One of the characteristics of western society is its obsession with labels. Taking a cue from this individualist lifestyle, I have decided to self-identify as a Hipster.
It’s true. After almost six years in Canada, I have long outgrown any interest in Walmarts, Hard Rock cafes or places that smell like a big corporate entities in general. Instead, I am spotted in independent bars and cafes, discount stores, antique stores and farmer’s markets. This gets reflected in the way I spend my money and time, going to small coffee shops, visiting old clothing stores, cycling everywhere, seeing shows and concerts, and sporting an overall attitude that asserts individuality, independence and non-conformism.
“You are such a hipser, with a blog, a bike and an espresso addiction…”
The internet is filled with discussions on what exactly being a hipster means, and clearly there is no consensus on the definition. (It’s a good thing – the world is excessively filled with precise definitions.)
The subculture is associated with independent music, a varied non-mainstream fashion sensibility, liberal or independent political views, alternative spirituality or atheism/agnosticism and alternative lifestyles.
– Wikipedia
In addition, hipsters are youngish (late 30s max), recently settled urbanites who tend to be educated, embrace multiculturalism and generally exhibit rebellious social attitudes. Unlike the hippie movement of the 60s, there isn’t any particular event that contemporary hipsters associate themselves with. However the subculture has really flourished in the internet age and the age of social media.
↑ Skinny jeans, flat shoes, leather jacket but an overall match-it-yourselves clothing style. If it doesn’t work, highlight the independent aspect and criticize others for being conformist. Carry a Macbook (ignoring the irony) to look genuine.
Let me give you a tour of my hipster lifestyle through pictures. It is safe to assume that no two hipsters are alike. It is also possible that hardcore hipsters may dispute my claim and association with that subculture. But one of the hipster characteristic is to ignore others who are critical of you for no reason.
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↑ The caffeinated hipster: Always on the hunt for independent cafes sometimes wearing knitted winter hats (even during summer), drinking more espressos and weird combinations like a herbal-tea latte with soya milk.
PS: It is assumed that you’d Yelp and/or Facebook your observations immediately. You’ll also start annoying grammar nerds by using proper nouns as intransitive verbs.
So those were some of the characteristics that make me a hipster and I am really tempted to work on a followup post. I’ve only touched the surface; hope you enjoyed it!
Hahaha, this, chico, is perhaps the most amusing post you’ve had in a while.
A few questions:
1) What’s the difference between activist and advocate? You say there’s a correlation between mode of locomotion and activist/advocate. What if the city’s public transportation is so efficient that biking really is not that much better?
2) You’re implying that being hipster means not only anti-bigcorp but also anti-meat and anti-caffeine. Is this true?
3) You mentioned something about recreating exotic medieval lifestyle. Now it seems you’re blurring the line between nerds and hipsters. What’s your comment on this?
Hi Jeruen, thanks! I am a very shy person, as you know, so I don’t joke around on the blog. Let me try to answer your questions
Superb writing. And the pics are so cool. If you had a gang, I would/could have become your gansta!
I’m almost the opposite, went from being a French anarchist to shopping at WalMart! 😆
Nah, just kidding (well, I do shop at Walmart, it’s only a 15 minute walk from my place and it’s new, cheap and clean) but I try to mix and think independently. I don’t identify with some parts of the mainstream culture, but at times I feel right in. So I eat my tofu but I also like meat, I listen to old rock but I can appreciate Eminem, I shop online for pop culture t-shirts at Threadless but I boycott Lululemon, I do yoga but I don’t have a yoga lifestyle… Life is fun!
Hi Zhu!
Somehow I can’t picture you going to Walmart! Anarchist, yes absolutely… lol Lululemon is such a phenomenon now, it’s funny because the cult grew right before our eyes!
I think I am hipster-ish. In India, you cannot go with brands all the time because you will lose all your salary within a day.
And cycling? Here? Yes, if you want to die.
I agree with going to streetside cafes here like – Pappu chat wala and Ramji ke special chole kulche.
Well, I think we need to tweak this concept a bit for India.
Ofcourse you totally are! I actually had a nasty thought of starting one of those tagging games and asking you to customize it for India. Goodluck!
That was hilarious! I do a lot of these things too, but never pictured myself as a hipster. A followup post is much awaited.
Thanks Pushkarini! That’s the thing about labels, you never know what you are. 🙂
I finally got done with devouring your personal blog. 😛 I’d been visiting for quite a while to face ‘no new posts’, but then I changed my email ID^ and so, missed out on any notification. 😛
Anyway, I could notice (through more than THIS post) that you are indeed a textbook example of an INTJ. Haha. 😛
Hey Jai, sorry you didn’t get any updates.. I wonder what happened but anyway, glad you are back. Ofcourse I am INTJ template 🙂
Also, another of my friends who reads your blog identifies as hipster. Just heading to tell her about this post. 🙂
I noted with interest while visiting Tucson, Ariz., this summer that in their public transportation system, each bus has a front-loading bicycle rack to accommodate the two-wheeling segment of the population. A bike-friendly city such as Fort Lauderdale would be well served by equipping Broward County Transit buses with bike racks.`
Thanks Anton.
(PS: I edited your comment to remove the advertisement)