University of Louisville
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College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses
College of Arts & Sciences
5-2014
From hip to hypocrisy : an exploration of the
hipster and the cooptation of style.
Melissa Rothman
University of Louisville
Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.library.louisville.edu/honors
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Recommended Citation
Rothman, Melissa, "From hip to hypocrisy : an exploration of the hipster and the cooptation of style." (2014). College of Arts & Sciences
Senior Honors Theses. Paper 69.
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FromHiptoHypocrisy:
AnExplorationoftheHipsterandtheCooptationofStyle
By
Melissa Rothman
Submittedinpartialfulfillmentoftherequirements
forgraduationsummacumlaude
UniversityofLouisville Spring2014
Rothman1
Acknowledgements
FirstandforemostIoffermysincerestgratitudetomyadvisor,Dr.Stephen
Schneider,withoutwhosecontinuedsupport,thisprojectwouldnothavebeenpossible.
Dr.Schneidernotonlyintroducedmetothefascinatingworldofliterarytheory,buthis
supportandcontinuedpersistenceinchallengingmetoreachmypotentialhasinfluenced
meinmorewaysthanIcanlist.Iattributethisworkandanyfuturesuccesstohis
encouragementandeffort.Icouldnothavehopedforabetterorfriendliersupervisor.
Icannotexpressenoughthankstomycommitteefortheircontinuedsupportand
encouragement:Dr.AaronJaffeandDr.RichardLewine.Ioffermysincereappreciationfor
thelearningopportunityandthepositiveexperiencetheyprovidedatmydefense.
I’dalsoliketothankmyfriendsandacquaintances,manyofwhichmayidentifywith
thedescriptionsprovidedinthiswork.IhopethatIwasabletocapturethetruth
underlyingthissocialphenomenonanddidn’toffendanyonetooharshlyintheprocess.
Andthankstoallthehipstersforprovidingsuchanintriguingtopictowriteabout.
Finally,tomycaring,loving,andsupportivehusband,Terry:mydeepestgratitude.
YounotonlytookovermorethanyourshareofthehouseholdresponsibilitieswhileI
completedmywork,butyourunderstanding,patience,andsupporthaskeptmegrounded
throughoutthisprocess.Myheartfeltthanks.
Rothman2
TableofContents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Part 1: American Hipstory 101 ...................................................................................................................... 6 A Hip Hierarchy—Highbrow, Lowbrow, and Everything in Between .............................................. 8 A Musical Manifesto: The Revolutionary Voice of Hip .................................................................. 11 Hip Existentialism—Free to Be Anything…Except for the Same .................................................... 14 Peace, Love, and the Pursuit of Commercial Hippieness ............................................................... 16 Rebellion for Sale—The Commodification of the Symbol ............................................................. 18 Part 2: Posthipterism—A Relativism Whose Relation to Reality is Relatively Relative .............................. 20 The Polemics of Style: Pragmatic or Political ................................................................................. 23 An Epidemic of Mass Hipsteria: The Myth of Identity Theft .......................................................... 29 Nostalgic for Nostalgia and Opting in to Opt Out .......................................................................... 33 Hip Dialogue: Parody or Pastiche ................................................................................................... 37 Hipscrimination: No Label, No Entry .............................................................................................. 39 Part 3: Christian Hipstermentalism—A Rebel with a Cause ....................................................................... 44 I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…of a Hipster? .................................................................... 47 Guerillas for God? .......................................................................................................................... 49 This is the Gospel According to Hip ............................................................................................... 51 Buyer Beware ................................................................................................................................. 54 Religious Jenga: Which Blocks to Keep .......................................................................................... 57 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 59 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 63 Rothman3
Introduction
“Beyourself;everyoneelseisalreadytaken.”
―OscarWilde
Beinganavidpeople‐watcher,I’vealwayshadaninterestinsubcultures;so
naturally,thehipsterhasbecomeapointofintrigueforme.WhatIhadcometounderstand
aboutthecontemporaryhipstersubculturewasthatitbeganasabacklashtocapitalist
consumerism.Themaingoalofahipsteristoportrayalifestyleoutsidethegridofany
sociallyconstructedcategory;consequently,thefamous“IknowitwhenIseeit”phraseis
oftentheonlystand‐inavailabletodescribetheiraesthetic.Despitethis,therearea
numberofcommontropesthathavecometobeassociatedwiththehipsterthatsuggests
uniformityintheiraestheticwhichobviouslyfloutstheessentialdogmasofthissubculture.
Butwhilethehipstermaybeanambiguouscharacterallonitsown,inthepastfewyearsI
begantonoticeanoddnewaccessorycommonlyappearinginourlocalhipsterpopulation:
aBible.UponfurtherinvestigationI'ddiscoveredSojournCommunityChurch,areligious
subculturethathasdevelopedhereinLouisvilleinwhichalargemajorityoftheir
congregationconsistsofhipsters.
Apparently,anumberofthesehipchurcheshavesproutedupacrossthenationover
thepastdecadeandIwonderedhowahipster,amodelofnon‐conformityandhyper‐
individuality,fitsintoacommunity‐basedorganizationthatupholdstraditionalvalues.I
hopedthatthismeldingofChristandculturecouldpossiblyindicateagrowingtolerance
fordiversityinfundamentalistreligiouscommunities,butunfortunately,Ifoundthatthis
HipsterChristianityismerelyacosmeticmakeoverintendedtoappealtourbanyouth
culture.Andwhilethehipsteraestheticappearstohavebeenbornfromnon‐conformist
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andanti‐authoritarianmotivations,thefactthatithasbeensoeasilyco‐optedbya
conservativeorganizationshowstheinadequacyofstylisticexpressionasaneffective
catalystforprogressivesocialchange.However,byexploringthewayscompeting
ideologiesreconcilewitheachotherincontemporarysociety,Ihopetounravelthisvery
complexrelationshipbetweenchurchandsociety.
However,inordertounderstandtheemergingHipsterChristian,onemustfirst
haveathoroughunderstandingofhipanditssituationwithintheframeworkofAmerican
identity.Hipemergesasadialogoftiltedsocialrelationsandthroughouthistorysocial
inequalityhashadawayofresonatinginoutwardexpressionsofartisticstyle.TheBeats,
Hippies,Punks,evenGothcanbeexaminedthroughalensthatrecognizestheunderlying
circumstancesthatspurredtheseculturalmovementsandillustratethewaysinwhich
Americansrespondtoexistingsocialconditions.Historically,artisticexpressionhasserved
asastimulusfortheprogressionofsocialmovements,butunfortunatelytherhetoricof
styleseemstohavelostitsefficacyinlatecapitalism.UsingAdornoandHorkhiemer’s
theoriesof“thecultureindustry”andThomasFrank’stheoriesoncooptation,Iexaminethe
failuresofcountercultureininspiringsignificantsocialchangeandtherolesofbusiness
andmasscultureinmaintainingthestatusquo.UtilizingtheoriesfromPierreBourdieu,I
examinethefunctionofsymboliccapitalintheculturalsphereanditsrelationtosocial
hierarchy;likewise,DickHebdigeoffersinsightintohowsymboliccapitalultimatelyloses
itsvaluethroughcommodification.
Inthesecondsection,Idefinethecontemporaryhipsterbyexploringaspectssuch
astheappealofironyinpostmodernworldandthevariousformsthatittakes:satirevs.
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cynicism,coolnessofironyvs.coolnessofindifference,parodyvs.pastiche.Idescribethe
waysthemainstreamhasreceivedthissubcultureandhowmediaportrayalshave
influenceditsongoingevolutionthroughmythmakinganddemythologizationpractices.
UsingFredricJameson’stheoriesaboutlatecapitalism,Iexplorethepossiblereasonswhy
thecontemporaryhipsterisstrictlyapostmodernphenomenon.Lastly,Idelveintothe
problematicaspectsofthemodernhipsterinrespecttocontemporarysociety.
Inthethirdsection,IexamineHipsterChristianitybyaddressingseveralquestions
raisedfromtheappearanceofthisculturalphenomenon:Howdoesconsumerismfitwithin
thisparadigm?Howistheindividualistaspectcopedwithinaninstitutionalstructure
whichreliesoncommunity?Howdoesthe‘drop‐out’or‘slacker’aspectofhipsterculture
survivewithinaconservativesocialstructurethatupholdsprotestantidealsofworkethic?
CanChristianitybecoolwhenamajoraspectofreligionistoloveChristregardlessofthe
socialconsequences?Whichtraditionalcharacteristicsofreligionaremaintainedwithin
thisemergingchurchandhow? Inotherwords,ishipsterculturechangingthefaceof
ChristianityorisChristianitychangingthefaceofthehipster?
Ihopetoprovidesomeinsightintothewaysinwhichcultureoperatesinlate‐
capitalism.Throughoutthisworktherearetwoveryevidentpatternsthatreoccur.First,
despiteadvancesinmoderntechnologyandtheincreaseinqualityoflifeinAmerican
society,thereappearstobeaconstantstateofdiscontent.However,thewaythatcultural
movementsrespondtothisdissatisfactionnotonlyfailstoinstigateanychange,butalso
furtherperpetuatestheunderlyingproblemspromotingthisunease.Byidentifyingthis
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relationship,Ihopetounveilpossiblewaystoescapethisperpetualloopofpostmodernist
discourse. Part1:AmericanHipstory101
“Thequestionisnotwhatyoulookat,butwhatyousee.”
―HenryDavidThoreau
Theoriginoftheterm‘hip’remainsasubjectofdebateamonglinguisticscholars.
TheOxfordEnglishDictionarydateship’sfirstdocumentedusein1904anddefinesitas
“well‐informed,knowledgeable,‘wiseto’,up‐to‐date;smart,stylish”.However,other
scholarshavearguedthattheterm‘hip’actuallydatesmuchfurtherback.InHip:The
History,JohnLelandarguesthathipisphenomenonthatisuniquetoAmericanidentity.
