SMBC Comics Forum

Explain.

I say this because I've seen this word thrown around a lot around here lately. I've seen it occasionally in other places as well.
Let's just skip right over the fact that it is a thoroughly stupid title for anyone.
The definition as I've come to see it is simply a conglomeration of negative attributes (or stereotypes, if such a word is applicable in this situation). This list is so plentiful that it is likely that any purveyor of these put-downs is likely to embody several themselves.

I say this because I think that people would very quickly lump me in with these folks, whoever they are. So I feel I should know more. That said, I also think my parents have many more of these characteristics than me, which I think negates the entire definition of hipster.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipster_%2 ... _and_2000s

I know some people who could arguably be called "hipsters". They're pretty cool people, and they have a sense of humour about it, and they make fun of each other by calling themselves hipsters because they know that they kind of are (they've called me a hipster before, 'cause I don't listen to any popular music). Basically, hipster is a silly subculture like goths or punks or skater kids or hippies (which is something different) or emos. Anyone who runs around going "hey look at me, I'm x" deserves to be made fun of. And if you fall into some of the stereotype, well, we'll probably make fun of you anyway*. Kids can be so cruel.

I never thought you really gave off any impression of the hipster stereotype except that you listen to a lot of music I've never heard of, but at the same time it doesn't sound like your traditional indie dream pop hipster music.

*Honestly it's a pretty light-hearted thing. When my friends and I call each other things like that (one of my friends is, to this day, "the emo kid") we'll stomp around and complain and make noise but really it's nothing serious.

EDIT: Well, you do listen to The Pixies... Do I smell a new custom title?

I don't know how other people classify them. I see hipsters as people who believe they are counter culture while they are really just embracing a culture that is different from the mainstream. Like growing mustaches and wearing thick rimmed glasses because they aren't in mainstream fashion at the moment.

They go out of their way to try to be ironic. Like wearing american flag clothing and drinkin bud.

Overall they just want you to know how clever they are and they are trying to achieve this by all looking and acting the same. It's cool though, they got an art degree so acting like every other hipster still counts as being creative.

And after reading that article it makes nothing clear and was really more of a quasi definition. Except perhaps this quote, which was pretty much my thoughts going in to this discussion.

Julia Plevin argues that the "definition of 'hipster' remains opaque to anyone outside this self-proclaiming, highly-selective circle

I kind of had this feeling that a proper definition can only be grasped from within the group (and, it seems, would vary from circle to circle).

I guess "ironic" seems to have a certain connection with the definition? I can understand that. People taking one direction but acting in another? Hypocrisy=Irony? Sure, that'd piss me off too.

Maybe the problem is that hipsters just care a lot more? I mean I like obscure movies and music, but only my close friends know that. Well and maybe you guys, from what you've gleaned out of my posts.
I guess my proximity to much of the definition is what gets me frustrated by it. People might look at me and say "you are one of them" and I would think "one of who?"

Also, I think that is the only Pixies song I know. And it was brought to my attention via Fight Club.

They wear silly clothing. I think at one point in the evolution of the subculture it was about irony but now I think it's taken rather seriously.

But I like a lot of hipster music I guess. Black Moth Super Rainbow, Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, Metronomyand I even like one song from Animal Collective, which is apparently a total hipster band.

Just don't wear big, thick, black rimmed glasses, especially if you don't need them and don't wear silly androgynous clothing and don't ride on fixed gear bikes.

Idk what I'm even talking about I'm just looking at that hipster website you guys were talking about and lolling.

Oh.

Oh.

Don't listen to deerhoof.

Oh god.

Yeah, I have friends who listen to Deerhoof. They're not bad people. Really.

Yeah, a similar term for it around here is 'indie' for independant. My understanding is that it's a group of people who openly and combatively reject mainstream media and culture, but follow their own subculture and still desire to fit in and impress amongst their own little social group. I might be considered a hipster except for the fact that I don't dress or act the part, and whilst I do look to these groups for music and films I might otherwise never experience, I tend to do my own thing when it comes to lifestyle.

Cirtur is such a hipster.

I remember that one

Lethal Interjection wrote:Explain.

I say this because I've seen this word thrown around a lot around here lately. I've seen it occasionally in other places as well.
Let's just skip right over the fact that it is a thoroughly stupid title for anyone.
The definition as I've come to see it is simply a conglomeration of negative attributes (or stereotypes, if such a word is applicable in this situation). This list is so plentiful that it is likely that any purveyor of these put-downs is likely to embody several themselves.

I say this because I think that people would very quickly lump me in with these folks, whoever they are. So I feel I should know more. That said, I also think my parents have many more of these characteristics than me, which I think negates the entire definition of hipster.

I've always had a suspicion that hipsters were the type of people being described in 'What White People Like', otherwise I can't
say as there really aren't very many people who match the usual description here.

smiley_cow wrote:I've always had a suspicion that hipsters were the type of people being described in 'What White People Like'

That's actually a pretty good summary of typical hipster stereotypes. In all frankness I do not like WWPL.

also it's "stuff white people like"

This is what I get for not double checking names.

Yeah, I agree, I wasn't horribly impressed with it anyways.