The 4 Types of Hipster: Which One Are You?
My friends, somewhat jokingly, call me a hipster all the time. At first I was insulted. Eventually, I learned to laugh at it. Recently, I’ve been examining myself, and the concept of “hipster” to learn what it really means, and why they think I fit the mold. Below, I have distilled it into 4 types. But first, some considerations:
- Speaking broadly, the concept of Hipster is relative based on one’s culture of origin.
- These profiles are neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive . A person may be only one, or all of the above. A person may also fit one of the below descriptions, and not be considered “hipster.”
- The distinction between authentic and inauthentic is important and relevant, but beyond the scope of this post.
Hipster as Countercultural Valuing
This person is anti-mainstream, anti-capitalism, anti-consumer, anti-hypebeast, and anti-expectations. Most of all, they are anti-conformist. If pro-socialism and anti-capitalism become the norm, then the hipsters of tomorrow will be hyper-capitalists. If you grew up with suburban parents with conservative middle class values, you move to the city and adopt liberal values and lifestyle. If you grew up in urban poverty, you go to college and take a bunch of humanities classes. Both groups go to art galleries in their free time.
Hipster as Creative Vanguard
At the risk of being reductionist, this can be summed up as “people who love art for art’s sake vs. people who love art for money’s sake–and to look cool.” This is also the distinction between underground and commercial . The creative vanguard are the artists (and their friends) that move to areas with low rent so that they can afford to make are their main hustle. These areas also tend to have relatively more ethnic diversity. This type of hipster often portends a wave of gentrification–people who love art for money’s sake.
Hipster as Aesthetic Trend
People who hold countercultural values, or who hang out together making art, often tend to converge and form communities and shared lifestyles. As with any shared space or practice, markers of the communities emerge. Early into the ‘10s (or however this decade will be referred to) the emerging markers were all things artisan/craft, exceptionally robust yet well groomed facial hair, flannel shirts, mason jars, and organic shit. Apparently, these markers caught traction. We are now in the era of the full blown Lumbersexual. It is worth noting that despite many hipster’s being anti-trend, hipster trends are trends nonetheless, Given the right circumstances, they can easily become mainstream.
Hipster as a State of Mind
“Is you hip? You ain’t hip” This person constantly pursues “undiscovered” things. This could be music, art, culture, style, food, etc. As a result, they are perpetually “in the know.” In turn, they curate their lifestyle with things and experiences on the margins of popular consumption.
The Possibility of Being Post-Hipster
I have learned that my hipsterdom is constituted by fragments of each type, each to varying degrees of (in)authenticity. My mother has a degree in Fine Art and I take after her. I genuinely enjoy farm-to-table food and fancy pour over coffee. Sometimes I buy shit just because I like the trend and I think it’ll make me cool.
I’ve also learned that the concept of a Black hipster carries different meaning and assumptions than the general hipster concept. Then I realized that this way of categorization, although it is useful, can become limiting. We all identify with different cultural subgroups at any given time depending on when and where we are. What’s more, the hipster identity, at best, only captures a small facet of the total person.
I have learned to acknowledge as many facets of my identity as time and place allow. It adds texture to my experience of myself and the world. Perhaps true hipsters are post-hipster or post-culture–being self-aware of when one does or does not identify with a cultural (sub)group, thereby becoming more flexible in one’s lifestyle and self-expression.