What is HIP?
“HIP” is an acronym for “Human Improvement Potential”. Any ideas or activities that advance the interests of humanity have a HIP quality. Obviously, that which impacts negatively on the human condition has none. Being hip means being aware of whom, and where you are. Being hip requires sufficient information to deal with the circumstances. Being hip involves making positive moves in healthy directions. Being hip appreciates our close kinship with others of our kind.
Health has what is HIP: It results from proper balance. Only spiritual, mental and physical equilibrium can conquer the evils of excess, and corrupt self indulgence.
Wisdom has what is hip: It requires sufficient knowledge. Only when our judgments and decisions are founded on definite facts can we come to sound conclusions.
Compassion has what is hip: It indulges in creative love. Only by caring in common for each other and our environment can we secure our human bond against mutual threats and impediments.
All three are essential components of any hip program.
While, in particular, hip might have different connotations for different individuals or groups, in general being hip depends on our physical well being and peace of mind. Whatever we pursue that results in health, wisdom and compassion we all discover truly is hip. Nature is our most formidable foe. The cataclysmic destruction and loss of life and property caused by the Asian Tsunami, indicates that in its struggle against natural forces, the odds do not necessarily favor our species. Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, deadly diseases and wildfires confront us with constant catastrophe. Other calamities like war, terrorism, economic and political slavery are all disasters of our own making. Only a HIP species will be able to survive nature and itself.
by Oscar Brown, Jr. All Rights Reserved, Bootblack Pub. Co. LLC,