Would full blown hippies actually make it in 2014?
You’ve probably seen them at a spring party or two, the hippy revivalists sporting their flower crowns, cut-off shorts, and tie-dye shirts. You may see one and say, "Wow you look like a total Hippy!" They'll reply, "I'm totally channeling my inner free spirit." Of course, they are. However, they’re not real hippies, merely a group of lovely sorority girls scattered around that random day party you decided to attend. What are they trying to accomplish dressed like that? Perhaps it's just a desperate wish to revert to days of simpler times? Let's just face it: we exist in a culture obsessed with our free-spirited past.
The difference between now and then? Well, first off, of course there's probably a little less hooch....but more importantly, it is our immense exposure to the world that surrounds us. Inventions beginning with e-mail, instant messaging, and now most recently video chatting have changed the ways by which we interact with our surroundings. With societal pressures teeming from our domestic, academic, social, and employment spheres, the pressure is on, and the expectations for applicants are higher than they have ever been. The stakes are real, and our future depends on our consistent success, with shrinking room for error.
Take a moment to recall the Merry Pranksters, the original revolutionaries: the Beat generation. Analyzed from the perception of a Millennial, I can’t help but pardon the question….
Would OUR utilitarian society seriously consider their philosophies and dreams legitimate? Is there a place for the truly “free spirits” within the confides of our modern standards?
If we’re going to be honest, drugs were rampant, free love was expected, and "carefree" was a life motto – however, whatever happened to responsibilities? Comparatively speaking, if there were a motto of the Beat movement, it would have gone something along the lines of, “Forget society, forget education. We’re all about that liberation.” -- to which a stereotypical Millennial would reply, “…and where does college fit into this?”
Imagine if social media had been rampant during the 60s. Imagine if the plotlines of On the Road, or any Beat Generation novel had been exploited via Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Imagine Kerouac at our age in 2014, the victim of intrusive photography and tweets. Imagine each of the Merry Prankster's adventures captured and exploited online. The public’s reaction -- outrage, of course.
In an era obsessed with public image, it’s no wonder that our greatest fears are fueled by hyper self-consciousness. If anything, over the years the intrusive nature of social media has taught me that privacy is a privilege. Although in the moment, a young Kerouac may feel free, bear in mind pictures are permanent and will always be fixations of the public. After all, you can learn about someone from merely clicking around on their Facebook page.
Continuing with the trend of 60s era ideologies, the Beats, who haven't change their ideologies in 2014, suddenly realize they have a sudden desire to move forward. Transitioning towards the next phase of their lives, they wish to grow up, build their resumes, acquire jobs, and care for families. Attempting to escape their pasts as Merry Pranksters, they take down their Facebook profiles, delete their Twitters, all in a pointless attempt to erase any traces on social media.
Employers don’t understand mistakes, taking pride as they scrutinize each detail surrounding their candidates, honing in on their particular flaws. In the age of technology, the Beats just wouldn’t have cut it as Millennials. Besides their hate for hierarchy, the necessary institution of college would have been overwhelming to them. Heck, they wouldn’t even make it past the application process. As far as we’re concerned, "concerts and free love" don’t fill up a resume quite like "an internship at JP Morgan."
With pressure to succeed higher than it has ever been, the pressures of a totally connected world yield more competition than you can image. Modern technology increases the strength of corporations, devalues the individual, and networks millions. Although everyone may be obsessed with "hippy" culture, the realistic applications of their values into a successful Millennial are difficult to accomplish.
With limited options such as to fall off "the grid" or become a "cog in the economic machine," genuine hippies are fairly few and exist as homages to past. Although it can sometimes exist as a source of comfort to reminisce and channel our inner hippy for a day, the genuine lifestyle is on the outs. With the way life seems to be headed (in addition to ridiculous expectations to succeed), the increased pressure to overachieve reveals a grim future of corporation rather than liberation.
