I just wrote this ridiculously long peice about how hallucinogens started the hippie movement and the modern drug culture. It went through the history of modern drug use and how the introduction of artificial drugs ended the hope of a truely powerful "hippie" movement. It was quite detailed and I thought too long so I erased it, I instantly regreted that decision.
To sum it I I would propose these questions: Did the switch from mainstream use of the "Us" drugs (i.e hallucinogens and marijuana) to the "Me" drugs (i.e. heroin, cocaine and pills) cause the movement to suffer or shrink? Did people because of their drug use stop focusing on what they could do for others and begin to focuse on what they could do for themselves?
Was it not drug related: lack of leadership? or; did all the true hippies drop out totally and just not participate?
Was it and just simple numbers were there always going to be more of them than us?
Or did the movement not die at all? There could be an argument for this as I wasn't born till 1979 and everyone I know calls me a hippie.
I am not dismissing the things that were achived though everything form contributing to civil and women's rights. Even advancements in arts and sciences, it seems that no field in our modern world hasn't been touched by "mini-enlightenment" that started in the 1960's
I realize this is a limited and rather glib summary of my thoughts, I can just say I wish I hadn't erased my original essay.