Frodo & Bilbo's Birthday Crossword

[page 18] _HIPPIE HOBBITS_ Recently there has come to my attention the controversy about Hippies relating to hobbits. Two hobbits in (_Niekas 18.p.62; & _Time_ July 21, '67 recently couldn't understand the hippies would like Tolkien, and quite recently there has been a lot of resentment toward these among a number of hobbits. Two major articles on hippies mentioned hobbits (_Time_, July 7, '67, p.20,21 & _Newsweek, Feb. 6, '67, p.92). Most of those who have studied the hippie scene have been genuinely impressed, even if conservative. It is very hard to picture the 'ideal' hippie as they are individualists in their own way and there are a number of 'factions'. But they have a greatly distorted image. They aren't beatnicks, or hoods, teenyboppers, kicks-seekers, 'activists', etc. though people invariably want to identify them with these types. They are definately not Hell's Angels-types, though articles like the _Post_, Sept. 23, want to say so. There is a group-gang at our school which, because they have surface characteristics, are thought by adults to be hippie-types. But I found that they hate hippies. And one hippieish person said, "Hells Angels @Hell's Angels@... Ugh. Don't even mention them, they make me sick." And ads for movie's @movies@ like "The Love-ins" obviously are designed to appeal to non-hippies, put on by scandalizers who seek money. Basically there are two types which people think of: those who have 'no purpose', the type exploited, and the flower children. The former, along with the other concused types, do not like hobbits. It is the flower children who do. These are those I speak of when I say "hippies". They are generally thoughtful, nice, respectful. Th epolice in the Haight-Ashbury area get along quite well. They have little to complain of and there is practically no crime at all. The hippies are not the 'typical teenagers'. They have carried out Schweizer's "Reverence for life" to an extreme. Suppressed like the Appalacians, they can't go along with all accepted philosophy. They seek to emulate the American Indian whose natural ways and closeness to nature they admire. At Yosemite during the summer I saw quite a few. They appreciate what they have, do not waste. They want to 'communicate' and live in closeness. Believing that if all men think along lines of utmost beauty and natural simplicity, violence and complication will be eliminated (though it won't work, I know there is almost a religious atmosphere about them, as they follow a conglomeration of Buddhism, Hinduism, nature worship, musical spiritualism, folklore, supernaturalism, Thoreauvianism, Hillelism, cosmic openess, ect.# More than one bishop has commented on the similarities to apostolic Christianity. Because they follow an indepentent life almost like the hobbits' year of 1420, people say they are lazy. They seem to forget that there are just as many if not more 'lazy' people in our society. Hippies want to confront the 'essentials of life;. As one hippie spokesman said: "It's not because we're lazy but because we think there are far more valuable things to do with our lives. We think that to waste life doing repetitive jobs is blasphemy, when to live joyously and creatively is to live close to God." Certainly growing your own food (as do the S.F. Diggers Creative Society) is no mean task. Certainly much of their attitude is from the infusion of Indian (eastern) philosophy as discussed by an Indian in (think) the _LATimes_ about September 19. He says: "The American looks at the world entirely through his own eyes. He is not going to solve his problems with a western mind, on a world scale." Almost invariably (though sometimes from activist liberals) the conflict comes from the non-hippie side. Disneyland recently banned hippies because other patrons might "make derogatory remarks". In one city there was a gathering of hippies when something happened and the police ended up using clubs (thought it was not the hippies' fault and I'm not anti-police). The hippies showed their good will despite injuries and arranged a picnic for the police's kids. Another group got together to support dog-owners protesting leash laws and chanted "What is dog spelled backwards". The Los Angeles Diggers (named after the 17th cent. group of do-gooders) recently arranged to play some songs like "Puff the Magic Dragon" at the Children's Hospital and brought along guitars and flutes to entertain, as well as baloons @balloons@ and candy for the kids (the candy was ok'd). But when they got there and were found to be hippies they were not allowed in. William Zinsser did a very good explanation of his view of the hippies in _Look_, April 18, '67. Many people say that the hippies are 'dirty'. Living close together it would not be too good and I also know it _isn't_ so true. While it's true that 'poor' sections don't have tremendous facilities I'm sure one _could_ call our pioneer forefathers 'dirty' too. As for the moral aspect: sexual energy is supposed to be the same as creative energy according to some: it is a physical expression as love, the bonds of friendship are so strong that they feel marriage isn't needed as there are almost <Handwritten.