I'm socially ignorant: Please tell me what a "Hipster" is.

[Basement Cat]

Once again I've managed to find myself out of touch with common slang and cultural stereotypes. I'm over 40 so this isn't a new experience for me. ^_^

I don't watch television--I haven't in almost 9 years. Perhaps this is why I find myself somewhat out of touch?

I've looked up "Hipster" [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster] on the Urban Dictionary....

Spoiler: The Urban Dictionary's top definition of Hipster

Hipsters are 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. The greatest concentrations of hipsters can be found living in the Williamsburg, Wicker Park, and Mission District neighborhoods of major cosmopolitan centers such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco respectively. Although "hipsterism" is really a state of mind,it is also often intertwined with distinct fashion sensibilities. Hipsters reject the culturally-ignorant attitudes of mainstream consumers, and are often be seen wearing vintage and thrift store inspired fashions, tight-fitting jeans, old-school sneakers, and sometimes thick rimmed glasses. Both hipster men and women sport similar androgynous hair styles that include combinations of messy shag cuts and asymmetric side-swept bangs. Such styles are often associated with the work of creative stylists at urban salons, and are usually too "edgy" for the culturally-sheltered mainstream consumer. The "effortless cool" urban bohemian look of a hipster is exemplified in Urban Outfitters and American Apparel ads which cater towards the hipster demographic. Despite misconceptions based on their aesthetic tastes, hipsters tend to be well educated and often have liberal arts degrees, or degrees in maths and sciences, which also require certain creative analytical thinking abilities. Cons...

...

>_>

<__>

...okaaaayyyyy....

I even watched the video implanted in the Urban Dictionary's definition of "Hipster".



But folks here use the term with a casual familiarity that leaves the UB's definition lacking. So I am asking you, my fellow Escapists, to enlighten me: What is a "Hipster"?

 

[shrekfan246]

Obligatory:

The common slang that "hipster" is used for now rarely means more than "That person doesn't like something popular, they're so edgy!"

I associate it with people who will state they don't like something popular because it's popular, who often employ idioms such as "You wouldn't understand" or "They were better before they sold out/went mainstream", wear lensless glasses and scarves and tight jeans especially when it would mean being uncomfortable, and just generally subscribe to conformity by trying to escape conformity. Or rather, they try so hard to get away from "the mainstream" that they just fall into stereotypical "hipster" territory instead.

They seem much more common than they are just because "hipster" has become another slang insult for the internet to brandish about.

 

[Dire Sloth]

When I think hipster, I think of this.

Spoiler

 

[krazykidd]

Hipster is one of those words that is so used by everyone that the definition has been distorted thus means different things depending on who you are talking to .

I attribute a hipster as being someone who tries to be different for the sake of being different.

 

[roushutsu]

From what I've gathered, the original term for hipster usually refers to a group of people who are fond of anything and everything indy, be it independent art, literature, music, etc. Relatively harmless.

Now it's been re-purposed to mean "I liked it before it was cool, therefore I have superiority over everyone else!" or "Now that it's mainstream, everyone likes it, so it sucks now!" Basically it's now synonymous with people who try too hard to be different and are dicks about it.

 

[Total LOLige]

Just this generations wannabe bohemians, I think. As for a text book internet definition, "someone that collects vinyl,has a beard, wears thick glasses, despises the mainstream". I honestly don't know why people hate hipsters, ok they're a little snobby.


Disclaimer: I don't know shit about bohemianism other than stuff I read on wikipedia and Andy Warhol stuff, don't quiz me.

 

[Thaluikhain]

People who defend their actions by use of the word "ironically".

"I'm not being an insufferable tosser, I'm an insufferable tosser ironically".

 

[Neverhoodian]

Here's some good video explanations of hipsters:
Basically, hipsters are pretentious attention seekers that ironically embrace things outside of mainstream societal norms and expectations. They're essentially trying to be cool by not being cool.

I don't hate hipsters, I just find the whole thing rather dumb.

 

[Kae]

Watch Scott Pilgrim, everyone in that movie is hipster, or read the comic both are pretty awesome.

