There
is no one, absolute definition that encapsulates the contemporary Hipster. The Urban
Dictionary defines the contemporary hipsters
as a “a subculture of men and women
typically in their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking,
counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock,
creativity, intelligence, and witty banter.”[1]
The Contemporary Hipster tends to reject mainstream consumer culture in all
facets of life and lives according to numerous conventions that seem to govern
hipster lifestyle.They carefully and consciously make choices regarding
fashion, food, the environment, their career, etc., in an effort to avoid
mainstream consumer culture.
The
term Hipster was coined in the Jazz era, where its origins are disputed. Some
argue that it is a derivative of ‘hop’, a slang word for opium while others
believe it comes from the word ‘hipi’, a West African word meaning to open
one’s eyes.[2] The word morphed into hipster and a
predominately white middle class youth who tried to emulate the lives of the
African American jazz musicians they followed became the new ‘hip’. After World War Two, the subculture grew,
attached to it a growing literary movement. However, unlike the contemporary
hipster, the original was painted as one that was surrounded by death, forced
to divorce from society and “exist without roots.” In its revival in 1999 ,
being the first to know about the most exclusive things was key to hipster
lifestyle while their look overlapped with neo-beat and fifties nostalgia. Key institutions of the 1999 revival hipster
included the Fashion Magazine Vice,
skateboarding, punk, graffiti, and the launching of American Apparel in Los
Angeles in 1997.[3]
The
post-2004 hipster or the contemporary hipster is one that is informed by
a history of consumption. According to NY Mag, this hipster has been coined
‘the rebel consumer’ – by buying the right mass produced products before they
become popular and rejecting them when they become mainstream, this hipster is
at once individual and transgressive. Unlike the post World War Two
hipster who was considered to be somewhat of a criminal and societal outcast,
the contemporary hipster is generally an active, educated, contributing member
of society who has decided to govern his or her life according to a number of
specific conventions.
In
attempting to define the contemporary hipster one could come to the that by
diverging from mainstream consumer society, through the creation of their own
fashion style, naturalistic existence, mind-set, and atypical interests the
hipster believes that they will be recognized for their individuality. The
culture encourages divergence from mainstream society through fashion, transportation,
music, personal style, politics, career and a number of other lifestyle
choices. With the proliferation of hipster subculture, popular culture has
taken over and jeopardized their goal of independence from the mainstream. Blogs,
how-to guides and social media sites have created a popular and stereotypical
view of the contemporary hipster, dictating how they should look physically and
how they should behave. According to popular opinion the Contemporary Hipster
must purchase their clothing at thrift or vintage stores. They must have the
ability to mix and match the
occasional higher priced purchase from American Apparel or Urban Outfitters
with the classic ‘grandma sweater’, skinny jeans, ironic t-shirt, and must have
over-sized, eye-wear. A generally uncoiffed appearance, with messy, shaggy,
hair, and a distinctive beard or moustache for men presents a façade of apathy.
They are generally well educated and well read in existentialist philosophy and
as a current or former student of Liberal Arts has a keen interest in
independent art. Knowledge of obscure indie music is a necessity, as is the
ability to sit in coffee shops for hours, preferably a Starbucks, toiling on
one’s Apple product .
In order to be the first to now, the hipster must be at the center of all
things and therefore must dwell in urban areas, additionally, as a vegan and friend
to the environment the hipster’s primary mode of transportation is a fixed-gear
bike which is used to get around quickly in the city. Photography is a useful
hobby for the contemporary hipster, although possession of a camera and taking
actual pictures is optional. With the proliferation of social media it has
become easier and easier to relay these generic messages, effectively creating
clones of each other. Thus, if a hipster, in its current definition as an
individual who strives for originality, constantly dodging the mainstream, but
all hipsters behave and dress in similar ways, the question arises as to whether
or not the hipster, actually exists.
Hipsterism
has gone online and it has become necessary for the contemporary hipster to
participate in this world in order to stay relevant and further express their
individuality. Sites and applications
such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Stumbleupon, allow hipsters to
present themselves, their thoughts, their photos, and allow others to respond
to them. With the proliferation of social
media it has become easier and easier to transmit the conventions of hipsterism
in various formats and create new ones that can be disseminated to a widespread
audience. Through, pictures, videos, music, and the numerous social media sites,
blogs, and applications, hipsters are being told how to behave and which web
sites will help them best express their perceived individuality. The online
world has become a means to express their individuality, find the latest things
first, and then regurgitate it to the rest of the online world. However, their
individuality seems to be one that is contrived through the various social and
consumer conventions they follow. By adopting, en masse, divergent from fashion
and lifestyles from mainstream society, contemporary hipsters have begun to
popularize and assimilate their lifestyle into popular culture, thus corrupting
their desire for difference.
[1] Trey Parasuco, “Hipster,” Urban Dictionary, last modified November 22, 2007, `````` http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster.
[2]
“What
was the Hipster?” NYmag.com. Last
modified October 24, 2010. http://nymag.com/news/features/69129/index1.html
[3]
“What
was the Hipster?” NYmag.com. Last
modified October 24, 2010.
