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Definition of a Hipster, baby

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Kali, Queen of Kitteh

17:50 / 20.11.06

Listen, you're talking to someone who still goes to see old school Goth bands but no longer wears the outfits.

I stand by my dislike of hipsters, if only because upon more than one occasion they let their disdain for me be known at a few rock shows. So I don't dress like you; it doesn't mean I don't like the music.*

*Not addressed to anyone on here in particular, of course.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

18:29 / 20.11.06

Listen, you're talking to someone who still goes to see old school Goth bands but no longer wears the outfits.

You and me both mate... only sometimes I still wear the outfits. I have no more right to live on God's clean earth than a weasel.

This is a rubbish thread. We were promised a definition, and I still have absolutely no idea what a hipster is, other than half of a pair of girls' trousers.

Kali, Queen of Kitteh

18:36 / 20.11.06

I stand by my definitions.

(And I wasn't being completely honest because I did really don the outfit for the Bauhaus show last year. It felt great.)

Kali, Queen of Kitteh

18:39 / 20.11.06

This may or may not help. But it's got a few things right.

19:45 / 20.11.06

I thought this thread was gonna be all "straight from the fridge, daddio" and like that.

Sounds like the cat's pyjamas, gator. New thread, in which we can dig those mellow kicks?

Crux Is This City's Protector.

00:19 / 21.11.06

See, y'all! That's my point! The notion of hipster as 'girl jeans-wearing, asymmetrically tonsured quasi-rocker' is already outdated. THAT image has migrated to the center, and is now most easily associated with 16 year-old emo fans from suburban New Jersey—ie, anathema to the Brooklyn elite (in reference to a previous question, I've heard OF the keiser chiefs, but I know absolutely nothing about them; my opinions on hipsterdom will be rather brooklocentric, I'm afraid).

Near as I can tell, The New Hipster cuts his time between spazzy grindcore (he likes to flash the metal sign, wear his hair in a mullet, and play with metal typefaces. As something of a diehard metaler, I can only approve of the third practice.) and one shade or another of dance party fare—indie, ironic, punky, and straight. Like I mentioned before, the "do the standing still" notion of what-hipsters-do has been very thoroughly assimilated; the new doctrine is "dance like black people do! they are too simple to be ironic like we were, three years ago."

I sound very critical, and perhaps I am, but at least I can say that I don't have to hang out with many hipsters these days, and thus can consider myself pretty loathing-free. (Hampshire and Reed, meet Bard.) But here's an idea of what I'm talking about:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/25/AR2005082501818.html

This is a real thing; you saw the flyers all over Brooklyn for quite some time. The article is a little, "They're IRONIC! Everything is IRONIC!", but the basic gist is: white people gather together at clubs and do their best impersonations of black urban culture, ten years back: hot pants and exaggerated grinding to kitschy booty bass. I have no real problem with young people chasing fashion and disposable music—that's what pop culture is *for*, anyway—but I don't think it's my imagination that the widespread acceptance of this farce is a little disturbing. The article cites Elvis Presley and his ilk, but I think the actuality is a little closer to the minstrel tradition.

Anyhow. Let this not be a FUCK HIPSTERS rant, because as I said, I am glad not to have to vent my spleen too often. Though, you know, if I went to more shows, and saw more hipsters creeping into my metal stuff, I might. But I'm way too domestic for that.

Crux Is This City's Protector.

00:21 / 21.11.06

PS: The 'real thing' I was referring to is a series of parties held in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, called 'Kill Whitie.'

07:20 / 21.11.06

There is absolutely nothing hip or hipsterish about Kaiser Chiefs. They are a rather Oasisy version of fop rock - nearest antecedents probably Shed Seven, which is an awful thing to say about a human being.

Thats kind of my point, the Kaiser Chiefs are dull and bad. But (and this is key) they are still hipsters,

It's predictable that some of the more empathy-negative members of this parish can't imagine people doing something which they don't do for fun for fun,

Empathy is for the weak Haus, you of all people should know that. To be honest I go to similar gigs and stuff as them I just dont understand when they dont dance. xxx

but rather somehow masochistically forcing themselves to go to clubs, wear clothes and listen to bands they hate to seek the approval of a peer group who are defined around these pursuits that they secretly detest. They can't just want to look good and listen to (and be passionate about) music, can they? Oh, no.