 

[ClockworkPenguin]

Bleh, it doesn't mean anything these days and is just used as a handy all purpose put down. 'Oh, you think you're cool, what a hipster douchebag'. It's the internets tall poppy syndrome, since it can be and is levelled at anyone for anything.

 

[Chromatic Aberration]

Clockwork is correct - from what I've seen its just a convenient straw-man to give people something they can safely hate on to make themselves feel better. I don't think there was ever someone I met in RL that would actually fulfill all the douchy aspects people usually ascribe to "hipsters"....

I'm over 40...

Wha....?! Okay, that was unexpected....it's rare to see people my age already so something like this is a pleasant surprise. The more diversity the better.

 

[Queen Michael]

All I can tell you is this -- I'm a huge manga hipster, because I'm always reading some obscure manga that nobody outside Japan has ever heard of.

 

[searron]

When I think of hipsters this video comes to mind
Hipsters are basically the modern day version of the pretentious art(s) majors from your college years.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

I tend to use it to describe people who are into, well, lesser known stuff but not in a negative way, kind of like a joking sense with most of my friends. Yeah, they like stuff most people haven't heard of, that's cool, it's when people want to make a freaking point out of it that I get a little upset.

Hipster is one of those words that is so used by everyone that the definition has been distorted thus means different things depending on who you are talking to .

I attribute a hipster as being someone who tries to be different for the sake of being different.

Yeah, and then there are those hipsters.
There are the ones who say "you probably haven't heard of it" and mean it like, yeah, you really probably haven't heard of it, like how most of my friends haven't heard of Metroid Metal. No negative connotation, the people they're talking to haven't had the opportunity to learn about the thing.
And then there are the one's who say it in some passive-aggressive, condescending tone, like having such intrests makes them superior somehow.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I am a hipster because I go against social norms like pop music and fashion.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

You know that friend from high school who went to college oblivious to political discourse, was straight edge and had short hair? You remember when he came back a year later with a crapload of parroted political views, listening to obscure music (that isn't quite crap, but isn't good either), wearing hair longer than before and generally talking down to you because you "just don't know"? Thats a hipster...
To me its not specific to musical taste, political taste or anything. Its just a person who's trying way too hard to look cool. Its fucking Brian from Family Guy. See the episode where Quagmire calls him out on all his bullshit.

 

[Heronblade]

I am a hipster because I go against social norms like pop music and fashion.

So do I, but I don't fit any definition of hipster I've heard of (perhaps except this rather generalized one)

So do goths for that matter, and they definitely don't fit

Hipsters definitely belong in the counter culture category, but don't forget that they are FAR from being alone in there.

A somewhat more specific definition might be that they largely represent the art nerd side of counter culture. Every hipster I've ever met has been drawn to/obsessed with literature and/or music

 

[MorphingDragon]

Strangely Encyclopedia Dramatica is right on the money.

"A hipster is someone who tries to be as different as possible from everyone as they can, in a constant fight to be "hip" and "edgy". Everybody who isn't a serf knows what a hipster is and only morons use the word to describe people who aren't hipsters. In fact, it seems the only people not capable of understanding what a hipster is are other hipsters. At bottom these creatures are people who are trying to pretend they're interesting; for proof, ask a hipster what any given piece of art they claim to "love" means, and you'll get a copy/paste response from the a 100 level textbook, and this only if you're lucky. The more likely scenario is they'll vomit out something completely retarded, causing you to wonder how thousands of years of evolution could have led to this."

 

[Evil Smurf]

I am a hipster because I go against social norms like pop music and fashion.

So do I, but I don't fit any definition of hipster I've heard of (perhaps except this rather generalized one)

So do goths for that matter, and they definitely don't fit

Hipsters definitely belong in the counter culture category, but don't forget that they are FAR from being alone in there.

A somewhat more specific definition might be that they largely represent the art nerd side of counter culture. Every hipster I've ever met has been drawn to/obsessed with literature and/or music

That's because music and literature are so important.

 

[Meatspinner]

Hiptster is:

What ever you want it to be.