> +half the amt. *even independent conventional <End handwriting.> [page 19] of divorces and a high rate of adultery. _Playboy_ or any of that vein of magazine are not hippie oriented by far; rape and sexual crime occurs in our society; sex replaces violence; the hippies do not believe it is evil just as the Greeks didn't; and this is a _very_ much sensationalized thing that exploiters play up so that people hear what they want to hear. There are probably more "orgiastic revels" among our society than hippie society by far. The midle-class view of hippie attitudes is quite distorted and sensationalized. The love (unlike "The Love-ing ads and others) that hippies preach is that of a universal nature love thy neighbor as thyself. The Free Press is quite uninhibited and I don't buy it or subscribe to it. Yet a few didn't come to the Party because it was announced in there, and they take the FP "to keep up with the scene". If I had that kind of objection I wouldn't support it at all (I don't any way). Careful precautions were taken so that no problems would occure. But this gave a suppressed feeling to things. The Calendar where the party was announced also lists concerts and lectures, and I don't boycott the LA Philharmonic because of it. This is the type of bitterness that unhobbitish. At any rate I can, in all sincerity say that the FP hobbits are very nice, very generous, very enthusiastic, and great fans. The Kazoo has a hard time keeping The Books stocked. Ian Ballantine supports them quite a bit and is footing the bill for a full page layout with the Moria door. As for long hair: arguments for it are so numerous I won't even say much except that: the Indians had long hair, whom they follow, long hair is not a sign of laziness as a person with it is more likely to be proud of it and care for it quite a bit, long hair went out with spirituality, when modern wars began, when days of glory passed, and forgot not that Boromir, Gandalf, Aragorn, Elrond, Celeborn, the Rohirrim all were specifically noted to have long flowing hair. Indeed, it is an expression of a time longed for. Concerning drugs: hippies do not touch heroin and other 'hard' narcotics. They (more sparsely now) use only 'dream drugs'. Though some say hippie society is 'unhealthy' take a look at our use of tobacco, caffeine, 'accepted' drugs, alcohol, meat (only one company is all inspected and if you read the _Nation_ article on meat...) and a diet which consists of white bread and ice cream. All hippie problems have come from abuses and unprecaution. If you climb a mountain you need safe equipment. Reports of the 'horrors' of psychedelics are not only highly exaggerated (as I can prove from my extensive collection) but treat abuses as the norm. Negative 'evidence' is all quite unverified and surveys (as in the chromosome panic) show other results. I am not dismissing the dangers of use but only pointing out the other side. The basis for scandalism stems from inadequate preparation, use of needles (which is insane), alcohol, misuse, etc. Premature and extremist reports on both sides give a very bad view. The Neo-American Church stresses a rigid adherance to use of psychedelics. As for clear-headed (in my opinion) and less emotional books. I would suggest such ones as _Mushrooms, Molds, and Miricles_, by Lucy Kavaler (Signet Books, 1301 Ave. of the Americas, N.Y., N.Y., 10019, 75e) or _LSD, the Problem Solving Psychedelic by Staffer & Golightly (and a number of doctors) (Award [page 20] Books, 235 E. 45th St., N.Y., N.Y. 10017, 75¢). However, some interesting things have come about recently: the non-drug psychedelic culture. As one physician said at a conference: "Although I have never taken LSD it has completely changed my life." A recent FP leterr said that the young girl was seriously thinking about hippiedom but would not take drugs. The Vancouver free press is anti-LSD. An article in the October, 1967 _Natural History_ said, "A fair number are non-psychedelic hippies who achieve a simple and direct amentia without the help of drugs." About 200-300 hippies gathered 'round George Romney (a Mormom like myself) when he visited and listened to a temperance lecture. Peter Fonda, who appeared in the movie: "The Trip" (tasteless by his admission) said that between Sept. '65, and March '66 he had been administered LSD eleven times by a psychiatrists (I believe this is from the Sept. 19 _Times_) care. He says he tried all the classical approached @approaches@, but was terrified of LSD before he gave in. He says it helped him immensely, that it gave him an incredible contact with his problems and more rational ability to handle them. But he says: "I am compelled to state both sides of the case. It was helpful to me so I cannot say nobody should take it. But I received it under supervision and after great