also care about abstract ideas such as peace and happiness… but so does every other optimistic human being. Is it so strange to wish that myself and those around me enjoy life? What kind of a person would one be if he or she didn’t care about being happy? Yes, happiness and peace are core ideas of the hippie culture, but they are also the core ideas of living a wholesome life. So being happy and hoping for peace does not make me a hippie.
Finally, attending UC Berkeley does not make me a hippie. The political activity of the campus does not mean that the students are hippies – it means we care enough about issues that we are willing to stand up for our beliefs. It is a sign of confidence, a sign of perseverance, and a sign of fight. So no, being a golden bear does not make me a hippie, it makes me a stronger individual.
My problem with being labeled as a “hippie” not only lies in its irrelevance, but the fact that the term is used in such a derogatory way. When others call me a hippie, they are not genuinely drawing a connection between my beliefs and that of the hippie culture, they are teasing me for a certain quality or belief. I am an environmentalist, just like most of the world is or should be. I am happy, just like all of the world is or strives to be. I attend UC Berkeley, a campus with one of the largest conservative student groups in the country. I will stand up for my beliefs if necessary because I am confident in them. However, I do not believe any of this makes me a “hippie” and I can guarantee you that I will not be coming home with “hairy underarms”, “addicted to drugs”, or a “nudist tree hugger”. But I will come home stronger and more firm in my beliefs than ever.