CitingClarenceMajor’swork,JubatoJive:ADictionaryofAfrican‐AmericanSlang,which
“tracestheoriginsofhiptotheWolofverbshepi(“tosee”)orhipi(“toopenone’seyes”)
anddatesitsusageinAmericatothe1700’s,”Lelandclaimsthathipemergedoutofthe
negotiatedrelationshipbetweentheslavesandtheearlycolonizers(5).Althoughthe
conceptofhipunarguablyreachesbeyondthishistoricalreferenceandisobviouslynot
exclusivetoAmericanculture,thisdoesprovidealensintoacrucialcomponentofhip
whichrestsinsomeformofconsciousness,orsight,thatreachesbeyondthetrivialnotion
ofwhat’sstylish.Itrevealshowhipemergesfromskewedsocialcircumstancesasa
recognitionofone’splaceinthesocialorder,arealitythatisinescapablyapparentinthe
everydayexperienceofbondage.
Lelanddescribeshowhipbegan“asasubversiveintelligencethatoutsiders
developedundertheeyeofinsiders”(6).Hipprovidedasourceofautonomy.Whilethe
enslavedwereforcedtosuppressfeelingsofrageandindignation,hipbecameatool,an
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internalformofrebelliondisguisedwithamaskofobedience.Thus,Lelandproclaims,
“Hipsterlanguage,stanceandironybeginnotinthecoolposesofthemoderncitybuton
theantebellumplantation,intheinterplayofthesetwopopulations”(19):
Forslaveowners,whoworriedaboutwhattheslavesweresaying,itwas
importanttotryandfolloweachnewcoinage;this,inturn,proddedblacksto
inventstillnewercodes.Thisprocessgoesontoday;itistheessenceofhip
invention.Hipbeginswithasmallcircle,whosememberspusheachotherto
moreinventiveorextremeformsofexpression,thenradiatesoutwardin
concentriccircles.Eachcirclegrabswhattheycan.Bythetimetheouter
circleshavecaughtup,theinneroneshavetoinventnewcodes.Hiptalkis…
astrategyformultiplyingmeaning.Ituseshumorandambiguitytoconvey
onemessagetoitsintendedrecipients,andanothertothoselookingon.
(Leland24)
However,Imustalsonotethatthisdescriptionofhip’sgenesisisalsoaverysimplistic
understandingofsocialrelations.Thewaysthathipfunctionsinculturetodayrequiresa
muchmorecriticalimagebeyondbinarytermsofblackorwhite,positiveornegative,hip
orsquare,andIthinkoneofthethingsthatmakeshipsoinfectiouslieswithinitsabilityto
illustratetheworldindegrees.Hipisbornfromsocialstructure,andlikerace,itsidentity
isconstructedwithinhierarchiesofpower,andtofullyunderstandhiponemustrecognize
theroleofprivilege.“Thoughitgrabsideasfromthebottomoftheeconomicladder,hip
livesinluxury”(Leland8).Theoccupantsofthirdworldcountriesarenotconcernedabout
starvingwithstyle.Likewise,creativebloomcannotoccurwithoutthepresenceofleisure
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time.Soifhipthrivesinacultureofexcess,thenitfollowsthattheroaring20’sprovided
fertilegroundforhiptotakeroot.
AHipHierarchy—Highbrow,Lowbrow,andEverythinginBetween
Nopriorperiodinhistoryhadexperiencedthemagnitudeofsocialandcultural
upheavalastheerasurroundingWWI,andtheprimaryfactoruprootingthetraditional
normsandmoreswasthebirthofconsumerculture.Althoughshort‐lived,theboomthat
followedWWIprovidedthepotentialforanunprecedentedamountofupwardsocial
mobility,andasaconsequencereshapedtherelationshipbetweenthebusinessworldand
thepublic.InAmericaintheTwenties,RonaldAllenGoldbergdescribeshowrevolutionsin
industrialpracticesprescribedmajorchangesinsocialhabits.Theaverageworkweek,
which“haddeclinedfromsixtytoforty‐eighthours”bytheendofthedecade,provided
urbanworkerswithfreetimetofosterthegrowthoftheentertainmentindustryjust
beginningtofinditsmomentuminmotionpicturesandradio(Goldberg85).Likewise,the
businessworldwouldfindtheneedtoreinventitselfinreactiontothecopiousamountsof
productsitwasnowabletomanufacture.“Between1918and1929,suchfactorsasmass
production,advancesintechnology,andanincreasingefficiencyoflaborledtoa
productiongainofmorethan60percent,whichfaroutstrippedtheincreaseinpopulation”
(Goldberg84).Oneclueofthischangingrelationshipistheinvasiverolethatadvertising
begantoplayinshapingthedesiresofconsumers.“Advertisingbecamesoextensiveduring
thedecadethatitconsumedmorethanhalfoftheoutputoftheprintingpresses”(Goldberg
84).Thedemocratizationofentertainmentandtheriseofmassmediawouldprovetobe
themostinfluentialforceshapingpolitics,society,andcultureinthetwentiethcentury.
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InOnlyYesterday:AnInformalHistoryofthe1920’s,FredrickLewisAllendescribes
howafterWWI,“socialcompulsionhadbecomeanationalhabit”(171).Theoptimistic
outlookinspiredbytheEnlightenmentwasdecimatedbythehorrorswitnessedonthe
battlefieldoftheGreatWarandmanybegantorelylessonpublicpolicyandturnedto
introspect.Iwouldarguethatthiswaveofskepticismbroughtforththefirsthipster:
Thebrightyoungcollegegraduatewhoin1915wouldhaverisked
disinheritancetomarchinaSocialistparadeyawnedatSocialismin1925…
nowtheyounginsurgentenragedhisfatherbyarguingagainstmonogamy
andGod.When,however,themiddle‐classmajorityturnedfrompersecuting
politicalradicalstoregulatingpersonalconduct,theymetwithbitter
oppositionnotonlyfromthebrightyoungcollegegraduatebutfromthe
wholeofanewlyclass‐consciousgroup.(Allen71)
Whenpublicinterestsshiftedfocusfromthepoliticalrealmtothesocial,distinctdivisions
formedamongtheAmericanpopulationthatwouldsplitthenation,pittingconservatives
againstliberalsonissuesthatwouldstillnotberesolvedalmostacenturylater.The
disillusionmentofthewaracceleratedthesecularizingtendenciesanderuptedintoa
“revolutioninmannersandmorals,”inwhichhip’siconoclasticvoiceresonatedloudest
withwomenseekingtobreakfreefromthechainsofpatriarchy:“Modesty,reticence,and
chivalryweregoingoutofstyle;[…]“Victorian”and“Puritan”werebecomingtermsof
opprobrium[…]Itwasbettertobemodern—everybodywantedtobemodern—and
sophisticated,andsmart,tosmashtheconversationsandbedevastatinglyfrank”(Allen
84).Byuprootingtradition,formervalueswerediscarded,leavinganemptycanvas.A
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newlyemergingsocialpresencewouldbeveryinfluentialinfillingthisvoid,the“embattled
highbrow”(Allen172).
Thehighbrowofthetwentiesmirrorsthecharacteristicsofthemodernhipsterwith
aneerieuncanniness.Theyloathedconformityandmasscultureandasaresultthey
formedmuddledclustersofurban,educatedaesthetesandartists,completewiththeirown
“ill‐assortedmoboffaddists”nodoubtcaptivatedbytheirqualityofhipness;these
“highbrow”hipsterscarvedtheirownspaceinthesocialarena,andtheircoolmystique
createdanewconceptofelitetobeenvied:
Theydifferedvehementlyamongthemselves,andeveniftheyhadagreed,
theideaoforganizingwouldhavebeenrepugnanttothemasindividualists.
Theywerewidelydispersed;NewYorkwastheirchiefrallying‐point,but
groupsofthemweretobefoundinalltheotherurbancenters.They
consistedmostlyofartistsandwriters,professionalpeople,theintellectually
restlesselementinthecollegetowns,andsuchmembersofthecollege‐
educatedbusinessclassascoulddigestmorecomplicatedliteraturethanwas
tobefoundintheSaturdayEveningPostandMcCall'sMagazine;andthey
werefollowedbyanill‐assortedmoboffaddistswhowerereadytotakeup
withthelatestidea.Theymayberoughlyandinclusivelydefinedasthemen
andwomenwhohadheardofJamesJoyce,Proust,Cezanne,Jung,Bertrand
Russell,JohnDewey,Petronius,EugeneO'Neill,andEddington;wholooked
downonthemoviesbutreveredCharlieChaplinasagreatartist,couldtalk
aboutrelativityeveniftheycouldnotunderstandit,knewafewofthe
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leadingcomplexesbyname,collectedEarlyAmericanfurniture,hadideas
aboutprogressiveeducation,anddoubtedthedivinityofHenryFordand
CalvinCoolidge.Fewinnumbersthoughtheywere,theywerehighlyvocal,
andtheirinfluencenotmerelydominatedAmericanliteraturebutfiltered
downtoaffectbyslowdegreesthethoughtoftheentirecountry.(Allen172‐
173)
The“highbrows”werethefirsttorecognizetheemptyandvaluelessmonocultureprovided
bymassentertainmentandinresponsetheycarvednewdefinitionsofvaluethatrestedin
authenticityanduniqueness,whichbecamereadilyavailableinthefloodofculturalvariety
thatwasemergingintheurbancentersofthecountryduringthisperiod.
AsidefromTheGreatMigrationwhichbroughtthousandsofsouthernBlackstothe
urbancentersaroundthecountry,massivenumbersofimmigrantswereenteringthescene
insearchofjobsaswell,providingtheirownuniqueadditionstotheamalgam.“The1920
censusfoundthatforthefirsttimemorethanhalfofallAmericanslivedincities”andone‐
thirdofthecountry’spopulationwas“eitherfirst‐orsecond‐generationimmigrants”
(Leland62).Fromthisculturalbuffet,hipfeasted.Butwhenthestockmarketcrashedin
1929,theculturalfloweringwithered,andhip’sstorybecamefragmented,ifnotsilent.
