Wednesday, November 6,1968
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
15
Hippies explain philosophy
By CAROL SCHOENBECK Kansan Staff Writer
The term "hippie" is out.
For persons who are liberal in thought and quite often dress, the "in" thing to be called is "head," a term which originally designated any person who took LSD, but is now no longer restricted to the "acid dropper."
For mustachioed Richard, a junior, " 'head' is about as good as any word to use."
To him, the problem with society is that it is too structured.
A typical message, found on the door of a local "head" shop, applies to the personalities of the people who frequent it.
"If you harbor hostilities, hate (and, or) discrimination—walk on by, friend, . . . but, if curiosity playthick upon your mind as to the 'openness' of yonder shop within, your fears are abated for we are hereby OPEN."
For mustachioed Richard, the problem within society is that it is too structured.
"People are afraid to communicate with one another on a one-to-one basis. Everyone is always so uptight that they rely upon structure rather than people." Richard said.
"The usage of 'hippie' is kind of out-of-date. I guess 'head' is about as good as any word to use," Richard told me.
"Head," which originally designated any person who took acid-LSD—now is generally used to refer to any person who is liberal in his thinking, and often, his dress.
He is in psychology, but this semester he is taking a human relations course which he terms his "salvation."
"The contradiction in a course like Human Relations 14 is that you are graded. How can teachers grade feelings? I would think it's impossible," he said.
He asked if I'd ever noticed people walking along a street. There are certain clues to their personality that you can get just by watching them walk, he said.
"There are basically three types of reactions: those people who look across the street as if something terribly interesting was happening; those who stare at you from afar when they think you're not noticing, and
then stare at the ground as they pass you, and thirdly, those who just look at the ground, but then glance up to quickly say 'hello' as they pass."
When I asked Jim, a senior and a Summerfield scholar, about his heavy beard and unusual dress, he said he regarded himself as normal, and felt sorry for others because he thought of them as inhibited.
"There is always a certain percentage who look down upon non-conformists. These narrow minded people are only making an effort to cut themselves off and lessen their world of decisions," he said.
Fred, a senior and a Phi Beta Kappa, said he thought there were primarily three types of people at KU: the activists, the activity-type and the "I don't give a damn" group.
The latter group is only concerned with the immediate realities of life, they don't worry about the future, he said.
As I sat with them in their basement apartment, Jim and Fred talked freely about the drug traffic and use in Lawrence.
"There's no doubt that drugs are easy to get in Lawrence," Fred said. "I think attitudes about drugs are improving. People are getting away from their old drug 'bug-a-boos.' They're beginning to realize if you smoke a joint (marijuana cigarette), you won't necessarily end up a junkie in Mexico City."
"Yeah, I think the pressure is on the traffic—the buying and selling of drugs—rather than the usage," Jim said. "It's like the 20's, during prohibition. The police weren't so concerned with the citizen who had some wine in his cellar, but rather, those who were running the speakeasies."
Fred agreed that it would be too hard to catch everyone in Lawrence who was smoking marijuana. He said there wasn't a jail big enough to hold all the offenders.
After studying his peace necklace for awhile, Fred said, "I
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think mass acceptance must precede change. In a few years we may see it (the acceptance of the use of marijuana)."
Jim feels there is a growing group of students who are really not interested in drugs and pot anymore. Last year they smoked and thought it was fun, but now they are turning away from it and saying "let's do something different," he said.
"Marijuana is really easy to get because it's just a weed which grows wild in any uncultivated area. You don't have to drive more than five miles out of Lawrence to see any. Actually, pot grows very well in northeastern Kansas." Fred said.
Pot users have somewhat of a hierarchy of effects which determine how good a "lid" (ounce) of marijuana is, and thus, how much it costs. $20 will buy you a good lid, and $10 will get you a lid that is still fairly good. Fred and Jim explained.
They made the observation that it was somewhat sociological, but pot was almost always smoked in company. However, the company is always people you know very well, they said.
As Jim and Fred finished explaining some of the details of marujana to me, I marveled again at the openness of these people known as "heads."
people known as heirs
I remembered the words of
Richard, when I asked what he would call himself. I wouldn't call myself anything, he had said.
He's simply a person trying to escape the structure of society.
Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) recruiters have come to the University of Kansas.
Five former VISTA volunteers and one former Peace Corp volunteer will be in the Kansas Union lobby today through Friday to answer questions and take applications.
Attention Freshmen!
Petitions are still available in ASC office for freshmen class officers and ASC women representatives. They must be in by Friday, Nov. 8, 3:00 p.m.
ASC OFFICE, STUDENT UNION
Attention Freshmen!
All Merchandise In This Store Is Sold at DISCOUNT PRICES EVERYDAY
Register
FREE PRIZES
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Drawing Nov. 27th-You Need Not Be Present To Win GRAND PRIZE-R.C.A. PORTABLE T.V.
Following Prizes for College Students Only:
- wo Polaroid Swinger Cameras
wo Automatic Coffee Makers
★ wo $5.00 Gift Certificates, Good at Varsity Values
★ wo Gillette Techmatic Adjustable Razors
Register for the above prizes every time you shop at Varsity Values during the next three weeks. You need not be present to win. Drawing Nov. 27th----5:30 p.m.
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