New hippies, vagabonds, travelers

[Gardenarian]

Whatever you call them, we have loads of them in our town. I find these urban nomads fascinating. They sometimes take on work (daily stuff) but they mostly get by from begging and scavenging. They only work to live - never living to work.

They do tend to smoke a lot of weed, but don't tolerate meth heads or ugly drunks. They're very into the whole peace and love thing. They seem to really live in the moment and not think about their futures at all.

They are almost all 20-something. Some are taking a break from college. Some come from what seems like no home at all; their friends and the road are their home. Some are a bit off - not just eccentric, but a bit mad.

They're mostly polite and sweet, if you are polite with them.

The feelings of the townies here about them are mixed, but it's mostly "live and let live" (and please, find a shower!) They seem to be impervious to stink.

Do these folks come to where you live?
What do you think?

[Teacher Terry]

No our homeless are all older.

[Gardenarian]

We have older homeless and resident homeless too.
The travelers are usually around May-September, then they head south, like geese.
I meet all sorts working at the library.

[Rogar]

I've not seen it here. I visit Boulder, CO occasionally where the hippie movement never really went away. What I see in the trendy areas around town that is a little encouraging is young entrepreneurial types starting small businesses with small shops, craft breweries, and specialty eateries. There are lot of young professionals living in small spaces they can afford and working in downtown urban area offices. My friends with younger 20 something kids are commonly in the still living in the basement bunch. It actually would be nice to see a few more eccentric younger people less focused on traditional lifestyles.

[ApatheticNoMore]

No, we have homeless, everywhere. But really the type of vagabond lifestyle seems to go way back (and it's kind of sad that it's mostly mere homelessness now as it really was a full subculture it seems like with community and artistic expression etc., even if far from a privileged one). Apparently lots of these hobos in the early 20th century until the start of WWII, hopping trains, sometimes doing seasonal work etc.. Interrupted I guess by a few decades of what actually was somewhat well distributed prosperity (all long gone now), and so that particular subculture seems to have died out. Always were all these homeless, MAGA is a lie, always was this poverty, but maybe less for a few decades.

[Gardenarian]

Wow, I'm really surprised that this is not more common. There are hundreds coming through every summer here.

ANM, you are right about the artistic component. Many of the travelers busk and are really fine musicians (some are dreadful.) They also do a lot of cool art - mostly drawings on sketch pads - but they have the leisure to get into the zone and do innovative and imaginative work. They also make jewelry and do leather work.

We have shower buses and a lot of other services for travelers (and homeless residents, who are in a different category.) The majority of our homeless (home-free) are transients. Cold winters.

[Lainey]

We also get an increase of the corner beggars in the winter here in Phoenix. They're mostly gone now, the 100+ heat chases them away every summer. I don't know about the true hippie/vagabond version - they might be more concentrated in the university area.

Reminds me of a scene in the movie Leave No Trace. Spoiler Alert:


The father and daughter come across an informal RV campground in the woods. It's functioning and the residents help each other while enjoying outdoor songfests and potlucks. I imagine this is where older hippies end up and actually, I can see how that lifestyle would be very attractive to many people who are just not suited for what we would consider normal life. Nothing wrong with that either.

[pinkytoe]

We have all manner of "travelers" here. The thing is even the young, artistic ones mentioned by the OP pretty much depend on handouts and charitable services to get by.

[jp1]

I've come across some of these people. But then, I live in san francisco. Just a couple of weeks ago there were a group of them on the bus when I was bringing my cat home from the vet. Judging from the stuff they had with them, the time of day, and the bus route I'm guessing they'd camped out on the beach overnight. One of them was super excited about my cat "Wow! He's huge! Like a little lion!" I was only going 3 stops so I chatted with him about my cat and as I was getting off the bus he said "goodbye little lion!"