I think you're viewing it too much of a binary way (as in "if they dont like it they must detest it"),imo If they actively didn't like music that would be something. I think the depressing thing is they are indifferent.

Its about adopting an aesthtic rather than actually y'know really "digging" something, I think this is where the whole emo thing ties into (my perception) of what hipsters are, its all surface. Its all about fashion.

Regrettable Juvenilia

08:26 / 21.11.06

Yes, they are shallow and fickle, not like you. You with your soul full of poetry and your secret pain.

Tabitha Tickletooth

08:34 / 21.11.06

Stoats: I know nothing of this hipster thing. I am so out of touch with young people. I thought this thread was gonna be all "straight from the fridge, daddio" and like that.

I too know nothing of this. I honestly have no idea what group of people are being talked about. And I, as I know Stoatie does, do go to gigs, clubs, etc, in London. Three pages in and I am no closer to the truth of hipsterdom. For god's sake, I might be one (I don't like the Kaiser Chiefs, but I'm not even sure if that is 'good' or 'bad', in the context of hipsterishness).

Is there a name for people like us? I sense I'm not a hipster, but it would be nice to at least know which contemporary culture label I should be wearing when next I venture into a social arena.

Regrettable Juvenilia

08:51 / 21.11.06

The reason you are getting no closer to understanding is that the word does not describe an actual scene or a type of person, just various degrees of "not-like-me"-ness. I'm not saying I never use the term myself (although it's as often with affection or even awe as it is scorn), but it's essentially a totally fluid and elusive term. You might as well just say "arty".

Tryphena Absent

09:08 / 21.11.06

Flyboy you are sickeningly post modern.

All Acting Regiment

09:12 / 21.11.06

I can't help wondering lately how profitable it is to, you know, hate people who just happen to be hott & rich & young or so on. Especially from a distance.

I had more. What was it?

Oh yeah. Don't assume someone will rip the piss out of you just because you think of yourself as being "not one of those people" and because they look as if they might be "one of those people". I mean, why should they give you a chance if you're not going to give them a chance?

For example, I happen to hang about with, not these people in particular, but people who look like this:

When I in fact look like this:
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(I've never put my face on the net before)
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So.

The only caveat I would give is that there is a pretty big gap between the polysexual Fluxblog style of "everybody likes new hott music, all kinds of it, and partying" scene and the, well, The Kooks, but still, what the hell. Flux's type are far more prevalent, the Kook's aren't really very hip, and unless you're, like, a really grumpy guy who liked New Order, you know, before, and now you have to work in a university library or something, I can't see much point in grumbling about hipsters, if such a tribe even exists.

Would you rather hang about with this? Seriously.

09:17 / 21.11.06

Hipsters don't lie
And I'm starting to feel it's right
The attraction, the tension
Baby, like this is perfection

No fighting
No fighting

All Acting Regiment

09:23 / 21.11.06

No, no fighting. Oh, and what Flyboy said.

09:24 / 21.11.06

Yes, they are shallow and fickle, not like you. You with your soul full of poetry and your secret pain.

Hey I'm pretty shallow and fickle I'll have you know! and there aint nothing I like more than summing up my entire personality in a catch all buzzword,

Regrettable Juvenilia

09:29 / 21.11.06

I could help you with that.

Allecto, I think that maybe your friends should call my friends so that we can be friends. Except for Lallen, obviously.

10:02 / 21.11.06

Oh yeah. Don't assume someone will rip the piss out of you just because you think of yourself as being "not one of those people" and because they look as if they might be "one of those people". I mean, why should they give you a chance if you're not going to give them a chance?

I like and am friends with alot of "those" people,(some of my best friends are...) Its just often its just all about fashion. Don't worry I take the piss out of them for this, and yes they love me for it.

No, no fighting. Oh, and what Flyboy said.

I like fighting though, the alternative is too bloody easy you smug hetro-nazi's!

