Are the hippies really gone now?

From 1967-1969, I was in San Francisco. My friend Norman, who was a hippie philosopher as well as a practicing attorney, told us the hippies could not survive as a subculture because they were giving too much of themselves into the mainstream.

Well, yes the hippies did change the culture I am sure, and many assimilated. But was Norman correct?    

I'm an assimilated hippie. My active hippie days ended when I  married a very old fashioned traditional girl. (love will do you in every time) My thoughts and aims never changed but I had to go mainstream in order to support a family, grasp at the American dream and buy a house. I went totally corporate and hated every minute of it. When I finally let go of "what was expected of me", I finally started to really live and was able to pursue what was important to ME, which was to enjoy my life, raise my kids and have a career that I was in total control over.

The hippie movement may be long over but there are still those of us that still believe and practice the philosophies. No, I don't have long hair, a fu manchu and I don't sit around barefoot and play my guitar singing protest songs. I practice kindness, generosity, love of my fellow man, sharing and most of all, respect for others.

My step father in law and brother are definite hippies. My step father was in San Francisco in the 60's. They both reluctantly conformed in order to pursue limited dreams for money to fund their basic lifestyle. The rest they shared with others. They are both hippies at heart that only wear a suit in order to further their philosophy on different platforms.