*This is the opinion of this author and not necessarily the opinion of Her Campus KU or HerCampus.com*
The word hipster originates from a 1940’s subculture in North America and Europe. It was used to describe fans of jazz and bebop music. Hipsters also adopted lifestyles similar to those of Jazz musicians, including some or all of the following: clothing, slang, use of the cannabis plant or other drugs, sarcastic humor, relaxed attitude, self-imposed poverty (being poor because they want to be), and relaxed sexual codes.
Bing Crosby, 1940’s hipster
photo from Wikipedia.org
Today, the word hipster is still used to denote a North American and European subculture. However, the word has taken on a different meaning than when it was first used.
Our generation is referred to as Generation Y or the Millennials. If you were born between (approximately) 1982-2002, you are a part of this generation.
Nowadays, the word hipster is generally associated with Millennials who listen to indie and alternative music, buy and wear various non-mainstream clothing (including vintage and thrift-store bought), claim progressive or independent political views, eat organic or artisanal foods, and possess alternative lifestyles. Hipsters are typically described as wealthy or middle class, young Bohemians who reside in economically prospering neighborhoods.
photo from quickmeme.com
Being a hipster has become the new trend. Everyone is trying to be one whether they genuinely believe in the lifestyle or not.
Why? Because it’s what’s fashionable, it’s what’s considered cool and it’s what media says everybody is doing.
It’s a societal contradiction! When most of us think about a hipster, we think of someone who is different than everybody else, right? Well, guess what; now, a hipster IS everybody else.
Don’t be a hipster, for the sake of originality.
And if you TRULY are a hipster, you probably didn’t notice you were until the word started being thrown around so loosely.
I hope we can all stop using the word so generously.
Actually, I hope we can stop using the word all together and stop making our personal likes and dislikes a competition. Let’s put a stop to the ridiculous “well, I liked it before it was cool,” comments that embody the word hipster because no one really cares WHEN you liked it.
I hope you like what you like for the sake of being happy as yourself and not because EVERYONE else likes it or because NOBODY else likes it- because that one pair of vintage jeans doesn’t make you too different from the girl in front of you who just bought some too, and that new song you found just the other day will become popular soon anyway once you brag to all your friends about you being the first to find it, and yeah, actually, a lot of people like Pabst, so no, you’re not the only one.
Kill the word. Live your life.