This past June my friends and I decided to embark on a road trip throughout Texas. Every city that we stayed at seem to have the stereotypical ‘western feel’ to it; that is until we arrived to Austin, a city for which was nothing like we have ever experienced before. This city’s slogan is literally“Keep Austin Weird”. I recall driving past downtown Austin and not knowing what to think, I wanted to judge and question everything I saw but I couldn’t help do anything but embrace it. This city was like nothing we had ever experienced, it had such a contradictory sensation to it; on one side it was so technologically advanced but on the other it was entirely an old-soul. It was through Austin that I had my first encounter with the Hipster subculture one for which I was clearly not welcomed too.
Through their Urbanization, the hipster subculture completely dominates over specific cities and neighborhood around the U.S. In his America’s Urban Future New York Times article, Vishaan Chakrabarti described the movement of hipsters as “all of the attention showered on hipster enclaves like Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Portland, Ore., America is only in the beginning stages of a historic urban reordering”. The hipster subculture has begun to take a noticeable impact on major cities around the world. The Hipster culture has a major focus in going against what is mainstream (which is why no one feels like they can belong). Members of this culture make it a priority to find originality outside of what the common world is used to. The cities that have been taken over by this culture always seem to push away those that clearly don’t follow their norms. In any bohemian-inspired city or area of a city, you can find: a small coffee shop with smooth jazz and odd art, various antique shops, a music store, locally own boutiques, fortune tellings, and an Urban Outfitters.
With the obsession ‘to be different’ they push anyone who is ‘the same’. Hipsters seem to have a type of phobia with anything that is popular, widely known or liked, and especially anything mainstream. A conversation with an individual from this culture usually revolves around heavy topics such as their fight for women’s rights or their passionate views on indie music bands. This subculture contradicts itself constantly. I have found that their ideals revolve around equal rights, freedom, and the acceptance of anyone. Yet, there seems to be an endless stream of hatred towards anyone that isn’t part of this culture. Small decisions like drinking Starbucks or liking Justin Bieber over Lana Del Rey suddenly make a person seem stupid or unoriginal in the hipster society. The fascination with going against what is popular has driving the culture into hating to be known. This is why the subculture isn’t totally understood by an outsider because they don’t want to be. Part of their uniqueness means that their culture doesn’t grow, because if it does then it will be popular and its originality will be lost.
Without any research, it becomes possible impossible to understand the Hipster subculture. Their separation from the rest of society and their constant opposing views cause confusion to those who aren’t in this culture. Stylist features of antique and bohemian decor are constantly found within a Hipster community. Hundreds of dollars can be spent on both a 1950’s polaroid camera even tho they already have an iPhone. The beauty of this culture is the balance between living in a modern world while adapting their old-soul costumes to it. From an outside perspective, this culture is misunderstood thus considered to be weird but this is exactly what Hipsters want that society thinks of them.
About This Culture
- I decided to write about this culture because last summer I had the opportunity to visit Austin, Texas. In Austin there is a very heavy Hipster influence that dominates over the city and since my visit there I have been waiting to learn more about the culture.
- I thought that the elements of “hating mainstream” was very interesting. I am someone that lives in a society that is always wanting to conform to everything mainstream and this culture wants to do the exact opposite.
- For my article I began giving some perspective on how an outsider will see the culture from my personal experience. Then I provided some details on the facts of the Hipster culture so that the readers would understand a bit about it. Afterwards, I began specifically talking about the domination of the hipster culture and the major ideals of being unique.
- I think that this culture has developed due to a combination of other past invisible cultures, such as the gothic subculture and bohemian/hippie culture. It is also heavily influenced by past generations.
Be Effortless 