First, Five Minute Friday:
The rules are that we write flat out for five minutes, based on the prompt word, not stopping for spelling, grammar or punctuation perfection. Just stream of consciousness writing. And then, we put up our link at the Five Minute Friday Page and try to encourage at least one other poster, the one next to your link, by reading their post. This is a very refreshing and freeing sort of writing, and I hope you will join in the project. Have fun writing flat out, for five minutes. The link is in the side bar under MEMEs.
This week's prompt word is "Bloom".
I'd like to talk about the Counter Culture. We Counter Culturists are not outlaws, nor Anarchists, but a group of people who had our beginnings in the Back to the Earth movement that started during the very destructive and illegal intervention into a civil war in Vietnam which had initially started out as a war of independence from France..
In the early 60's my generation was told, "Bloom where you are planted." Oddly there are no original printings of the poster which was EVERYWHERE at the time. It, like so much of the movement, was co- opted, first by hippies who were wild and had so little to do with the Counter Culture, and then by people wanted to bank on it.
What we in the Counter Culture wanted was something more out of life. A more human sized and humane sort of governance for ourselves and our children. There would be, had to be, a more spiritual and community oriented approach to solving problems.
Many a board room eventually filled up with ex-hippies, but the people of the Counter Culture wanted a more REAL life into the next century.
A big majority of the ex hippies, who were just fooling around to see how far they could go with rebellion, ended up going after power and money, the most discontenting couple of things ever invented by humans as a social structure or as a means of survival for any but the most aggressive and greedy.
What about the ones who didn't follow the hippy movement mass exodus from sweet natures and calmness? Did the ones who wanted to live counter to culture survive long? The answer is yes, we did.
Yes, we did. We've made a humane world. albeit mostly ignored. But we have a different view of what's important and believe me, it's not money or social position. We bloomed and prospered, knowing full well that "enough was as good as a feast", and that IF we took care of the Earth, she would take care of us.
stop
In the early 60's my generation was told, "Bloom where you are planted." Oddly there are no original printings of the poster which was EVERYWHERE at the time. It, like so much of the movement, was co- opted, first by hippies who were wild and had so little to do with the Counter Culture, and then by people wanted to bank on it.
What we in the Counter Culture wanted was something more out of life. A more human sized and humane sort of governance for ourselves and our children. There would be, had to be, a more spiritual and community oriented approach to solving problems.
Many a board room eventually filled up with ex-hippies, but the people of the Counter Culture wanted a more REAL life into the next century.
A big majority of the ex hippies, who were just fooling around to see how far they could go with rebellion, ended up going after power and money, the most discontenting couple of things ever invented by humans as a social structure or as a means of survival for any but the most aggressive and greedy.
What about the ones who didn't follow the hippy movement mass exodus from sweet natures and calmness? Did the ones who wanted to live counter to culture survive long? The answer is yes, we did.
Yes, we did. We've made a humane world. albeit mostly ignored. But we have a different view of what's important and believe me, it's not money or social position. We bloomed and prospered, knowing full well that "enough was as good as a feast", and that IF we took care of the Earth, she would take care of us.
stop
This is a very interesting take on bloom. Glad you were able to bloom and interesting to hear where the saying 'bloom where you are planted' came from. Five Minute Friday Friend
ReplyDeleteHi there Lizzy, fellow FMF friend. When I hear the word "Bloom" I almost always harken back to the beginning of the CC movement. "Blooming" here, where I am, was difficult but it's getting easier. Age, and the Freedom of Information Act, has brought some Peace. *winks* I'm good with it.
DeleteWow, it is amazing how a one word prompt can bring about so many different kinds of ideas and stories. Continue to Bloom where you are planted. I had one of those posters. It glowed under my blacklight LOL.
ReplyDeleteAha! I NV you your black light. And thanks, I will soldier on, as they say, and keep seeking that balance. And yes, stories are so varied in the FMF family. I love to read them all but so many are writing that it's like a week's worth and then it's Friday again. LOL
DeleteThis is awesome. I'm glad the counter culture is alive and well.
ReplyDeleteThank you! We have stayed on point and we've stayed together. Thank you for being glad of it. Actually, the second and third generation is out and about now.
DeleteKindred spirit. I am still stunned and sort of hurt by the people I knew who "went straight." Thanks for writing this.
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Mz. k,me, too. So Sad that they flipped the minute they could when it wasn't chic anymore. And, you're welcome. Keep the Faith, Baby, or is that one of THEIR sayings? Hmmm? Dammm
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