If the recent rise of the Hipster is at all to represent the
attitude of a future generation of adults, it seems as if the world will in
trouble. At least that’s what some people think. And they could be right.
Let’s first define the Hipster. He is an individual who does
not care. He or she thinks caring is stupid or uncool. Instead, the Hipster’s
perception is filtered with a heavy sense of sarcasm. They don’t like (insert
here anything that the Hipster would claim to “like”) because it gives them
pleasure or enjoyment or a sense of accomplishment. They like (insert here
anything that the Hipster would claim to “like”) because of some ironic
statement they are able to apply to it. His self-conception is that of a lone
rebel. But his rebellion is carefully constructed and entirely artificial. His
identity superficially defined by arbitrary statements to be made against “the
man” and/or “the system.”
Fundamental to the Hipster is this attitude. He sneers
instead of smiles. He slowly nods his head in pretentious affirmation, instead
of bobbing it in in excited agreement. He gives a restrained roll of the eyes
to signify dismissal, instead of an angry outburst. Nothing is unfettered from
the bonds of pretense. Nothing is sincere and everything is contrived.[1]
The greatest threat to the Hipster, and thus its most
important target, is sincerity. Genuine expression, pure and straight from the
heart, burns the soul of the Hipster like sunlight burns the skin of a
glittering vampire. True love of anything stabs their heart like a knife. So
they mock it. Soft chuckles and rolls of the eyes are the Hipster’s main
weapons against any sincere desire, any unfiltered passion.
So what will happen without sincerity? Simply put, things get
dull. Announcing one’s deepest and most personal desires, sharing unabashedly
one’s purest joys, creates vulnerability. Vulnerability risks pain and
rejection (perhaps why some cloak themselves so heavily in sarcasm and
cynicism). But that vulnerability, if one can endure it endure it, brings with
it understanding, of the self and of others. It brings the highest joy, this
unrestrained indulgence in pure passion. Here is the emotional equivalent of
walking a tightrope with not safety gear or of surviving a firefight with a
group of close buddies.
The baring of one’s soul is the riskiest decision a human
can make, but it can sometimes be the most rewarding.
And the Hipster could change all of that. Expression has
already become more ironic. Justin Bieber recently met with the Prime Minister
of his home country and, instead of allowing himself to be actually excited
about the invitation, he preemptively mocked the entire event by showing up in some bullshit overall outfit. That is the
pervasion of the Hipster ethic. Love will disappear, and instead everyone will
tell long term partners they “like-like them.” In every picture, instead of
posing and smiling normally, people will make funny faces, embarrassing
themselves on purpose to prevent anyone from making fun of them.
I’m reminded of Danny Zuko chasing after Sandra Dee. He was
laid back; he had a cool flying car and he had a neat hairstyle. Then he met a
girl and sincerely applied himself in an attempt to win her over. He joined the
track team. He sucked up to the coach. He embarrassed himself by wearing really
short running shorts in public. He even ran. He did everything that he could in
order to reverse the image that he had created of being the totally cool bad boy.
And all the while, throughout all of this sincerity, this
genuine expression, his friends, his social group – actually most of the school
– laugh at him. They mock him. They cannot understand – or do not seem capable
of understanding – what would take cause such a cool kid to recklessly toss
aside his coolness. These young punks failed to realize what it means to truly
care, to care so much about one thing that caring about other things just
doesn’t matter as much.
Maybe “The Hipster” and her sense of irony has deep roots.
But his rise to near societal dominance is recent. Hopefully the tide in the
war for sincerity can be turned.
It’s alright to love and look stupid. You should celebrate
when you jump with excitement and fall flat on your face. You should relish the
moments when you reach out your hand and get slapped in the face. Because one
day you’ll hug someone without any pretension and you’ll feel their heart
beating against your chest and you’ll understand why the world exists. At least
I hope so.
[1] Please consider the
attitude of the person before labeling them as “Hipster.” The Hipster, or at
least the truly dangerous Hipster, are not people who wear plaid shirts. They
don’t wear thick-rimmed glasses. They don’t wear skinny jeans.
Back in the 70’s my mom had long hair and wore
bellbottoms and flower prints. But she was as much of a conservative WASP as
can be imagined.
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