Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Where did all the hipsters come from?

I‘m sipping a scummy pint of cloudy beer in the back of a trendy dive bar turned nightclub in the heart of the city’s heroin district. In front of me stand a gang of hippiesh grunge-punk types, who crowd around each other and collectively scoff at the smoking laws by sneaking puffs of "fuck-you," reveling in their perceived rebellion as the haggard, staggering staff look on without the slightest concern.
                                                                   ---Douglas Haddow


I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this whole hipster movement. I live in a location where fashion and trends tend to be a little out-dated and behind; non-mainstream. Also, a lot of the locals here are pretty damn annoying at times and it seems that hipsters are annoying a lot of people these days. So, does this mean I live in a community full of hipsters? Considering 90% of the town give in to the commodification of the "Old Wild West" donning western gear for only a week and a half out of the year. I'm gonna say NOT.

Now, I'm a big fan of Independent artists when it comes to my music taste. As far as fashion goes, I'd like to claim I have my own style, and I was giving it to the man by deviating from all that is trendy. Even at a young age, my mother was buying me Hilfiger, and I refused to wear it. Does this mean that I'm a hipster? GASP!

The truth is though, I buy and wear what I think I'll look "cute" in. Let's face it, Hilfiger did nothing for my hips. The fact that a piece of wardrobe looks unique does appeal to me, but I ask myself, "Can I really pull this off." Sometimes, I probably don't. In these instances, I would hope my friends gave me a good sit-down "FACE IT" session. So, I would say while I am a pretty groovy dude, a hipster I am not. I love argyle way too much and happily give in to this trend.

According to Douglas Haddow of Adbusters, "after punk was plasticized and hip hop lost its impetus for social change, all of the formerly dominant streams of 'counter-culture' have merged together. Now, one mutating, trans-Atlantic melting pot of styles, tastes and behavior has come to define the generally indefinable idea of the 'Hipster.' "

I am a huge fan of mutants, so that's a point for the hipster side.

Unfortunately, I like my mutants to be bad-ass and not pretentious little frackers, so point taken back.
Sidenote: The comic book geek in me feels the need to point out that Juggernaut clearly has his helmet on and the whole purpose of his helmet is to prevent his bro, Xavier, from projecting or reading his thoughts. While this video is both hilarious and brilliant, there is that little discrepancy that no one probably cares about...

I could appreciate the notion that hipsters refuse to follow trends and go outside the "stylish" garb that all the tweens and metrosexuals are currently drooling over. However, that appreciation quickly dwindled when one of my good friends came up with a fun and exciting new game to play while roaming the streets of any urban city of your choice. 
While this game is super fun, it appears to me that the hipsters seem to be the butt of a lot of jokes and the object for a lot of disdain. Perhaps it's the idea that they want to go against everything that is mainstream, yet have created a trend that has become both mainstream and homogeneous. Hmmmm, this seems to go against everything the hipsters claim they are...maybe I just don't understand.

Again, I think Haddow says it best: "We are a lost generation, desperately clinging to anything that feels real, but too afraid to become it ourselves. We are a defeated generation, resigned to the hypocrisy of those before us, who once sang songs of rebellion and now sell them back to us. We are the last generation, a culmination of all previous things, destroyed by the vapidity that surrounds us. The hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture so detached and disconnected that it has stopped giving birth to anything new."

16 comments:

  1. We sympathize with your hipster-confusion. To us, hipsters are those who react to current trends by mining decades-old trends in hopes of being "different" while cravenly clinging to paper-thin definitions of "irony" to justify a lack of self-identification. As long as you know who you are beyond your external visage (proven by the fact you write as a form of expression) and don't react to trends, you're fine. Hipsters use gimmicks, like physical alterations to distract you from a lack of actual personality. It's like a David Blaine of personality or a Chris Angel of baristas. Wait, you don't have a beard and grotesque, hoop ear piercings do you?

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  2. Hi there..
    Hipsters and baggy jeans they've always confused me..
    Shall be back for more!

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  3. Haha - those crazy hipsters. *sigh* They will never learn.

    Oh yea - the reason I stopped by. I think it's a deal. I now dub you my bestie. I didn't have one in these neck of the woods until just now. I like it!

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  4. @Pickelope In your response to your question regarding me having a beard. No, not since high school...wait your referencing facial hair.

    I remember being jealous of all the other boys because of the swagger they had as they strutted around with their staches and goatees.

    "Why oh why can't I grow any hairs on my chinny chin chin!" I thought to myself."

    I had heard that shaving makes your hair grow with more frequency and faster. So, I started shaving despite the fact there was nothing really to shave.

    Looking back...I curse that day and my need to conform...NEVER AGAIN! It's now become a major pain in my arse...

    Oh yeah, and no hoop earrings either.

    THank you for your clarification on the Hipster dilemma too, I feel much better now.

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  5. @runawaybride Thanks so much for stopping by! Come back any time :)

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  6. Face It! Sweetie! Mock turtle necks will never look right on you!

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  7. @Shelby Sweet, you should also meet my BFF Boo.

    http://rhetoricofpopculture.blogspot.com/

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  8. @Purtle But they keep me so warm! You're right though...I just can't pull them off...thanks for that, I really needed that. This is why you're my BFF!

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  9. @Shelby I'm excited to have a bestie in the blog-o-sphere. I think we'll get along famously.

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  10. I've never followed any fashion fads. I'd like to say I'm classic. I think it just makes me a dag.

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  11. I don't know jack about hipsters, but the cartoon was hilarious! Maybe Xavier was using mental hypnotism...

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  12. I never wore baggy pants, or pierced any part of body, or had dread-locks, but I used to smoke a shit-load of pot, so I suppose in that aspect, I was a hipster.

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  13. You mentioned that you live in a city where 90% of the populace dress like the wild wild west for a week and a half. Does this happen to be Calgary. If so, 2 years ago I was sitting at the ship and anchor watching the stampeders walking around and said "It's like a bad halloween where you show up to a party and everyone is wearing the same costume"

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  14. @Not the Hero, no the city I speak of is Cheyenne. But yes! That was exactly my reaction at my first "Frontier Days."

    The police also give up the squad cars and ride around down town and Frontier Park on their horses, the stage coach is brought out and everything. This is also why, I suspect, I am asked if we still ride around on our horsies when people find out I am from Cheyenne.

    @Carole I like your style :)

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  15. Whenever I see a hipster I have to control my urge to smack their pretentious head into the closest wall.

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Questions? Comments?