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| A hipster medley |
They're everywhere you are; sulking in dive bars, memorizing the American Apparel delivery schedule, discussing pessimist theories in indie coffee shops, and smoking Marlboro 27's.
Known for their affinity for irony, hipsters do everything in their power to buck tradition. Wealthier hipsters like to emphasize their garbage can fashion sense. Other hipsters choose to sport nonsensical t-shirts with meaningless images or sayings on them. Exaample: "I Heart Falafel." ...What?
While there exists a variety of different types of hipsters, something all hipsters agree on is the importance of avoiding what's mainstream.
Despite the deliberate nature of hipsterdom (avoiding popularity, doing and wearing what's "relevant*, only inhabiting hipster-approved areas), hipsters unintentionally contradict themselves. While they preach nonconformity on a grand scale, they are actually some of society's biggest conformists.
Talking about what's "relevant" is no better than talking about what's "cool." Shopping exclusively at hipster shops is no different than shopping exclusively at the mall. Pretending to hate something because it's no longer relevant or has become mainstream is equally as silly as pretending to love something because it has become popular.
To me, hipsters are just a bunch "rebels" running around without a meaningful cause. Sure, for some, maintaining a hipster lifestyle is as meaningful a cause as they wish to pursue. Personally, I cannot imagine a life dedicated to looking unenthusiastic, avoiding popularity at all costs, and adhering to a strict code of hipster "relevance."
So, I guess I'll keep doing me, and I'll let them keep doing "hipster."
*Hipsters refer to all things cool at the moment as, "relevant."
