blog #091 >> Are you a hipster?

What is a hipster? Am I one? Do I care either way?
These are the important questions we ask ourselves today.

Firstly: What is a hipster?
A hipster is someone who is young, well-educated, urban, and has interests in a non-mainstream fashion and cultural aesthetic. So basically their non-conformisits with a flare. And there's nothing wrong with that. But unfortunately, many hipsters tend to be stuck-up and snobby about their hipness. Then they demand this same coolness from friends and family, which makes them rather unpleasant people. They also view themselves as lofty and above others who are less "in the know" than they are. They like to talk about themselves a lot. And they tend to start obsessions over things they think are cool... like um... Bob Dylan. Then after a few weeks Bob Dylan is no longer in fashion so they switch to someone cooler... like um... Johnny Cash. But then Johnny Cash is out. So they obsess over Elvis or whatever. In the end they never like one thing for very long. They're actually kinda annoying.

Which bring us to our next question: Am I a hipster?
It's hard to say if you're a true hipster or not. You may be cool... but are you cool enough to be a hipster? There are lots of ways to find out. For instance you might be a hipster if you own a Mac, wear Converse or drive an old Volvo. And you probably are a hipster if you don't own a Mac, wear Converse or drive an old Volvo, only because that's what everyone else is doing. And you don't want to be like them, because they're not hip enough for you. But in the end the best way to tell for sure is to take one of these tests below.
http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/testgen/271/
or
http://www.geocities.com/darkestdreamer666/hipstertest.html

I am a Artiste Hipster.
You paint, you draw, you cut up bits of paper, you take digital photographs. You're always on the move and great with your hands. You use words like "Postmodern," "image," "simplicity," and "project." You spend hours in the studio. You have friends who are also devoted to the creative side of life. You don't care if you never get recognized--as long as you've created art, then you'll die happy.

And I'm 72.8% Hipster Pure. Just enough to be cool without being too annoying... well I know I'm annoying too... sometimes.

So, yeah. I guess I'm somewhat of a hipster.
But I'm okay with that now.


And for the final question:
Does it even matter if I'm a hipster or not?
No, it does not.
If you're disturbed by the fact that you're a hipster. Or afraid you might be one. You're are probably a real hipster. Only a real super hip, super-hipster would be concerned about being coined with the term "hipster." This is simply because they never want to be defined or classified in any way.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a hipster. Hipsters are cool, artsy people who love an urban lifestyle while enjoying organic living. Just please, if you too are a hipster, don't be the annoying, flaky, condescending type of hipster. Just be happy being as cool as you are, and don't always seek to be cooler.

Other hipster thoughts:

The term "hipster" isn't just for people anymore. It can also describe, organic bread, black framed glasses, iPods, your favorite band, and messenger bags.

Nerds and hippies are also similar to hipsters, but don't be confused. Although hippies also care about the Earth and wear Birkenstocks, they are not hipsters. They are not as clean as hipsters, often smell, wear tie-died shirts, and play bongo drums. They're also not as tech savvy as hipsters. Nerds are also similar to hipsters. I'm certainly more of a nerd than a hipster. Nerds and hipsters both share a love for technology. But hipsters must always have the latest and greatest techno-treasure, while nerds are happy fixing up their 2001 Mac and turning it into a hotrod. If you've got a box labeled,"My Giant Box of Cords" or have a drawer full of misc. hard drives, you've got some nerd in you too. Also although both nerds and hipsters tend to get obsessed over things like Rubik's Cubes and Star Wars, nerds will remain obsessed over those things long after they're out of fashion. And that's not bad thing. If you really love something, you should love it longer than two weeks.

Enough ranting now. Everyone enjoy their day!
T