Don’t Buy: Hating on Hipsters
Seriously. Is this shit not cliché by now? Somehow we’ve all collectively come to the conclusion that it’s socially acceptable to hate on hipsters. There’s something so binary about lumping a group of people into ‘the other,’ and discounting them entirely in an attempt to feel part of something…well, better than them.
To pejoratively label something ‘hipster; is an attempt at a lazy insult. Can we even define ‘hipster’ anymore?
“They are smelly and they wear girls jeans and they aren’t good for anything. They’re all sheep and they think that they’re different! But they’re not!” you might say. That’s a good description of a stereotype but you still haven’t defined the term ‘hipster.’ I’m afraid it’s a little more abstract than that.
“Well, hipsters are pretentious!” OK. We’re getting closer, but does that mean the opera crowd are also hipsters? Or how about the yacht club?
I try to enjoy my time on this planet and like to subscribe to the “Live and let live” doctrine. I’m not a big fan of religion, but I don’t hate on the Hasidic Jews. They’re doing their own thing. They’re really obvious about it! But it doesn’t affect my life in any way.
I don’t like hip hop culture. I find it annoying. But I can appreciate its evolution and still relate with someone who may subscribe to its edicts.
I’ve never been a fan of the TV watching, soft drink slurping, Walmart shopping, Middle Americans, but unfortunately I’m related to a few of them and we somehow make it work.
So why all the hate on ‘hipsters?’ A term so loosely defined that I’ve seen it apply to everyone from homeless looking scruff punks to Oxford shirt wearing Vampire Weekend fans.
We live in America. There are going to be people here who are not into the same lifestyle as yours. You’re going to need to get over it, unless you prefer to live an insular life forever pointing out the flaws of ‘the other’ as evidence to how superior YOU are.
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4 Comments, Comment or Ping
I have the hipster hand book. and a hipster haiku book. they were gifts from people letting me know they thought I was a hipster.
I want to go through all the types of hipsters and buy and dont buy them.
An interesting microcosm of hipster hate exists in the world of cycling, where fixed-gear bikes have become all the rage with hipsters. Many longstanding members in the bike scene blame hipsters for hijacking a style of riding — fixed-gear — that used to be reserved for messengers and cycling eccentrics.
As a competitive rider and race mechanic, I have no problems with a hipster — or anyone for that matter — who decides to ride a fixed gear bike. To me, as long as someone actually puts his- or her ass in the saddle and then pedals, I respect them as a fellow cyclist.
The hipster fixed-gear phenomenon is fundamentally different from the traditional elitist musical taste stereotype because riding a bike involves actual skill and effort, whereas adoring and criticizing random bands doesn’t require anything except for a clickwheel.
Also, hipsters are good for the bike economy because they are easy to rip off!
I don’t give a shit about cycling. But hipsterdom gives fat people an excuse to wear overly-tight clothes in the name of “fashion”, and therefore I’m not down with it.
also…i’m d runk.
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