AMusicalManifesto:TheRevolutionaryVoiceofHip
Astheclubsandspeakeasiesbegantocaveunderthepressureofthedesolate
economyoftheGreatDepression,thelivelyJazzsceneofthe20’smeltedaway.Buthip
continuedtosmolderunderthebroilingtensionbetweenwhiteandblackmusicians
competingforjobsastheentiremusicindustryconsolidatedtothefarmoreeconomic
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mediumofRadio,whichcateredprimarilytomusicianswillingtowaterdowntheir
performanceforawider,predominantlywhiteaudience.Lowwagesallowedforbigger
bandsandfewersoloistsand“therhythmstightenedaroundsteadydanceablebeats”
(Leland121).However,whilethemajorityofthepopulationremainedcluelessunderthe
hypnosisoftherepetitivebeatsofBigBandandSwing,thereweresmallpocketsofjazz
musiciansandenthusiastswhorecognizedwhatwasbeingbroadcastedforwhatitreally
was,justashallowknock‐offoftherealdeal;throughthisrecognitionhipfounditsformin
bebop.
InAmericanculture,successdependsonhowwellyouplaybytherules;yet,as
manyfindout,thegameisoftenriggedinsomeoneelse’sfavor.There’sasensibilitythat
emergesfromthisrealizationthatsays“yourrulesdon’tapplytome,soI’lljusthaveto
makeupmyown”andthroughthisself‐convictionhipemerges.AsEricPorternotesin
“‘DizzyAtmosphere’:TheChallengeofBebop,”DizzyGillespiehimselfadmitted“thatthere
wasnodirectconnectionbetweenmusicandpolitics:‘Wedidn'tgooutandmakespeeches
orsay,“Let'splayeightbarsofprotest.”Wejustplayedourmusicandletitgoatthat.The
musicproclaimedouridentity;itmadeeverystatementwetrulywantedtomake’”(426).
Butregardlessofauthorialintent,theirmusicdidfunctionasapowerfulpoliticalforce.
Porter’sanalysisexaminesthewaysinwhichmovementsinmusicaresituatedinrespect
tolargersocialconcerns,howmusichasaparadoxicalrelationshipwiththeworld,
mirroringitssocialrealitieswhilesimultaneouslyremoldingthem.Withinthis,hip
providesalevelplayingfield,onewhichallowsadiversemixtureofpeopletocome
togetherandidentifywitheachotherthroughthelanguageofmelody.AsNormanMailerso
elegantlydescribesinhisiconicessay“TheWhiteNegro”:
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…jazz…spokeacrossanation,ithadthecommunicationofartevenwhereit
waswatered,perverted,corrupted,andalmostkilled,itspokeinnomatter
whatlaunderedpopularwayofinstantaneousexistentialstatestowhich
somewhitescouldrespond,itwasindeedacommunicationbyartbecauseit
said,“Ifeelthis,andnowyoudotoo.”(Mailer)
Inthisway,artfunctionsasaconduit,aformofcommunicationthatidentifiescommon
individualstruggleswhichcutacrossraceandclassboundariesthroughthefeelingsit
produces,andindoingso,destabilizesthesocialstratificationthatkeepsculturaland
ethnicgroupsseparated.Thesemusicians’mereexistencechallengedstereotypesbasedon
biologicaldeterminism.Theirmasteryandelegancenotonlyprovidedasourceofpridefor
blackcommunitiesbutthealternativestheyofferedopenedthepossibilityfornewwaysto
beappreciatedthatdidn’trelyonaffluenceortheAmericanidealofperfection.
ThehypocrisyofAmericanidealismwasnevermoreevidentthanduringWWII.The
ironybecomesespeciallyapparentintheimageofsegregatedtroopsbattlinginawar
promptedbyideologiesofracialsuperiority:blacksoldiersfightinganddyingforAmerican
principlesoflibertythatwerenotequallyavailabletothemdueto“separatebutequal”
legislation.WhiletheG.I.Billpassedin1944greatlyexpandedtheopportunityforhigher
educationforbothwhiteandblackveterans,studieshaverevealedthatthosebenefitswere
vastlyrestrictedinthesouth(Herbold).However,althoughtheG.I.Billleftmuchtobe
desiredinaddressingtheracialgap,theimmensenumberofopportunitiesforeducation
hadagreatimpactinreshapingtheAmericanculturallandscape,creatingawaveof
intellectualthoughtthatreachedacrossclassboundaries.
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HipExistentialism—FreetoBeAnything…ExceptfortheSame
Withinthisgrowingclassofintellectuals,therewasamountingobsessionto
uncovertherootsoftotalitarianisminlightoftheatrocitiesoftheholocaust,andcritiques
ofmassculturefurthercomplicatedournotionsofvalue.IntheirworkDialecticof
Enlightenment,MaxHorkheimerandTheodorAdornoclaimthatbusinesscultureandthe
entertainmentindustryremovethenecessityofcriticalthoughtby“infectingeverything
withsameness”(94).Bystandardizingtheneedsofthepublicthe“cultureindustry”
removesthenecessityofimaginationinunderstandingtheworldaroundus.Throughthe
repetitionofanunfulfilledpromisethatmirrorsthedesiresperpetuatedbytheindustrial
lifestyle,oursocialconditionsgainanessentialistquality,concealingthenecessityfor
criticalthought:
Therulernolongersays:‘EitheryouthinkasIdooryoudie.’Hesays:‘You
arefreenottothinkasIdo;yourlife,yourproperty—allthatyoushallkeep.
Butfromthisdayonyouwillbeastrangeramongus.’Anyonewhodoesnot
conformiscondemnedtoaneconomicimpotencewhichisprolongedinthe
intellectualpowerlessnessoftheeccentricloner.Disconnectedtothe
mainstream,heiseasilyconvictedofinadequacy.(105‐6)
Historically,sourcesofcontrolhadasurrogate—themonarch,thelord,thearistocrat,etc.
Withoutadirectlineofaccountability,socialcontroltakesonthetraitofnaturalism.Now
themasseslineupaccordinglywithoutsovereigndirection.Thisillustrationof“group
think”(borrowingfromOrwell)isaprimarysourcethatinfluencedthebeathipsterand
consequentlyeverycounterculturethatfollowed.
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However,whilethisimagepaintsaverysinisterviewofbusinessculture,Imust
notethatconformityisnotjustaresultofsomeconspiracytobrainwashthemasses.The
reasonmanypeoplesoughtthesecurityofconformitywasduetoanumberof
circumstancesstirringanxietyamongthepublic:thedisillusionmentofapopulation
rockedbythetwomostdevastatingwarsinhumanhistory,thedesperateeconomic
conditionsofthegreatdepression,thecoldwar,theredscare,rapidchangesinsocial
mores…Mailercapturesthezeitgeistof1950’s,anddescribeshowthehipsterbecamea
productofit:
Itisonthisbleakscenethataphenomenonhasappeared:theAmerican
existentialist—thehipster,themanwhoknowsthatifourcollective
conditionistolivewithinstantdeathbyatomicwar…orwithaslowdeath
byconformitywitheverycreativeandrebelliousinstinct(atwhatdamageto
themindandtheheartandtheliverandthenervesnoresearchfoundation
forcancerwilldiscoverinahurry),ifthefateoftwentiethcenturymanisto
livewithdeathfromadolescencetoprematuresenescence,whythenthe
onlylife‐givingansweristoacceptthetermsofdeath,tolivewithdeathas
immediatedanger,todivorceoneselffromsociety,toexistwithoutroots,to
setoutonthatunchartedjourneyintotherebelliousimperativesoftheself…
Thusthenon‐conformist,HorkhiemerandAdorno’s“eccentricloner,”becomes
romanticizedasAmerica’snewchampion,combatingthetyrannyofsocialcontrolthathad
replacedthetraditionalformsofoppression.
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However,thismodelforresistanceisfundamentallyflawed;thehipstersofthebeat
eraneverreallysoughttochangesociety,onlytoliveaboveandbeyonditsbanalidealof
existence.Andwhilethegenerationthatfollowed,theirprotégésthehippies,mayhave
beeninfluentialinopeningsocialspaceforculturaldiversity,themainadvancesinhuman
rightswerenotgainedthroughthecivildisobedienceofdoingdrugsorsexualfreedom,but
inthe actsofnonviolentprotestandactivism.Bylabelingconformityastheall‐inclusive
“badguy,”theonlysolutionthatcountercultureprovidesistoopt‐out,whichessentially
doesnothing.Butthemostimportantaspectofthefailuresofcounterculturetoproduce
anysignificantsocialchangeisthatsubversiongetscommunicatedthroughlifestyleand
commoditiesratherthanaction.Theageoldtacticofdivideandconquergetstransformed
intodivideandsellassocialconflictsgetbattledoutinshoppingmallsratherthanacourt
oflaw.Andduetohip’sfailuretoaddresstheunderlyingproblemsthatcatalyzeits
emergence,itappearstojustgettrappedinsomekindofHegelianloop,repeatedlytrying
toaddressthesamecentralproblemsinherentinmodernity,andnotonlyfailingtodoso,
butreinforcingthemintheprocess.
Peace,Love,andthePursuitofCommercialHippieness
ThomasFrankdescribesthisloopinhisbookTheConquestofCoolasaperpetual
dialoguebetweenmarketingandyouthculture.Onceadvertisingbegantomimic
counterculturalcritiquesofmassculture,avenuesforsocialactivismbecameblurred.