10:07 / 21.11.06

I could help you with that.

A bit unneccasary?

Regrettable Juvenilia

10:12 / 21.11.06

O reason not the need!

All Acting Regiment

10:57 / 21.11.06

Michelle Gale, be careful or we'll take your license and you'll be on your bike. And all your nice dresses won't help you then.

Regrettable Juvenilia

10:58 / 21.11.06

Why the CIA wanna watch us?

All Acting Regiment

11:01 / 21.11.06

Because who ever heard of a beach house made of music? We're probably getting up to all sorts of shit, like dashing our curries or dancing for dollars for a fancy man.

12:34 / 21.11.06

I didn't think anyone'd take the hetro-nazi thing seriously, and I'm sorry if It caused offence.

And I've been given free drugs by people in toilets have either of you...

All Acting Regiment

12:52 / 21.11.06

Yes. And neither you nor I can prove or disprove it.

Kali, Queen of Kitteh

13:08 / 21.11.06

And the Hipster thread gets ugly.

Hey, why don't we all just throw issues of Vice magazine at each other and be done with it?

All Acting Regiment

13:32 / 21.11.06

Just to take you up on that Vice thing, Kali- because it's actually quite a good read? I mean, okay, caveat time, about 1/10th of it is comprised of idiots trying to be shocking-by-being-offensive-OMG, but compare it to the other magazines on the market- NME or so- there's actually a sense of fun about it. In fact I'd say the NME, which is supposedly yer "serious business" "music" magazine, is much more prone to listening to things and going to places it doesn't really like simply to be seen or scene, whilst taking itself entirely seriously, whereas Vice is just about having fun and wearing little underpants and haircuts and shit. I can't much say I like the cheaper, nastier, student rip-offs like Brash, but, well, there are worse things.

That and it usually doesn't have any Gallaghers in it, which is a breath of fucking fresh air in this city.

Kali, Queen of Kitteh

13:35 / 21.11.06

Hmm, Vice is about fifty-fifty with me. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's needlessly offensive. I get tired of hearing people laud it as a fantastic magazine. It's middling at best.

13:39 / 21.11.06

Fly, in this post

Silly discussion (those who are taking it seriously). Nuff said

13:41 / 21.11.06

Yes. And neither you nor I can prove or disprove it.

Coooooool

Phex: Dorset Doom

10:18 / 25.06.07

A great article from the always excellent 3quarksdaily, which you should be reading if you don't already, about Williamsburg Hipsters, aging, irony, sleazy French makeout music and Socrates.

snip:

For hipsters, prevailing ideas and values are not necessarily oppressive, just stupid; not necessarily worthy of anger, just ridicule. (They generally focus on cultural output from the recent past, for reasons we have yet to consider.) Thus for example hipsterism encourages its adherents to propose, in writing, on their t-shirts, to sell moustache rides for five cents, not because they intend to give anyone a moustache ride, and not even because the apposition of ‘moustache’ and ‘ride’ is seen as a source of humor. What is humorous is that in some imagined Country Comfort Lounge in Amarillo or Cheyenne a generation ago some big slab of a man actually sported a moustache of which he was proud, which he believed could function directly and un-ironically as a sexual attractant.

17:13 / 09.12.08

this thread is fascinating.

recently i have read the term "alt bro", does anyone know how this is different from a hipser? am i an altbro?

21:20 / 09.12.08

Hey darkstallion u are an authentic altbro if you like 2 read p4k but think it is too down on meaningful music such as is made by the Arcade Fire and Panda Bear. It is just about reacting 2 your environment and expressing ur personal brand in a way that makes sense 2 u.

Basically if u feel like u r an alt bro u r an alt bro, unless u r a mainstream bro or an alt bag. U decide. It is good to ask these questions tho in ur quest 4 ur ultimate meaningful personal brand <3

Anna de Logardiere

21:42 / 09.12.08

Panda Bear?????????

07:46 / 10.12.08

Hey, careful now! That latest Panda Bear album doesn´t deserve any spite or mockery. It´s a wonderful record, and it effortlessly puts people in a good mood on a moody day.

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