[Baldilocks]

In the city I live in we have a Democrate Mayor. We also have a really good homeless shelter. So good, homeless people come to our town to stay at our shelters. Unfortunatly, we have very few good paying jobs. Down the road they have a Republican Mayor. They are known as the RV manufacturing capital of the world. Doesn't look like they have a very good homeless program except for some faith based thing. But they have many good paying jobs. (RV's, manufactured housing, trailers, Pontoons, ect.) So the homeless people come to our town with the problems that caused them to be homeless. I've heard of Them coming from Chicago, New Orleans and I've even Texas. They don't want to comply with the rules for the homeless shelter. Two years ago they set up a tent city downtown under a bridge. It was discusting. And I'm sure some people didn't feel safe going down there. If I don't have to see them I don't care, but I've had three people come up to me asking for money. I've given to people when it feels right. But this seemed like three big guy's waiting for me to pull my wallet. I'm sorry, but they need to get a job, and government needs to stop enabling them to do absolutly nothing.

[Teacher Terry]

Baldilocks,your empathy is underwhelming.

[Teacher Terry]

BTW, 75% of homelessness is due to a severe mental illness.

[goldensmom]

Responding to your original post, not around here but I am having flashback visions of the 60's.......flower children, hippies, roads filled with hitchhikers, etc.. Parents thought it signaled the end of time but it passed.

[oldhat]

Responding to your original post, not around here but I am having flashback visions of the 60's.......flower children, hippies, roads filled with hitchhikers, etc.. Parents thought it signaled the end of time but it passed.

If there's one constant throughout history, it's that the older generation always thinks the younger generation is going to hell in a handbasket. :0! Yet somehow civilization manages to keep limping along.

[goldensmom]

If there's one constant throughout history, it's that the older generation always thinks the younger generation is going to hell in a handbasket. :0! Yet somehow civilization manages to keep limping along.

I find that I think that way sometimes too but I lived through the sixties/seventies, became a productive, responsible adult and have hope that this young generation will do the same thing.

[Baldilocks]

Baldilocks,your empathy is underwhelming.

Thanks for your input. Meanwhile i've watched this town go from Mayberry to Gothem. I don't mind helping those that want to be helped. Meanwhile the murder rate goes up. In fact, a 23 year old woman was found (this week) one block from the house I owned as a young man. I guess that's who I will spend my empathy on this week.

[Teacher Terry]

So now homeless people are murderers? If our country provided decent mental illness services we would not have this problem. Estimates are that 75% are severely mentally ill in case you missed that. When Reagan closed many of the psych hospitals the homeless population grew.

[Simplemind]

Hmmmm Baldilocks...…. sounds a lot like PDX.

[Alan]

Hmmmm Baldilocks...…. sounds a lot like PDX.Now that you mention it, yes he does. By the way, it was PDQ, full name PDQ-XYZ.

[Teacher Terry]

Was that before my time?

[Alan]

Was that before my time?
Yes. If I remember correctly PDQ-XYZ (another alias 'notaclam') was active on the old site, then when it shut down he started a discussion group on one of the free personal forum sites before abandoning it when this version of Simple Living got up and running. He eventually joined here as XYZ_PDQ, although he never posted, and then disappeared shortly thereafter.

[Teacher Terry]

Thanks for letting me know. I really enjoy this forum.

[Reyes]

Was PDQ same is littlebittybobby? Or was that someone else?

[Alan]

Was PDQ same is littlebittybobby? Or was that someone else?Someone else.

[iris lilies]

PDQ was one of the more interesting characters around here. He lived a vagabond life, moving around for day jobs, living in campgrounds, going toward the South in the winter.

At the end of his time here he ended ip buying real estate to stay put.

[Simplemind]

Hmmmm Baldilocks...…. sounds a lot like PDX.

No, I did not mean he sounded like PDQ. I meant it sounded like he was talking about PDX.

[Alan]

No, I did not mean he sounded like PDQ. I meant it sounded like he was talking about PDX.Cue Rosanne Rosanna Danna.....Nevermind.

[jp1]

No, I did not mean he sounded like PDQ. I meant it sounded like he was talking about PDX.

I wondered if that was what you meant, but remembering PDQ Alan's interpretation also made sense. Oh well, I always enjoy reminiscing about long gone members and occasionally wondering where they are and how they're doing. Like Teacher Terry I love this forum and getting to know people through it.

[Sad Eyed Lady]

I like your distinction "new hippies". There is a difference. I notice it since I am that age of being here during the time and now being a semi "old hippie", so new hippie is a good term IMO.