preparation and not by a hack on the street." But now that some have experimented with dream drugs it seems unnecessary to many. Now the 'Way' is meditation, music of all kinds, art, nature, beauty, drugless trips via psychedelic whirligig-houses, dance, fantasy 'involvement' psychedelic 'rapping', chanting, etc. Most significant are The Beatles whose Seargent Pepper album, a beautiful production, was half psychedelic songs, have renounced drugs since following the mysterious Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Says John: "If we'd met Maharishi before we had taken LSD we wouldn't have needed to take it." Paul said:"I can see now that it was like taking aspirin without a headache." "I don't recommend it. It can open a few doors, but its not any answer. You can get the answers yourself.". The profound change in the The Beatles, representing the whole culture, was covered in the Sept. 22, '67 _Time_. But the fact is, no group or culture or society can claim complete identification with hobbits, elves, Middle-earth. The Fourth Age came, and long ago they passed. But they may be sought by the mind if nothing else. And no matter about the outer hippie life. It is his inner-self that he identifies with. I'm not so sure that hobbits would appreciate our smog, or the lack of forest, or the rush-rush of our Age. No doubt the wild men of Druadan Forest would see racial descrimination @discrimination@. No doubt part of the mushroom crop would be kept off the market. And where could they go in bare feet? Oh no, I don't think they would be happy here*. The hippies too have retained some of the hobbit-Middle-earth culture, as well as ourselves. A desire for simplicity, a joy of giving and being together and Knowing all your neighbors, the love of flowers (_Hobbit_,p.19,278, etc.), desire of bells (I,279, etc.), love of bright clothes, love of handcrafts, love of peace, etc. Of course I object with disgust if certain groups take to Tolkien: materialists, _Avant-Garde_ists. Nazis, communists, militant racists, arrogant, etc. Unless you personally know someone I don't think you can judge. It is so easy to be critical if you have no authority to speak but your own biased opinions of something far off. The Movement itself has just under gone a shocking revolution, if you've been following the news. The three day day wake in the Haight-Ashbury district celebrates the New Age of the hippies. According to one spokesman too many 'straights' in hippie attire have joined their ranks, but did not live up to the hippie credo of thinking for yourself. Carrying a banner saying "Death of Hippie. Birth of Free American, Freebie.", one man said: 'Its to get rid fof your affections. The purpose of this community is to be yourself. Once upon a time man put on beads and became a hippie. Today the hippie takes off his beads and becomes a man--a free man." Etc. At any rate I personally know that many hippies (not these discussed in Look, Oct 3,'67) are very enthusiastic and sincere fans. Those who are only momentarilly turned on, the fadists, are like our 'readers' but tend to spread the message. When I was at the Westercon XX this summer I saw a sign which said "Haight-Ashbury Came to Middle-earth" (Box 1250,Berkeley,Calif.94701). The Hopi-hippie newspaper _The Oracle_ mentioned the Annual Midsummer Festival for Elves and Hobbits. _Entmoot_ was hippie oriented. In its last issue it mentioned some of the hippie-Tolkien rock bands that have sprung up, particularly in S.F. but also one in San Diego formed by Hedy West, composer of "500 Miles" and one in Los Angeles, the Thorinshield, (which does the "Groovy" theme.) And almost all the psychedelic shops carry the Books, of posters, or buttons, and such. Indeed, almost all of the enterprises like Middle-Earths, Lothlorien, Elven Door, etc. are hippie enterprises. And don't forget that Hobbit Town, mentioned lastish, is a hippie haven. I recently saw a postcard printed by the hippieish Tarot <Handwritten.> *LET ALONE ELVES,ENTS,EDRIN,DWARVES,etc. <End handwritting.> [page 21] Castle which had the Poem and the inscription at the front of the Books and the Shire Calendar on the front. Indeed, in no culture is Tolkien such a way of life. Although much, much more could be said on the subject, and though the hippie society comes in direct conflict with our views by replacing the TV with the navel @novel@ (as one person said), it is my belief that everyone should have a passport to Middle-earth, for anyone who has a love of such things is needed in this world. As one person said in the _Post_, Ju1y 2, '66 article: "The sort of people who take to Tolkien have some love for themselves and love for their fellowman. Anyone who likes the trilogy can't be all bad: Although such buttons as "Frodo Freaks Out" might be misinterpreted as bad I think the essence of hippie-hobbit enthusiasism is a beautiful piece of graffiti from Greenwich Villiage @Village@: "Frodo Loves". {Image: Nine red astrisks are spread randomly through the above text.}