Filthy hippie turned old asswipe? I can see it happening.
Shame really. Noting gets me down than a young idealistic rebel becoming the thing they hate.
That said, I think some kids became hippies out of simple youthful rebellion rather than a genuine sociology-political-idealogical-humanistic conviction. I'd imaging it was mostly them who became the bitter fogies, yuppies & wingnut politicians. The others who were genuine probably just toned it down as they got older, became more moderate or more mainstream while still retaining the spirit.
frankly, most people i see who call themselves hippies or alter-globalists (hugely popular in liberal french universities) do it because it's a fad. "spirit of may '68" and all that. i've never been part of the movement because they're parroting decade-old ideals that simply do not work (ie, true communism due to the fact that humans are generally more selfish than altruist) or are unsustainable right now (like going green and shutting down nuclear plants).
in theory, it's cool. i mean, who wouldn't want a world that's attuned to nature and everyone loves everyone else? but in practice, most of those neo-hippies are in it for the ganja and the patchouli. spouting pipe-dreams like truths set in stone. they decredibilize their own movement by their own hypocrisy: buying brands that made their image on the principle of "fuck the system".
they wear garish colors and multicultural clothing to set themselves apart from the everyman. "jeans are a product of child-labor!" yeah, but so's that sirwal you're wearing. that hash you're smoking? not grown locally, you're giving your money to drug lords. eating organic? cute. your bananas imported from brazil have a bigger carbon footprint than this apple that grew in yonder orchard. voting for the alter-globalist candidate in the next election? what's the point? every sunday he's out with the rest of the political class sharing a table at the fouquet's. jean-luc mélenchon and marine le pen are buddies outside the political arena. you want the change that your elders didn't manage to get? then change your tactics.
the only hippies i know are old-school hippies that either gamed the system and now live in autarcy somewhere in aveyron (once they saved up to buy a plot of fertile land) or conformed the least amount possible to still live a happy life. they live happily, but they know that you can't win on a large scale. they reduce the scale of victory and enjoy life to the fullest in accordance to their principles.
the neo-hippies, once they leave the university conform to their arch-enemy: "it's the
society, man!"
last time i had the displeasure of talking to one, they called me a fascist for not playing to their rules. nevermind that that's not what fascism means, i threw a logic-bomb their way. they're white, and western european purebreds. they have dreadlocks, sandals, sirwals, patchouli, hindu jewelry, and smoke hash. if that's not cultural appropriation, i don't know what is. i got called names for that one.
to be clear. i have no beef with tokers or with hippies. hell, most of my friends are the former, and their parents are the latter. i have a beef with a kid that's middle-upper-class trying to pass off as if they're working class neo-hippies just doing it to get girls and an excuse to hit a blunt. that's not what being a hippy is about. they're posers decredibilizing an already ailing community. and don't even get me started on how patronizing they sound "you're just a sheep", they say. "you've never been downtrodden". "you're too priviledged." as if leading a cruddy life was a sign of sainthood, they parrot ideals like holy gospel, failing to understand, nay, analyze exactly what they're saying. they see their world in a binary, black-or-white way. i live in the shades of grey. i've got my principles, i live hurting the planet the least amount possible, and i game the system as much as possible without hurting others.
... goddammit, they turned me into a bitter hippy. 
