What exactly is a hipster?

[DrFaroohk]

I only heard this term a short while ago, but what little I know of the people designated as hipsters, it seems like I've been dealing with them my whole life and just never knew their name.

So do I have this right, in that hipsters are mostly people who just avoid the hell out of anything mainstream?

Example - guy I know, only listens to music that no one else does. Back when not many people knew this Zakk Wylde guy was, he proclaimed ZW to be the best ever. As soon as Fire It Up landed on MTV, he disowned any interest in said band. He also only wears crappy clothes he gets at oddball thriftstores. Looks like he takes his wardrobe off the Sgt. Pepper album cover.

He basically....goes out of his way to be different. If everyone in the group is smoking marlboros, he'll suddenly hate marlboros and insist that ShittyCigs(TM) is the best brand ever. When everyone switches to that, he'll proclaim only the truly cultured can appreciate marlboros. He pretends to be into poetry and constantly spouts whatever verses he can remember, but only by artists no one has heard of. His movie collection is a vast pile of independent, poorly produced unknown movies.

That's about it. Am I anywhere close on this?

[AdminAssistant]

Sounds like a hipster to me.

The ones here are all local-vores (only eat and shop at locally-owned establishments), get most of their clothing/entertainment from thrift/second-hand stores, and, as you said, reject the mainstream. We get a particular brand here, the trustafarian. Some kid who is supported by Mommy and Daddy, but hangs out on the streets with the vagrants or is a busker (street musician). Most, not all, are big pot-heads. Most, not all, consider themselves libertarians but don't understand what that actually means. And they wouldn't vote anyway, man.

I would honestly rather deal with a room full of frat boys and sorority girls than a room full of hipsters. At least the frat/sorority members shower on a regular basis.

[blas87]

Mostly kids from well-off families (upper middle class around these parts) who want to look and act almost homeless as a lifestyle choice and an experience to be "different".

Basically, a hipster rejects anything mainstream or anything popular just to be different and ironic. The irony is, well, pretty obvious there.

I had a really annoying hipster coworker last year. I was so happy to see him and the scent of pot go with him out that door.

[Andara Bledin]

DrF; your friend is the epitome of a hipster.

Wannabe rebels who manage to be just as conformist as everybody else by being contrarian conformist as opposed to pop conformist. Most of them don't appear to have a single clue that they're just as pathetic and mindless sheep as the pop types they like to diss.

^-.-^

[Amanita]

^Pretty much this. To me, being a contrarian is just as pathetic as being a pop culture slave. In some ways, even more so- you're defining yourself negatively, as in "Oh, I don't watch hollywood movies, I don't like music that's popular..."

Yeah, I may have some non mainstream tastes and hobbies. But I am into those things because I like them, not to prove how non mainstream I am. I also like some popular things. But again, I like them because I like them, not because I'm trying to be little miss trendy. Some popular things I just don't see the appeal of, no matter how much they're pushed at me. On the other hand, some things I really like.

I listen to, watch, read, and wear the things I do because I like them, not to prove how non-mainstream or ironic I am. So I guess I'm not a hipster

[BlaqueKatt]

yup and to understand a little better and with some merriment and fun I give you

Glove and boots-the evolution of the hipster

and MC Lars-Hipster Girl

[guywithashovel]

Sounds like a hipster to me.

The ones here are all local-vores (only eat and shop at locally-owned establishments), get most of their clothing/entertainment from thrift/second-hand stores
.

I've heard some people say they make it a point to only "buy local," meaning they will only patronize local businesses.

It's their money, and they can certainly spend it wherever they choose, but what exactly are they accomplishing by doing this? My guess is that they think that all chain stores and corporations are evil and the epitome of Satan while all local stores and "mom and pop" businesses are angels of grace. Of course, if this is the case, they forget that many chain stores started out as local businesses and then grew. One prime example of this is Wal-Mart, a place I'm sure no hipster will go within fifty feet of. I guess if you're a small, local business, they'll love you, patronize you, and even support policies that help you grow and prosper, but if you do grow and prosper into a big success you're suddenly "The Man" and deserve scorn.

[blas87]

I refuse to "buy local" simply because their stance is to stand against big companies. I can't afford hamburger that may be slaughtered locally, but is much more per lb than at Wal-Mart. The price markups, just to "keep it local" are stupid.

[Greenday]

I've heard some people say they make it a point to only "buy local," meaning they will only patronize local businesses.

It's their money, and they can certainly spend it wherever they choose, but what exactly are they accomplishing by doing this? My guess is that they think that all chain stores and corporations are evil and the epitome of Satan while all local stores and "mom and pop" businesses are angels of grace. Of course, if this is the case, they forget that many chain stores started out as local businesses and then grew. One prime example of this is Wal-Mart, a place I'm sure no hipster will go within fifty feet of. I guess if you're a small, local business, they'll love you, patronize you, and even support policies that help you grow and prosper, but if you do grow and prosper into a big success you're suddenly "The Man" and deserve scorn.

Pretty sure that was a South Park episode.

[jackfaire]

What's even more annoying is the stage where hipsters seem to kind of be growing out of it where they will start letting in the mainstream but your still a tool for like the mainstream without a good backing of why.

What really irritates me is the fact that it's obscure for a damn reason. Your right that I didn't hear about Scott Pilgrim until the movie guess why because you and the rest of your hipster friends were "closely guarding the secret" from "tools" like me who might "gasp" like something cuz it's good and not cuz you or the other side told me too.

[Silverharp]

Perhaps a puppet show can clear the air?

[protege]

I've heard some people say they make it a point to only "buy local," meaning they will only patronize local businesses.

I can understand wanting to support local businesses. What I can't understand, is how some hipsters bitch and moan about 'corporations,' yet will gladly buy things from corporations that are *not* local. In other words, they'll bitch and moan about how "Giant Eagle sucks," yet they love stores like Whole Foods...which happens to be not only a corporation...but not one that's local! What the fuck is up with that?

[DrFaroohk]

yet they love stores like Whole Foods...which happens to be not only a corporation...but not one that's local! What the fuck is up with that?

Corporate has nothing to do with it. It's how dirty the inside of your store looks like. Any whole foods I go into looks like a place where homeless people hang out.

[jackfaire]

Corporate has nothing to do with it. It's how dirty the inside of your store looks like. Any whole foods I go into looks like a place where homeless people hang out.

Not ours. Our Whole Foods looks like the place where over paid Hipster Lawyers and Doctors go so they can pretend they are down with the people without having to shop with people that can't afford Whole Foods while judging them for not scrimping and saving to pay more on food.

[Cymberleah]

The price markups, just to "keep it local" are stupid.

The price markups on meats that are not wide-release have less to do with "Oh, we are so artistic and special" and are more like "We do not have Lake Shit outside the processing plant, and thus have to pay for waste disposal. Also, we only sell the meat bits and not the spine/brain or pink slime."

If you ever decide that you do not like to eat cow anymore, I suggest reading up on slaughterhouse practices. I love me some cow, I really do, but I also like not contracting a disease that eats my brain. So now I eat less cow, and I do buy it from the hoity-toity grocery store. I'm paying more, but I have the expectation that I am paying for the killing of my meat to be done in a way that takes into account that the cheapest way is not the least harmful for the consumer.

/end threadjack