However,contrarytotheconspiracytheoriesthatvilifiedbusinesscultureasthepillarsof
socialcontrolbyenforcingtherulesofmassconformitythroughthepicturesquevisionsof
banalsuburbanperfectiondepictedintheirads,Franksassertsthat“Consumercapitalism
didnotdemandconformityorhomogeneity;rather,itthrivedonthedoctrineofliberation
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andcontinualtransgressionthatisstillfamiliartoday”(20).Frankprovidesamore
advancedviewoftherelationshipbetweenbusinesscultureandconsumersthatrecognizes
itbeyondthesimpletop‐downorbottom‐updialogue,ratheranoscillatingdialectic
betweenthetwo.
Franksarguesthatthosesituatedinthebusinesscommunityweregrowingequally
wearyofthelimitsofconformity.“Theoldvaluesofcaution,deference,andhierarchy
drownedcreativityanddeniedflexibility;theyenervatednotonlythehumanspiritbutthe
consumingspiritandtheentrepreneurialspiritaswell”(Frank28).Frank’simageofco‐
optationisnotoneofreluctantresistancefromthebusinesssideandarguesthatindustry
welcomedtheupcomingyouthculturewithenthusiasmsince“targetingslightlydifferent
productstospecificgroupsofcustomersissignificantlymoreeffectivethanmanufacturing
oneuniformproductforeveryone”(Frank23). Soinmanyways,NormanMailer’sdivisionbetweenhipandsquareprovidedthe
idealvehicletoshuttleusintothisageofhyper‐consumerism.Byprovidingauthenticityas
theultimateanswerfortheexistentialdilemma,Mailerprovidedbusinessculturewitha
newmodelforplannedobsolescence,builtaroundthemythicalnotionofhip:
Tobeanexistentialist,onemustbeabletofeeloneself—onemustknow
one’sdesires,one’srages,one’sanguish,onemustbeawareofthecharacter
ofone’sfrustrationandknowwhatwouldsatisfyit.Theover‐civilizedman
canbeanexistentialistonlyifitischic,anddesertsitquicklyforthenext
chic.Tobearealexistentialist…onemusthaveone’ssenseofthe
“purpose”—whateverthepurposemaybe…(Mailer)
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Theoverly‐civilizedmanistheimageofawannabe,afake,thustheultimate
commandmentofthehipsterbecomes“thoushaltnotbebourgeois”(Frank29).
RebellionforSale—TheCommodificationoftheSymbol
Byechoingthevoicesofyouthcultureandrebellion,advertisingwasabletofoster
anillusionthatpersonalfreedomandrebellionwereboundupinmattersconsumption.In
thisillusion,counterculturalstylecreatesaperpetualloopof“hipconsumerism:”
Thecounterculturalstyle…soconvenientlyandefficientlytransformsthe
myriadpettytyranniesofeconomiclife–allthecomplaintsabout
conformity,oppression,bureaucracy,meaninglessness,andthe
disappearanceofindividualismthatbecamevirtuallyanationalobsession
duringthe1950s–intorationalesforconsuming.Nolongerwould
AmericansbuytofitinorimpresstheJoneses,buttodemonstratethatthey
werewisetothegame,toexpresstheirrevulsionwiththeartificeand
conformityofconsumerism.(Frank31) Thisidealofbeing“wisetothegame”createsanalternativehierarchydictatedbycultural
capitalandcompromisesprevioustheoreticalmodelsofclassstruggle.Thesocialsphere
cannolongerbeunderstoodinlinearmodelsofpowerdirectlycorrelatedwithwealth,but
beginstotaketheformofapluralityofdimensionsinwhichcategoriesofclass,race,and
genderaresituatedthroughout.Thiscomplexitynotonlyservestoreaffirmtheage‐old
mythofmeritocracy,butmuddlesourconceptionofhowpowerfunctionsinmodernity.
In“SocialSpaceandtheGenesisofGroups”PierreBourdieurevealsthewaythe
modernsocialstructureresemblesacomplexwebofhierarchieswithinhierarchieswhere
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avarietyofformsofcapitalarecreated,withheld,andexchanged.Hedescribessocietyas
functioningasamultidimensionalvarietyoffields,whereeconomic,cultural,social,and
symboliccapitalfunctiontodeterminethepositionsofagents.Howeverwhilethismay
appeartoprovideacertainamountofsocialmobility,Bourdieudescribeshowthis
movementislimitedbya“monopolyoflegitimatenaming”(731).Thedivisionsbetween
“high”and“low”artaremerelynuancedmanifestationsofclassstruggle,andgetfurther
dividedthroughoutthevarioussocialspheres,constructingabattlegroundcenteredon
mythsoflegitimacy.Thosethatpossessacertainamountofthevariousformsofcapital,
reserve“thepowertoname,”orsetthedefinitionsofvalueinoursociety.Thisisacentral
componentinfluencingtheevolutionofsubcultureswithinoursociety;sincevaluetakeson
asubjectiverole,subculturesreservetherighttonametheirowndefiningfeatures.
This“powertoname”thatBourdieudescribesisilluminatedinDickHebdige’s
descriptionofpunkcultureinhisbookSubculture:TheMeaningofStyle:
Thestrugglebetweendifferentdiscourses,differentdefinitionsand
meaningswithinideologyisthereforealways,atthesametime,astruggle
withinsignification:astruggleforpossessionofthesignwhichextendsto
eventhemostmundaneareasoflife.[…Withitemssuchas]safetypins[…]
wecanseethatsuchcommoditiesareindeedopentoadoubleinflection:to
‘illegitimate’aswellas‘legitimate’uses.These‘humbleobjects’canbe
magicallyappropriated;‘stolen’bysubordinategroupsandmadetocarry
‘secret’meanings:meaningswhichexpress,incode,aformofresistanceto
theorderwhichguaranteestheircontinuedsubordination.(Hebdige17‐18)
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Hebdige’smodeldescribeshowsymbolicdeviancegetsinterwovenbackintothedominant
orderthroughtwoformsofincorporation:“1.theconversionofsubculturalsigns(dress,
music,etc.)intomassproducedobjects;2.The‘labeling’andredefinitionofdeviant
behaviorbydominantgroups‐thepolice,themedia,thejudiciary(i.e.theideologicalform)”
(94).Whendeviancegetsexpressedthroughstyle,itmovesthroughsocietyasaformof
insidertradingutilizedtosubvertthedominantorder.However,consumerismprovidesa
mediumtoincorporatedevianceintothemainstream,consequentlywateringdownthe
rebelliousmessagethatthesymbolicgestureintendedtocommunicate.AsHebdigepoints
out,stylemagazinesstealfromthesubcultureandalteritintomarketablecommodities;
themediabeginstohighlightthesenon‐conformistsintraditionalspheres,juxtaposing
themwiththeirfamiliesandthuspresentingtheunspokenargument,thatthesepeopleare
justlikeyouandme,andbusinessesthatprofitedfromthelast“fad”aremodifiedtoexploit
thenewone.Oncethestyleisco‐optedbythemainstream,itlosesitsrevolutionaryappeal.
Andasbusinessculturecontinuestoincorporate“alternative”fashionsthroughoutthe80’s
and90’s,areciprocatingdialecticisformed,gainingmomentumwitheachnewtrend.
Part2:Posthipterism—ARelativismWhoseRelationtoRealityisRelativelyRelative
“whatexactlyispostmodernism,exceptmodernismwithouttheanxiety?”
―JonathanLethem
Societyhaschangeddramaticallyoverthelastcentury. Revolutionappearstobethe
stuffoffairytalesinaworldwhereeverythinghasbeentried,catalogued,andmarketedfor
disposal.Whatusedtobetaboo—premaritalsex,takingdrugstofeelbetter,tattoos,living
eccentrically—isforthemostpartsociallyacceptable.ThroughoutthisdialogueIhave
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discussedseveralcharacteristicsthathavecontinuedtoinformhip’sevolution:
authenticity,non‐conformity,decadence,autonomy…However,ofallofthesefeatures,one
appearstobethecentralcomponentthatspawnship,theability“tosee.”This“knowing”is
derivedbothfromseeingthingsastheyare,andseeinganalternative.Hipliesinthe
recognitionofyourplaceinthesocialorderandhavingtheingenuitytoremolditinto
somethingelse,somethingbetter,alegitimatestatusinthesocialfield.UnliketheBen
Franklinmodelthatrequireshardworkandperseverance,hipcanbeachievedinanidea.
However,ifthesocialhierarchyisnolongerdeterminable,thanwhatbecomesofhip?
Asthetitletothissectionsuggests,thisventureintothecontemporaryconceptof
hipisnotonlyabewilderingendeavorbutatmanytimesfallspreytopostmoderntraps
thatleadtoutternonsense.ThemostdifficultchallengeIencounteredinthisprojectwas
tryingtobuildanaccuratedefinitionofwhatexactlyitmeanttobeacontemporaryhipster.
IthoughtIknew.Withthegrowingpopularityof“hipsterbashing”inmediaoverthelast
decade,Ihadamentalchecklistforthecommonsignifiers:unrulyfacialhair,PBR,trucker
hats,quirkyglasses,skinnyjeans,andprettymuchany“trendy”fadlongagoexterminated
bythefashionfiringsquad.ButIalsoknowseveralpeoplethatwouldfitintomassmedia’s
generaldescription,butIdon’tnecessarilythinkofthemallashipsters(althoughsome
indeedfitverynicely);tofurthercomplicatethematter,nonewouldeveradmittobeing
one.Sohowdoesonegoaboutdefiningsomethingthatappearstobeindefinable?
