Hipsters

Katie the Friendly Ghost

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    Hipster refers to a subculture of young, recently settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers that appeared in the 1990s. The subculture is associated with independent music, a varied non-mainstream fashion sensibility, and alternative lifestyles. Interests in media would include independent film, magazines such as Vice and Clash, and websites like Pitchfork Media and Tumblr.
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    Yeah quoted from Wikipedia.

    So we all have like this concept in our head of what hipsters are. But can you apply the term hipster to everything that is not mainstream? I surf Youtube a lot, riding the "never ending Youtube sidebar suggestion" wave, which is pretty much just a bunch of unknown indie bands (with some pretty awesome music by the way). And almost every comment has to do with being in the "hipster" part of Youtube. Some people become distraught when this music hits the radio, and others avoid it all together saying us listeners are all a bunch of "dirty hipsters" (actual quote btw). I say just listen to the dang music if it's good, doesn't matter if you're a hipster, if the music is hipster-music, or anything else really.

    Is it plausible to so loosely throw around the term "hipster"? How do you define the term hipster? And are you, or do you ever aspire to be a hipster? I just used the music as an example, feel free to expand the topic however you see fit.
     
    Hipsters are something you read about online but I'm not really sure they exist in real life. I don't think I've ever seen a stereotypical hipster tbh.
     
    Toujours said:
    Hipsters are something you read about online but I'm not really sure they exist in real life. I don't think I've ever seen a stereotypical hipster tbh.
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    That's because hipsters don't actually exist. Here is a comic that illustrates what I mean. It's just the current term we use for a new sub culture that tries to distinguish itself from existing cultures and subcultures and doesn't yet have a name. Yesterday's hipsters were emos. Before that they were goths. Before that punks, hippies, beatniks, and so on.
     
    The most I've seen it used for is a) people who dislike any band/artists whose albums sales enter triple-digits or higher and b) people who act all pretentious and brag about their underground subculture being edgy and a sign of independent thinking, (pseudo) intellectualism, and philosophy. It means other things, but those are the two contexts I've seen it used in the most.

    I've never really met anyone in real life who completely fits the bill. According to rumors, hearsay, and stereotype, they hang out at Starbucks, but I don't go there often. And when I do, I don't really pay attention to anyone.

    EDIT:

    Here's an article that explains the term a bit: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Hipster

    WARNING: It's TV Tropes. Depending on your willpower, you might be there awhile.
     
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    Yesterday's hipsters were emos. Before that they were goths. Before that punks, hippies, beatniks, and so on.
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    You forgot scene! They're totes different than emo omgggg.

    Anyway, it's just a term. Roll with it, etc. There were emos (okay well there still are), punks, goths, and all that good stuf like Scarf said. idk. It's just another one of those things. Though I guess it's something I fall into, cause I like listening to music that's really out of the norm and when it comes on the radio, I'm ready to scream and I start claiming that they stole my iPod. Yeah! That's happened a lot. And dressing conventionally psssssh. I went through a phase where I wore this weird hat all the time, actually. Only thing I don't qualify under is the different lifestyle. I lead a pretty boring life...nothing special.

    But anyway, it's just one of those things that you see every few years. That lump of people. Though I'm not gonna lie, I think this time it's a good lump of people. Was getting tired of emo kids. :( I'm never posting right after waking up ever again lmao...
     
    I think being a hipster is a good thing - you show that you're willing to try new things regardless of people making fun of you, and you are the fashion of tommorrow.

    The problem arises when people are too prideful or ignorant. For example - just because dubstep is new and different doesn't mean it's bad. You know what they said about jazz? Yeah, the same things - it's noisy, it's lame, there's not rhythm to this **** - yet they overtook the scene in the 30's and 40's with bands in every damn nightclub in the city. So we hipsters are the future.

    That being said, another problem arises when the hipsters are too proud and ignorant - they think because they listen to new-age crap, that they're better than the people who listen to mainstream stuff like LMFAO and rap.

    But you know what? Everyone has a bit of hipster inside them. Remember going to see that movie your friend told you about? Yeah, that's hipster. Do you like to venture off into different bands, different genres? That's hipster. Do you just wear whatever you have on some days, not caring about fashion? That is definitely hipster. If you keep in mind that all media and fashion styles are essentially equal in worth, being a hipster is actually what makes you cool and fashionable and not just a boring hunk of flesh who will only listen to rock n' roll "because it's classic".
     
    TRIFORCE89 said:
    I apply it to Starbucks-sipping people who are full of themselves and wear fedoras
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    I've seen about five people wear fedoras in public, and none of them were in a Starbucks... But generally, I'd associate hipsters with those who go to indie cafes, not Starbucks. Or have liberal arts degrees. Basically, anything obscure and not 'mainstream.'

    Still, I go over on Youtube and look up indie music, because some of it is really good. Others have weird sounds, but those tend to be experimental. I never much cared whenever I heard an obscure song on the radio - in fact, I thought it was good that it was getting attention, because they are good songs. And I like the change in pace of the 'mainstream' rap and pop.

    Although I have yet to see the all-out stereotypical hipster, I have seen the hipster culture have an influence, at least for where I live. The horn-rimmed glasses are picking up around here, for example. Then males wearing skinny jeans is also somewhat popular.
     
    Scarf said:
    That's because hipsters don't actually exist. Here is a comic that illustrates what I mean. It's just the current term we use for a new sub culture that tries to distinguish itself from existing cultures and subcultures and doesn't yet have a name. Yesterday's hipsters were emos. Before that they were goths. Before that punks, hippies, beatniks, and so on.
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    That comic actually makes a lot of sense. Haven't really heard that side of the story explained in depth before.
     
    It depends on who you are that makes a hipster... say if hipster means not mainstream, then the main for a successful businessman would be people who are like rich and a businessperson. And a hipster for him is like... a hobo or something. Likewise, a hobo's view of a hipster is the successful businessman. Or if there's a rich kid who's like a perfect child, hipster for him would be a punk rock rebel or something.
    So I agree with Scarf, a hipster doesn't exactly exist.
    That comic actually made mucho sentido, su compañero.
     
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