I was there during the 60’s, but I was never a hippy. Not then. As I child and young person I was too conservative for such things. Also too driven by the lust for knowledge (about almost everything) to worry too much about life styles.
The word “nerd” was not in mass circulation yet, certainly not in its present form, and “geek” was nothing but a circus performer. So… I was simply weird. (At least, that was the better of the adjectives tossed my way.)
However, I was quite aware of Hippies and what they were about. So, when I see Hollywood trying to “flash back” to the 60’s and create some would-be hippies, I end up in a serious cringe, because that’s just not even close.
Hollywood’s version of Hippies looks like something brain damaged and utterly hopeless as a thing that should be allowed to perpetuate itself. Not even, man! Bad trip, bummer. No way.
I’d ask Hollywood in this are (and, frankly, in a lot of other areas!) to spend a little money on some advisors for such things. I mean, the 60’s weren’t that long ago; there are plenty of people around who were actually there and can tell you “no, man; too far out.”
I would ask Hollywood to never knowingly mis-portray anything. I would suggest (actually, come to think of it, I do suggest) that Hollywood has an obligation to misinform, even in the name of entertainment, to not fill people’s head with wrong facts. Even if that’s just a little disclaimer in the credits, or (preferably) a short explanation up front. Such as the movie “A Knight’s Tale” which was set in medieval Europe, during the time of jousting and such, yet the jousting audiences are singing tunes from the rock group Queen, and one of the characters shows up in a “Jackie O” costume, one of the blacksmiths uses the “Nike” symbol on the armor she creates, and so forth. It was (is) a very entertaining movie, but … here’s the problem. I have run into people who think that’s they way it all was. The movie has misinformed them, and I have a hard time straightening them out. Just a small statement like “these events are fictional and aren’t the way it was at all, at all…” or “great liberties have been taken with the times portrayed in this film. There is no historical accuracy intended here.” That would have been fine.
I would like it if Hollywood would recognize it’s obligation to educate as well as to entertain. Education doesn’t have to be an “in your face thing.” Start simply by not mis-educating, ok?