Allmoderndefinitionsofacontemporaryhipsterinvolvesomevariationofbeing
stylishorknowingthelatestfashion.Butthisdescriptionfitsjustaboutanypersonin
Americansocietythattakesaninterestintheirappearance.Andtowhichofthelatest
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stylesdoesthisrefer?Theonesdefinedbyhighendfashiondesignersatthebeginningof
everyseasonontherunway?Howaboutthetrendssetbycelebrities?Arewetalkingabout
teenfashion,collegefashion,businessfashion,hip‐hopfashion,Sporty,Preppy,Ethnic,
Eclectic,Geekchic,Industrial,Kitsch,Macabre,Mod,Pinup,Pop,Post‐apocalypticroad
warrior,Psychedelic,Rasta,Rave,Vintage,Rock,Rockabilly,Grunge,Rustic,Ska,Skater,
Street,Surf,Punk,Cyberpunk,Dieselpunk,Steampunk…?Inthisageofinformation,we’ve
beguntoinventcategoriesforourcategoriestosuchanextent,attemptingtoresearch
anythingthatpertainstoculturebecomesanendlessquestinahouseofmirrors.
Sincethedefinitionsprovidedbythe“authoritative”dictionariesweretoovaguefor
mypurposes,ImovedontotheUrbanDictionary,hopingtogetthepublicconsensusonthe
matter.Unfortunately,mymissionbecameevenfurthercompromised:
1. Hipster:Hipstersareasubcultureofmenandwomentypicallyintheir
20'sand30'sthatvalueindependentthinking,counter‐culture,
progressivepolitics,anappreciationofartandindie‐rock,creativity,
intelligence,andwittybanter…
2. Hipster:Definitionsaretoomainstream.
Thesetoptwodefinitionsmodeltheparadoxthatoccurswheneveryoutrytodefinethe
contemporaryhipster.Howdoyougoaboutdefiningsomethingthatbyverynature
undefinesitself?Thecoursethatthetermhastakenonlineoverthelastdecaderevealsthe
ambivalencethatthemodernhipsterhasproducedinthemasses.Thereare438
definitionslistedintheUrbanDictionary(asofFebruary10,2014),plusthousandsmore
thatarederivativesofitsuchashisterbilly,hipsterectomy,hipsterlectual…Butwhilethe
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definitionsrangefromromantic,todisinterest,topejorative,onlyonesinglemarker
remainsconstant:“notmainstream.”Thecentralgoalofahipsteristoavoidfittingintoany
predeterminedmold.However,iftheyweresuccessful,thenhowisitthatwehavelearned
toidentifythem?Moreover,howisitthatithasmaterializedintothecommonmarkers
appearinginurbancentersacrossthecountry?
Althoughthetropesreferencedinmassmediaappeartobecommonmarkersof
somehipsters,Ithinktheyaremerelysuperficialstereotypesthatnotonlyfallshortin
describingthisculturalphenomenon,butalsodownplaythesignificanceofwhatthis
subculturehastosayaboutthecurrentculturalclimate.Manyattempttowriteoffthe
modernhipsterasjustanotheryouthsubculture,butfailingtoproducethemoralpanicof
itspredecessors,itseemstobeaprettypoorexcuseforrebellion.Furthermore,thefact
thatseveralpeoplethatIidentifyashipstersrangefrom20to50yearsoldproblemizes
thistheory,suggestingthattheremaybefactorsbeyondtheageoldconcernof“beingcool”
thatdrawspeopleintothisculturalmovement.Butifthereissomethingmorethanwhatis
it?Ifsubculturesariseasaresponsetothesocialclimate,thenwhatcanbesaidaboutthe
modernhipster?
ThePolemicsofStyle:PragmaticorPolitical
Intheinterestofremainingimpartial,Imaybeappearingtogivethehipstermore
creditthanheisdue.Idon’tintendtopaintthemasthepostmodernchampionshereto
saveusfromtheevilsofcapitalism.I’msuremosthipstersarefartoopreoccupiedintheir
ownidentity‐craftingtobotherthemselveswiththeworriesofmodernity.Indeed,notall
culturalvariationsareintendedtoberifewithpoliticalsignificance,butregardlessof
Rothman24
intent,therearerealconditionsinfluencingthebirthofsubculturesandthehipster
aestheticcouldjustaseasilybeassociatedwithpragmaticmotivationsaspoliticalones.
Yet,Iwouldquestionwhetheractionsinspiredbypracticalincentivesareanylesspolitical
consideringtheirconnectiontotheeconomicdisparitiesthatexistwithinourculture.
Forexample,whenIwasthirteenmyparentsmovedfromLouisvilletoOldham
County,andintheprocess,transferredmefromthesecurityofauniformcladCatholic
schooltothejungleofaestheticidentityexpressedinthepublicschoolsocialhierarchy.
Needlesstosay,Iwentthroughastageofcultureshockandwashopelesslyunpreparedto
dealwiththemultipledimensionsofsocialstratapresentwithinthepublicschool
dynamics.Atthattime,OldhamCountyconsistedofamajorityofaffluentresidentswho
werefarmoreup‐to‐speedwiththelatestfashionsandhadthepocketbookstobackthem.
SoIhadtodevelopameansofsurvival.Icouldn’taffordtostormthemallanddemandmy
legitimacyinthesocialorderwiththeculturalcreditofAmericanEagleorAbercrombie&
Fitch.Luckily,Ihadaccesstoaclosetfulofmydad’soldflannelsandfoundrefugeinthe
subgroupsofGrunge.
Similarly,isn’titpossiblethatmanyhipstersactuallychoosetheiraestheticsimply
becauseit’saffordable?Whatbetterwayistheretodivertthesocialstigmaofbeingpoor
thanbyclaimingtobeabovethemainstreamvalues?In“BehindtheMustache:The
Cultural,Racial,andClassImplicationsoftheHipster,”AlexSayfCummingsandRyanReft
revealthatforsome,theremaybemoretothehipsteraestheticthanpeoplethink:
Perhapshipsterdomstreamsfrommanysourcesofrefusal,mixedupwith
consumerism.Theloveofthriftstoreshoppingsurelyinvolvedaloveof
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kitschandacompetitivespirit(pullingjusttherightretrocardiganoutofthe
1.29/lbpile).Yetnodoubtmanyyoungpeopleoptedforthriftdudsbecause
theydidn’twanttopayfullpricefornewclothesorsimplydidnotwantto
participateinthecrassmachineofsweatshop‐madefashion…Forsome
strugglingbohemians,shoppingattheGAPwasafiscalimpossibilityinany
case,whileforothersfrequentingthethriftstorewasadeliberatechoice.
Likethebeboppersreinventingmusictocarvethemselvesalegitimatespaceinthesocial
strata,couldn’thipsterbedoingthesame,utilizingtheonlyresourcesavailabletothem?
Thethingaboutthemiddle‐classinthisageisthatinmanycasesthereisnothingmiddle
aboutit.In“America’sSinkingMiddleClass,”EduardoPorterreportsthataccordingtothe
CensusBureau,theaveragehouseholdmakes“thesameasthetypicalhouseholdmadea
quarterofacenturyago.”Porternotesthatwhileadvancesintechnologyoverthelasttwo
decadesshouldhavesignaledasignificantleapinthequalityoflivingfortheAmerican
population,thevastmajorityofthewealthhasbeenfunneledelsewhere:
In2010,theDepartmentofCommercepublishedastudyaboutwhatitwould
takefordifferenttypesoffamiliestoachievetheaspirationsofthemiddle
class—whichitdefinedasahouse,acarortwointhegarage,avacation
nowandthen,decenthealthcareandenoughsavingstoretireandcontribute
tothechildren’scollegeeducation.Itconcludedthatthemiddleclasshas
becomeamuchmoreexclusiveclub.Eventwo‐earnerfamiliesmakingalmost
$81,000in2008—substantiallymorethanthefamilymedianofabout
$60,000reportedbytheCensus—wouldhaveamuchtoughertime
Rothman26
acquiringtheattributesofthemiddleclassthanin1990.Theincomesof
thesetypesoffamiliesactuallyrosebyafifthbetween1990and2008,
accordingtothereport.Theyweremoreeducatedandworkedmorehours,
onaverage,andhadchildrenatalaterage.Still,thatwasnomatchforthe56
percentjumpinthecostofhousing,the155percentleapinout‐of‐pocket
spendingonhealthcareandthedouble‐digitincreaseinthecostofcollege.
Additionally,polemicsinthemediaoverthelastfewyearssuggestthatpeoplearebetter
offavoidingthedebtofhighereducationsinceitnolongerguaranteesaspotinthe
workforce.In“AreRecentCollegeGraduatesFindingJobs”JaisonR.Abel,RichardDeitz,
andYaqinSustudieddataoverthelasttwodecadestoseeiftheseaccountsheldanywater:
Ouranalysisrevealsthat,byhistoricalstandards,unemploymentratesfor
recentcollegegraduateshaveindeedbeenquitehighsincetheonsetofthe
GreatRecession.Moreover,underemploymentamongrecentgraduates—a
conditiondefinedhereasworkinginjobsthattypicallydonotrequirea
bachelor’sdegree—isalsoontherise,partofatrendthatbeganwiththe
2001recession(1‐2)
Thesedays,peoplewithcollegedegreesseemtobemorelikelytobeworkingatacoffee
shopifnotstandinginlineattheunemploymentoffice.Withthisinmind,itmakessense
thatthemajorityofhipstersarethoughttobewhite,middle‐class,andcollegeeducated.
Granted,hipstersarefarlessdesolatethantheimpoverished;however,ifthemiddle
classesarestruggling,whatkindofburdendoesthewideningeconomicgapputonthose
Rothman27
thatwerealreadyatthebottom?Moreover,howeffectiveisthehipsterresponseat
addressingissuesofsocialinequality?
