ESL Conversation Questions – Hippies

A2 Level (Elementary)

1. What do you know about hippies?
2. Do you like colorful clothes like the hippies wore?
3. Have you heard of the 1960s music festivals?
4. What does “peace and love” mean to you?
5. Do you know any songs from the hippie era?
6. What are some symbols of the hippie culture?
7. Have you seen a VW van? Did you like it?
8. What do you think about living in a community?
9. Do you like the idea of traveling around the country?
10. What does freedom mean to you?
11. Would you like to attend a music festival?
12. Do you know what a “peace sign” is?
13. What are your thoughts on living simply?
14. Have you ever worn tie-dye clothes?
15. Do you think hippies were happy? Why?
16. What do you think about protests for peace?
17. Do you like outdoor activities and nature?
18. What does “flower power” mean to you?
19. Do you think it’s important to express yourself?
20. Would you like to learn more about the hippie culture?

B1 Level (Intermediate)

1. Why did the hippie movement start?
2. How did hippies express their beliefs?
3. What impact did hippies have on music?
4. Discuss the idea of a “counter-culture.”
5. How did hippies influence fashion?
6. What were the main values of hippies?
7. How did hippies promote peace?
8. Do you think hippie ideals are relevant today?
9. What were the challenges faced by hippies?
10. How do you think hippies changed society?
11. What would you have liked about being a hippie?
12. What aspects of hippie culture do you see today?
13. How did hippies view work and money?
14. Discuss the importance of festivals for hippies.
15. What lessons can we learn from the hippie movement?
16. Do you think hippies were misunderstood?
17. How do you think technology would have changed the hippie movement?
18. What do you think about communal living?
19. How do art and creativity fit into the hippie lifestyle?
20. Do you think the hippie movement was successful?

B2 Level (Upper-Intermediate)

1. Analyze the social impact of the hippie movement.
2. Discuss the role of the hippie movement in political activism.
3. Evaluate the long-term effects of hippie culture on society.
4. How did the hippie movement challenge traditional values?
5. Discuss the relationship between hippies and environmentalism.
6. Can the hippie ethos be adapted to modern society?
7. How did the hippie movement influence global cultures?
8. Examine the legacy of the 1960s counterculture on music.
9. Discuss the role of psychedelics in hippie culture.
10. How did the media portray the hippie movement?
11. Analyze the influence of Eastern philosophies on hippies.
12. Discuss the hippie movement’s impact on fashion trends.
13. How did the hippie movement contribute to the peace movement?
14. Can the hippie model of communal living work today?
15. How did the hippie movement shape the concept of freedom?
16. Discuss the role of art and music in expressing hippie ideals.
17. Analyze the criticism faced by the hippie movement.
18. How did the hippie movement evolve over the years?
19. Discuss the influence of the hippie movement on future generations.
20. Can the principles of the hippie movement be applied to current global issues?

C1 Level (Advanced)

1. Critique the sustainability of the hippie lifestyle.
2. Explore the intersection of the hippie movement and feminism.
3. Analyze the economic perspectives of the hippie movement.
4. Discuss the hippie movement’s contribution to cultural diversity.
5. Evaluate the impact of the hippie movement on modern activism.
6. Discuss the paradoxes within the hippie ideology.
7. Analyze the role of the hippie movement in shaping public policy.
8. How did the hippie movement influence art and literature?
9. Discuss the relationship between the hippie movement and consumer culture.
10. Examine the role of the hippie movement in historical context.

C2 Level (Proficiency)

1. Debate the statement: “The hippie movement was a failure in effecting real change.”
2. Analyze the philosophical underpinnings of the hippie movement.
3. Discuss the role of the hippie movement in shaping contemporary social movements.
4. Evaluate the impact of the hippie movement on collective consciousness.
5. How did the hippie movement interact with global political dynamics?
6. Analyze the legacy of the hippie movement in the context of globalization.
7. Explore the role of the hippie movement in the evolution of social norms.
8. Discuss the potential of the hippie movement in addressing current ecological crises.
9. Critically assess the hippie movement’s approach to peace and conflict.
10. Examine the future relevance of the hippie movement’s ideals.