Tiny living may be the ideal fit for many baby boomers. This may be especially true for those who participated in or identified with the positive aspects of the hippie movement. In many ways, the tiny living movement is an outgrowth of some of the key hippie values.
If I had been old enough, I would have gone to San Francisco during the Summer of Love in 1967. The song “San Francisco – Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair” by Scott McKenzie is still one of my favorites. I have it on my phone.
Like the hippie movement, tiny living is about personal choice, freedom, getting off the grid (renewable energy), earth protection (green living), and community (like-minded people)! It’s also about the beauty of smart, innovative designs in small houses, furnishings, decor, and lifestyles. And it’s about love. Love of freedom, love of self-expression, love of simplicity, and love of nature. All of these things are honored, protected, and respected by the power of love.
The tiny living community seems to already have a large number of baby boomers and one-time hippies. Whether they participated in or identified with the hippie movement, it seems to have influenced them. I also see it in younger members, who I would suspect might have parents, siblings, or relatives who were hippies.
What’s the main difference between the hippie and tiny living movements? You know what it is. Clear heads and conscious living are the differences. And it’s a huge difference. The hippie drug scene started with positive intentions, but it got out of control, as we now know that it can. These drugs proved to not deliver on the claims by those who promoted them.
I can’t help but wonder what might have come out of the hippie culture had there not been such a heavy emphasis on drug use. It wasn’t all bad, though. Many people who identify with hippie values went on to do great things. Steve Jobs and Richard Branson are two of them. I wonder what Microsoft would have become if Bill Gates had some hippie spirit. I would imagine that the tiny living movement (or tiny house movement) was started by someone who was in some way connected to the hippie lifestyle.
As baby boomers head toward retirement, many may want to reinvent their lives by downsizing and joining a community that resembles an unfulfilled dream in their past. Baby boomers, particularly those who appreciate the hippie movement, would make valuable contributions to the tiny living community.
Join us!
Peace.