InUnderstandingPopularCulture,JohnFiskedescribeshowconsumerismprovides
afieldforclassstruggletobecomeresolvedchampioningpopcultureasamediumfor
socialchange.UsingCerteau’s“guerillawarfaremetaphor,”Fiskedescribesanidealistic
viewofhowthedialecticofclassstrugglegetsplayedoutthroughthereappropriationof
commodities.Forexample,thefeministmovementisabletoredefinegendernorms
throughtheirreappropriationofculturalobjectsinwaysthatupsetnormsthatuphold
patriarchalsovereignty.Thisisduetotheautonomyoftheobjectonceit’senteredthe
culturalrealm.“Atthepointofsalethecommodityexhaustsitsroleinthedistribution
economy,butbeginstoworkinthecultural.Detachedfromthestrategiesofcapitalism,its
workforthebossescompleted,itbecomesaresourceforthecultureofeverydaylife”
(Fiske35).
Likewise,whilehipstersrefusetoimbuetheirculturalobjectswithanymeaning,the
factthatmanyoftheiraestheticsareemployedandrogynouslyhaschallengedgender
normativityinwaysthathaveopenedsocialspacesfortolerance.In“HipstersareAgentsof
SocialChange,”AnnaLeachwrites“Hipsterplacesareplaceswhereit'sfinetobegay.It's
almost,dareIbreatheit,apositivething.Youcantakeyourstraightfriendstogayhipster
nights,andyourgayfriendstostraighthipsternights.Andit'scool–everyone'sfineabout
thewholething.”Bychallengingnormsofmasculinity,hipstershavesomewhatwatered
downsocialstigmasandupsettherolesofheteronormativitythathavehistorically
marginalizedmembersoftheLGBTcommunity.
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Similarly,thebaseballcaprevealstheautonomyofthesignandhowitbecomes
imbuedwithsocialsignificance.Duetoitspracticalpurposeasasunvisoritbecamea
popularpromogiveawayduringthe80’stoagriculturalworkers,thusbecomingasignifier
of‘bluecollar’culture.Hencewhat’snowknownasthe“truckerhat”becamestigmatizedas
astatussymboloftheworkingpoor.Thensometimeinthe90’sskateboardstyle
reappropriateditsmeaningwiththeiconoclast,asthedaredevilprankstersofthereality
series“Jackass”broughtthetruckerhatintotheaudienceofpopculture.Currently,it’s
takenontheroleasastapleofthehipsteraesthetic,ironicallythumbingitsnosetothe
Americathatwouldsoeasilydowngradetheworkingclass.However,onehastowonder
whethertheseguerillatacticshelporhurtsocialprogress,consideringitsabilityto
camouflagecertainaspectsofinequalityinourculture.
Whilemakingfunofhomelessnessmayoncehavebeenauniversaltabooin
Americansociety,sincehipstersareassumedtohaveachoiceintheiraesthetic,they
supplyameanstomakefunofpovertyinasociallyacceptedmanner.Forexample,the
“HipsterorHomeless”websiteisaweb‐basedsocialsitethatinvitesuserstopostpictures
forotherstoengageinasortofgame,guessingwhetherthepeopleinthephotosare
hipstersorhomeless.Whilemeantasameansofparodyinghipsters,alatentconsequence
ofthiswebsiteisthatitmasqueradesthesocialsignificanceofpovertyunderaveilof
comedy.Thephotosuploadedbyusers,beingcomicaldepictionsofwhatmaybeahipster
orahomelessperson,allowparticipantsanopportunitytolaughatsomethingthatin
realityshouldincitefeelingsofempathyoranxietyaboutinequalitythatexistsinAmerican
society.Whilesatirecanprovideaneffectiverhetoricaldevice,duetothehipster’s
unwillingnesstoimbuetheiraestheticwithmeaningcreatesanemptygesture.Andsince
Rothman29
they’veadoptedanaestheticassociatedwitheconomicdisparity,theyconstructasphere
whereitissociallyacceptabletomakefunofpoverty.Thisisacentralproblemwithpost‐
moderndiscourse.Fromoneperspective,itseemstoopenthepossibilityforpositivesocial
change;deconstructionopensaspaceforthemarginalizedtoreinventthemselves.
However,thisvoidalsoofferstheopportunityforanybodytofillitwithwhatevermeaning
theychoose,andthismostcertainlyisnotalwayspositive.
AnEpidemicofMassHipsteria:TheMythofIdentityTheft
Stylefunctionedasasocialsignifierlongbeforethebaronsofcapitalismdiscovered
theirentrepreneurialspirit.NativeAmericans,forexample,hadbeendifferentiating
themselvesfromothertribesandmarkinghierarchywithintheirowngroupswithmakeup
andheaddressescenturiesbeforeChristopherColumbushittheseainsearchofthenew
world.Butthereisasignificantdifferenceinhowthesocialsignifiersofstyleoperatein
modernity.WhileNativeAmericanshadtoearntheirstatussymbolsthroughbraveactsor
wisdom,capitalistsocietyprovidesthefreedomtobuystatusandconstructyourown
identity.However,thishasshiftedthecompetitivespiritofhumannaturefromthesocialto
thesymbolic,thusperpetuatingasocietyofhyper‐individualismbasedonimagerather
thanaction.Sinceidentityandstatusisprojectedthroughvisualmarkers,itcaneasilybe
spotted,copied,andmass‐produced,makingpossiblewhatFrankreferstoas“hip
consumerism,aculturalperpetualmotionmachineinwhichdisgustwiththefalseness,
shoddiness,andeverydayoppressionsofconsumersocietycouldbeenlistedtodrivethe
ever‐acceleratingwheelsofconsumption”(31).Butisitsocietalexpectationsdefiningthe
modernhipstermythorbusinessculture?
Rothman30
In“DemythologizingConsumptionPractices:HowConsumersProtectTheirField‐
DependentIdentityInvestmentsfromDevaluingMarketplaceMyths,”ZeynepArseland
CraigJ.Thompsondescribehowtheyareactuallyaproductofboth.Whilethetermhipster
wasinitiallyappliedtocontemporarysubculturebythemedia,itsmeaningispropagated
fromseveraldifferentfactors,withaspectsfromboththecommercialpurposesof
marketingagendasaswellasideologicalresponsesfromsocialgroups.Themythicalicon
ofthehipsteremergesinanongoingdialoguebetweenthetwo,whichneverfullycapture
whatitreallymeanstobeahipster,onlybecauseahipsterdoesn’tactuallyexist.
ArselandThompsonconnecttheindiesubculturetothemodernmythofthehipster
andmapitsmoveinthemediaspotlight,fromhiptostigma,overthelasttwodecades
throughapublicnarrativethatbeganin1994:
OnAugust8,1994,thecoverstoryofTimemadedeclarationslike
“Everybody’ship”and“HipnessisbiggerthanGeneralMotors”(Lacayo1994,
48).Suddenly,amainstreamculturalauthoritywasmakingaconnection
betweencounterculturalconsumerismandthelargelydormanthipstermyth.
ThearticlenostalgicallycelebratedtheBeatGenerationastheembodiment
ofthehipstermovements'iconoclastic,anticonformistspirit;itcriticizedthe
commercialmainstreamingofhipnessbybabyboomerconsumerswhoseek
todefytheirmortality;anditposedthequestionthatwouldbecomecentral
insubsequentculturaldialoguesabouthipness:“Ifeveryoneiship…is
anyonehip?”Bytheendofthe1990s,leadingbusinessmediasuchas
Brandweek,Fortune,andtheWallStreetJournalwerealldiscussingthe
Rothman31
hipsterasacommerciallysignificantculturalcategory(Kinsella1999;Lee
1996;Miller1996;Munk1999;Pope1998).Yetlittleagreementexistedon
justwhatthehipsterlabelactuallysignified,beyondbeingahotmarketing
topic.(795)
Theauthorsdescribehowthebloomingindiescenethatwasbeginningtotakerootinthe
mid‐1990’shadgainedenoughgroundbytheendofthedecadethatitsuppliedtheperfect
hostforthehipstericontoinfest,turningwhatwasafreeflowingculturalmovementintoa
mediadictatedphenomenon:“Inadialecticalfashion,indieprovidedaculturalreference
pointthathelpedmarketers(andconsumercultureingeneral)clarifythehipstericonby
objectifyingitthroughconcreteconsumptionpractices”(795).Bytheendofthe90’s,
AmericanApparelandUrbanOutfitters,alongwithseveralothernichemarkets,beganto
respondtothegrowingmassofconsumers,bringingtheindiesubcultureintothepublic
spotlight.Asthelargermanufacturingoutletsbegantoattempttotapintotheburgeoning
groupofconsumersthroughmarketingploys,thehipsterbecamedefinedasthe“cultural
caricature”thatwearesofamiliarwithtoday(796).“…themillennialhipsterincreasingly
cametoberepresentedasanüberconsumeroftrendsandasanew,andrathergullible,
targetmarket[…]thatconsumescoolratherthancreatingit”(796).
Thenegativeconnotationsthatsurfacedfromthisbackandforthdialoguebetween
thesocialworldandthemarketingworldarewhatcreatedthepejorativeimageofhipster
hypocrisyandresultedinasortofmasshipsteria.Nobodywantedtobehipsterbecauseit
hadbeencultivatedintothisimageofamindlessconsumerwithnorealauthenticity.The
indieculturebecameavictimtothelabelingauthorityofmasscultureinawaythat
Rothman32
resemblestheplotfromTheInvasionoftheBodySnatchers.Indiecultureidentityhadbeen
snatched,andanyonethatevenremotelyresembledafree‐thinkingindividualwithan
interestinalternativeculturewasstigmatizedasa“podperson”ofthecapitalistculture,
thusresultinginaparanoidgameoffingerpointingbothfromoutsidetheindiesubculture
aswellaswithinasmembersattempttoprotecttheirculturalcapital.
ArselandThompsonuseBourdieu’stheoreticalmodeltoshowhowthisbattlegets
playedoutastheparticipants“employdemythologizingpracticestoinsulatethefieldof
indieconsumptionfromthestigmatizingencroachmentsofthehipstermythand,indoing
so,protecttheirfield‐dependentcapitalfromculturaldevaluation”(803).Thestudyfound
threewaysinwhichtheparticipantsrespondedtothestigmasimposedonthembythe
commercialfigureofthehipstericonandthatthesemethodsofdemythologization
correlatedwiththeamountofculturalcapitaleachhadvestedintheindiescene.However,
ratherthandefendingthehipsterimage,eachmethodfurtherperpetuatesthepejorative
imageofthehipster.
Thedefenseof“aestheticdiscrimination”nodoubthelpedcultivatetheelitistimage
ofahipster.Thosethatseektolabelthemashipstersareaccusedofbeing“uninformed
outsiderswholackthesophisticationneededtodiscriminatebetweenthesuperficialand
emulativeorientationsofhipstersandthosewhoconsumetheindiefieldwithamoreself‐
directedandrefinedaestheticsensibility”(ArselandThompson799).Inthecasesof
“symbolicdemarcation,”the“scenester”mythisdevelopedasawayofotheringthehipster
iconoutsideofthegroupundersymbolicattack.Boththesemethodsshowhowandwhy
hipstersthemselvesparticipateinthepracticeofmarginalizingthehipsterimage.But
Rothman33
whilethefirsttwodefensesseektoplacethehipsterstereotypeoutsideoftheircultural
group,thethirdstrategyof“proclaiming(mythologized)consumersovereignty”vilifiesthe
peoplewithintheirowngroupashipsters,affirmingthestereotypicalimageswhile
veneratingtheirown“indieconsumptionpracticesasauthenticreflectionsoftheirself‐
directedinterestsandtastes”(801).
Theindiescenewasnotnecessarilyacounterculturalentitywithpolitical
motivationsuntilmassmediaforcedthemtodefendtheirculturalfield,creatingan
atmospherewhereconsumptionbecomesdefinedasactivismratherthanasourceof
pleasure.Byimposingmeaningontothehipsterthroughmassmarketingtactics,society
performsthedutiesofsocialcontrol,helpingtomaintainanysubversivepowerthehipster
maygaininthesocialarena.Butalthoughthisidentifiesthewaysinwhichthepejorative
imageofthehipstercameabout,itsayslittleabouttheculturalclimatethatinfluencedthe
othercharacteristicsthissubculturedemonstrates.Whilemarketingtacticsmayhavesome
pullininfluencingsocialformation,theycannotaccountforallthefeaturesthat
subculturesadopt.Sowhataretheseotherculturalfactorsshapingthehipsteridentity? NostalgicforNostalgiaandOptingintoOptOut
Inlightoftheeconomicandenvironmentalquandariesproducedbyhyper‐
consumerism,peoplearebeginningtoquestiontheconsumerdrivenvaluesystem.The
introductionofthe“whistle‐blowingdocumentary”intopopularculture,suchasAn
InconvenientTruth,SupersizeMe,FoodInc.,Outfoxed,etc.,hasnotonlyinspiredanewwave
ofdistrustforauthorityinAmericansociety,buthasalsobroughtaboutawidespread
awarenessoftheseriousconsequencesofourconsumptionpractices.Likewise,our
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massiveexposuretoinformationprovidedbytheinternet,supplyinganabyssofconflicting
perspectives,furthermuddiesourabilitytodecipheropinionfromfact.Thesefactors
combinedpromoteaneraofheighteneduncertaintyandthisseemstobeasignificant
factoroutsideoftheappealofauthenticityinfluencingtheconsumptionhabitsofthe
modernhipster.Theanti‐capitalistdrivetoconsumeindependently‐producedmusicand
products,the“sweat‐shopfree”threadsofAmericanApparel,andtheDIYreuseofartifacts
aimedforthedumpstercouldverywellindicateanethicalconsumer‐consciousness.
Butmorethanlikely,thehipsterisbetterrepresentedasamanifestationof
nostalgia.Theresurgenceofrecordsandcassettes,thetypewriter,thefixed‐gearbike…all
suggestaluddite‐likelongingforatimewhentheiridentitywassafefromtheclutchesof
“thecultureindustry.”Thelumberjackbeardandred‐and‐blackflannelarereminiscentof
theruggedindividualistofearlyAmericanhistory,wherethenewworldoffereda
landscapeofpossibilities.In“WhatwastheHipster,”MarkGriefnotes,“Womentookup
cowboyboots,thendark‐greenrubberWellingtons,likecountrysquiressesofftovisitthe
stables.”Thesesymbolscomeprepackagedwith“pastoralinnocence,”denotingatimeand
placelongpastifiteverevenexistedatall.
Ithinkit’sasafeassumptiontosaythatAmericansingeneralarenostalgiaholics.
Theentertainmentindustryisabletoreproducethesamestorieswegrewupon,reselling
thefamiliarinafancynewpackage.DespitethepredictablestorylinesIequallyenjoyedthe
recentproductionsofCharlotte’sWeb,TheLion,Witch,andtheWardrobe,andTheBridgeto
Terabithiaasmykids,notduetothequalityofthereproduction,butthefuzzyfeelingsof
whimsythatthefilmselicitedfrommychildhoodmemories.Carebears,MyLittlePonies,
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CabbagePatchKids,Heman,Smurfs…allthe80’siconshavebeenresurrectedoverthelast
decadetotapintoconsumerdesiresoftheGen‐Xer’sbuildingfamiliesoftheirown.The
scrapbookingcultsthatsurfacedinthe2000’shavemovedtothenewtechnological
mediumsofsocialmediasuchasPinterest,Facebook,andInstagram.Wenotonly
rememberthingsintherosy‐glowofnostalgia,butwenowhavewaysofconstructingthese
imagesinsolidform,ourlivesphoto‐shopped,cropped,andassembledinperfection.
However,thereisaloomingthreatofmeaninglessnesspresentinmodernitydueto
ourexpandedworldview.Howcanonebedifferentororiginal,wheneverythinghas
alreadybeendoneandwehaveGoogletoproveit? Weliveinacutandpasteworld,where
literallyeverypossibleidentityisavailableattheclickofamouse.Likewise,itfeelsasifour
identityisunderconstantassault.Howcanoneprotecthisorheridentityinanagewhere
visualexpressionsofselfaresubjecttopublicdomain?Therearenocopyrightlawsfor
taste,andmodernmarketingtacticscapitalizeonthismythofidentitytheft.Likewise,
whileculturejammingcanbeviewedastacticalresourceforanti‐consumeristagendas,it
caneasilybeco‐optedtopromptalternativeformsofconsumption,furtherperpetuating
thisOrwellian‐likestateofparanoia.Weliveinanagethatnotonlypromotesskepticism,
butencouragesustobeskepticalofourownskepticism,andwearesimplynotequippedto
dealwiththisperpetualcycleofdislocation.
InPostmodernism,or,TheCulturalLogicofLateCapitalism,FredricJameson
discussesthelandscapeofthepostmodernterrainclaiming,“Ifwedonotachievesome
generalsenseofaculturaldominant,thenwefallbackintoaviewofpresenthistoryas
sheerheterogeneity,randomdifference,acoexistenceofahostofdistinctforceswhose
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effectivityisundecidable”(6).Inthepostmodernspacewearenotmerelyalienated
anymore,butwehavebecomealienatedfromourownalienation:
Myimplicationisthatweourselves,thehumansubjectswhohappeninto
thisnewspace,havenotkeptpacewiththatevolution;therehasbeena
mutationintheobjectunaccompaniedasyetbyanyequivalentmutationin
thesubject.Wedonotyetpossesstheperceptualequipmenttomatchthis
newhyperspace[…].(Jameson39)
Thuswegetthehipster,theultimateembodimentofpost‐modernidentity,arebelthat
rebelsagainstnothingandeverythingconcurrently.Farmorelostthananylostgeneration,
thehipsteristheexistentialistresponsetoaconfusedmassofinformationanduncertainty.
Itisagenerationofdeconstructionistswithnoideawhattheyaredeconstructing,walking
worksofDerridaliberatedfromauthorialintent.Theyaretextsdisconnectedfromhistory,
whoseoriginalmeaningislostinacacophonyofaimlesspopulism.Likepasthipsters,they
seekthepositionofbeing“intheknow,”butmustconstantlyreshapewhattheyknowin
ordertostayonestepaheadofthe“facelessmasters”thatseektostealthiscapital,and
thusthisknowledgeisephemeral(Jameson17).
Thisfleetingtemporalitycultivatesaconstantstateofnostalgia.Only,asJamison
notes“nostalgiadoesnotstrikeoneasanaltogethersatisfactoryword,”foritportraysa
moresullenandmoroseimage(19).Thisnewnostalgiaismorewhimsical,suchasthe
longingachildmayfeelwhilereadingaboutfairiesandunicorns.Indeeditisimpossibleto
mournathingwhichwasneverhadinthefirstplace.Disconnectedfromourownhistory
andsubmergedinaworldof“simulacrum,”wesenseouralienationwithoutknowingwhat
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wearealienatedfrom.Andasaresponsewe’vebecomeacommunityofartistsattempting
toreconstructthemselves,acollectivedialogueofnarcissism.Itneverreallyoccurredto
mehowabsurdthesocialmediaidentitywasuntilrecentlywhentheFacebook“ALook
Back”videosstartedsurfacingonmynewsfeed.Thisapprandomlypicksphotosfromyour
profileandconstructsahighlyaestheticcommercialofyourlifewiththebackdropofa
nostalgiainducingmelody.AsIwaswatchingthese,Ireallybegantorealizehowweall
enthusiasticallyparticipateinthemyth‐makingdriveofconsumerism.Byconstructing
half‐truthstoputondisplay,we’veuppedtheantefor“keepingupwiththeJones.”We’ve
createdawholeimaginaryworldthatrewardshyper‐individualismoversocialaction.
However,somepeoplearelesscomplicitthanothers,andtheirresponseisbitterirony.
HipDialogue:ParodyorPastiche
Ironysharesmanyoftheconcretecharacteristicsofhip,soit’sfittingthatthe
modernhipsterhasadopteditastheirlanguage.Likehip,ironyisaformofinsidertrade.It
requiresasightofsomethingthatisnotobvioustoeveryone.Whilehipis“toknow,”irony
isthemediumtocommunicatethatknowledge.However,whileironycanbeattributedasa
primecharacteristicofthemodernhipster,theycannotclaimitexclusively.Ironyhas
pervadedeveryaspectofAmericanculturesoextensivelythatithasbecomethenormof
21stcenturydiscourse,permeatingcontemporaryculturetoanextentthatanypersonthat
attemptstopresenthisorherselfwithanyounceofsincerityrunstheriskofbeing
receivedwithskepticism.Sowhatisitaboutmodernitythatrequiresaveilofsatirein
contemporarydiscourse?R.JayMagilltakesupthisquestioninChicIronicBitterness,
suggestingthatitisduetoaneedfordetachmentfromtheshakyrealitiesweface.
Rothman38
Magillclaimsthatironyprovidesatooltocommunicatesincerityinaworldriddled
withmarketingandagenda.Thepopularityofnewssourcessuchas“TheDailyShowwith
JohnStewart”reliesonaskilleduseofsatirein“findingawaytocrediblyandlegitimately
critiqueinanagewhereseriouscritiqueisoftenincredulousorclearlypartisan,where
politicalcynicisminthemindsofmillionsisalwaysandalreadypreparedtodisbelieve
anythingthrownatitdirectly”(Magill27).Magilldubscontemporarycultureasaneraof
“ironicsensibility,”notingtwoprimarymanifestationsofthissocialcharacter(30).There’s
theironiccharacterwhoispoliticallychargedandseekstoconfronthismoraldilemmason
adailybasis.Andthereisirony’sdetachedandindifferenteviltwin:Cool.Whiletheironist
appearstobeapathetic,hisinnerselfisaromantic,longingforabetterworld,andhis
satireismeanttochallengetheworldtoriseuptohisexpectations.Ontheotherhandthe
coolcharacterisfarshallower;ratherthanconfrontingtheworlditretreatsinapathy:
…coolistheresoluteabilitytomaintainacertaincosmopolitandetachment,
tobeunruffled,unmoved;tobecoolistobepoised.Itistoholdoneselfand
tohavetheegointrojectedasamonitoringtoolthatatoncekeepstabsonthe
responsesanddissemblesexteriorities…Theattitudeofcoolhassince
enabledtheself‐managementofemotionallife;coolthusnegotiatesadual
situation:ontheoutsideistheneedtorelatetoothers,andontheinsideis
theneedtomaintaincontroloveremotionssotheyconformtoaccepted
standardsofexpression.(Magill47‐8)
Whilecoolmayhaveoncebeenavirtue,itnowhasnowbeenpervertedbypostmodernity.
ForthosesuchasDizzyGillespieandCharlieParker,evenFredrickDouglass,coolwas
Rothman39
utilizedtocombatstereotypesthatprojectedanimalisticaggression,toriseabovethese
expectationsandrefusetolegitimatethelabelingauthorityofthedominant.Nowcool
servesthestatusquo,demandingaretreatintoapathyinorderto“saveface.”
Whileironymayhaveonceservedasapowerfultoolofrhetoric,asintheworksof
JonathanSwiftorMarkTwain,ithasbeenwatereddownifnoterasedcompletelyinits
currentform.Evenifthehipster’sattemptswerepolitical,intendingtoparodywith
purpose,asJamesonnotes,hisattemptsarenullinpostmodernitydueto“abreakdownin
thesignifyingchain”(26).Disconnectedfrombothsenderandreceiverandliberatedfrom
itshistory,thetextbecomespastiche,a“blankparody,astatuewithblindeyeballs”(17):
“Inthissituation,parodyfindsitselfwithoutvocation;ithaslived,andthatstrangenew
thingpasticheslowlycomestotakeitsplace.Pasticheislikeparody,theimitationofa
peculiarorunique,idiosyncraticstyle,thatwearingofalinguisticmask,speechinadead
language.”(17).However,ifthehipsterrepresentsanemptytext,onethatfailstoportray
anysignificantmeaning,thenhowhasheelicitedsuchanodiousresponsefromhis
audience?
Hipscrimination:NoLabel,NoEntry
Despitetheinnocuousnatureofthehipster,heappearstobenolessoffensive.Yelp
hasdevelopeda“HipsterHeatMap”tohelpconsumersavoidhipsterheavyhangouts,the
iPhoneAppstoreprovidesa“PunchaHipster”appasanoutletforanti‐hipsteraggression,
Diehipster.comprovidesusersaspacetopostpicturesandpublicallyberatethehipsters
theyencounterinthepublic,andarecentpollconductedevenreportedthat“27%ofvoters
saidtheythoughthipstersshouldbesubjectedtoaspecialtaxforbeingsoannoying”
Rothman40
(PublicPolicyPolling).Butinreality,whatdoesitsayaboutus,thatwewouldconsider
supportingan“obnoxioustax,”evenasajoke?
Althoughthesewerenodoubtdevelopedfortheircomediceffect,onehasto
questionthemoralimplicationsofdoingsuchathingafterimaginingitinadifferent
context.Thinkaboutthebacklashthatwouldoccurifthetermhipsterwasreplacedwith
otherhistoricallypejorativetermsrelatedtoraceorsexualorientation.Indeed,hipsters
arevastlydifferentthanthesescenariosinthattheywillinglychoosetheiraesthetic.One
caneasilychangetheirstylewhileraceandsexualorientationaremostdefinitelynot
optional.However,itisamarveltowonderhowhasitbecomesosociallyacceptableto
participateinsuchhatefulpastimes.Withwebsitesdevotedtorewardingpeopleforhipster
bashing,isitanywonderthatwestrugglewiththephenomenonofcyber‐bullyinginpublic
schools?Furthermore,itbegsthequestion,whatissothreateningaboutthehipsterthat
warrantssomuchhostility?
Onereasonthehipsterisfairgameforpublicslanderisduetotheelitistpersona
oftenattributedtothehipsterasshowninthefifthmostpopulardefinitiononUrban
Dictionary:“Ahipsterissomeonewhoissmartenoughtotalkaboutphilosophy,music,
politics,art,etc.withyoualldaylong,butnotsmartenoughtoseehowbigofatools/heis.
Theonlysurefirewaytotellifsomeoneyou'retalkingtois,infact,ahipsteristoaskthem
‘areyouahipster?’Iftheyrespondno,andturntheircasette[sic]playerbackon,youcan
besureyou'redealingwithahipster.”Whilehipstersmaydeclaretheirsuperiorityfrom
thetopofashakytowerofsoapboxes,thereisanothertheorysuggestingthatthereason
hipstersgeneratesomuchanimosityisduetothewaytheyhijacktheirstylesfromother
Rothman41
culturesratherthancreatingtheirown.Inthevideo“AreYouaHipster”postedonYouTube
bythePBSIdeaChannel,theysuggestthathipsterhateisgeneratedfromthefactthat
hipstersmanipulateculturalartifactsthatdon’tbelongtothemandindoingsoappearto
beprofitingfromsomethingthattheyneveractuallyhadtoworkfor:
Thisiswhypeopledrawtheangryspitefullineinbetweenhipstersandother
subcultures.Subcultureslikenerdshavetoworkfortheir“cred”toattain
culturalcapitalwithinthatgroup.Hipstersjustcherrypickthestuffthey
thinkisneat.Peopleseehipstersasdevaluingculturalfashionsbycashingin
ontheircapitalwithoutembodyingtheirmeaning.
InTheSacredandtheProfane:AnInvestigationofHipsters,JakeKinzeysimilarlyvilifiesthe
hipsterasanuninventivecopycat:
[…]itseemsasifnothingtheydoisreallynew[…]Theydecontextualizedand
takefashionsandideasfromculturesthattheyhavelittleknowledgeofto
maketheirlivesinto“aworkofart.”This[…]hasthepeculiareffectof
makingtheir“aestheticlives”intosomethinglikeapostcardofAndy
Warhol'sCampbellSoupCans:acopyofacopy,mass‐producedand
unoriginal.(3)
Reallythough,surethehipstermayresembleawalkingcatalogueofcounterfeit,but
fashionisperhapsthemostcyclicalindustryextant,andeverybodyelseseemstofallinline
accordinglyorsuffertheconsequencesfromnotobeyingthestatusquo.Butwhilethe
majorityofthepopulationseemstobealltoohappytohoponthetreadmillofplanned
obsolescence,thissamemajorityisironicallythecentralvoiceofcondemnation.
Rothman42
WhenIhadheardaboutthe2009conferencesponsoredbyn+1,“Whatwasthe
Hipster?,”Ihadhopedtofindouthowwhatitwasaboutthehipsterthatinspiredsuchan
abhorrentreaction.Unfortunately,asIreadthetranscriptsmyhopesweredashed.The
entirediscussionbecameasortoftrialbyjury,whereeveryoneplayedthedualroleof
defendantandprosecutor.AsRobHorning,amemberofthediscussionnotedinhisarticle
“TheDeathoftheHipster,”everyonethere“hadastakeindefining‘hipster’as‘notme’”
thusresultingina“sputteringconfusion”(80).
Ithinkthathipsterhatemaybeaprojectionofsomethingweseeinourselves.Inits
perfectedform,ironyfunctionsasamirror,revealingtousthethingsthatwedon’tdesire
toopenlyacknowledgeaboutourselves.ThesamewayAModestProposalinspiredshame
forthedecadencethatwasmaskedbyasenseofself‐superioritytowardstheIrish,by
critiquingthehipster,weareforcedtorecognizethatwetooareparticipantsinthesame
shallowgame.Wewishtoseethehipsterasapawnofconsumerism,somethingtowhich
wearetoowisetofallprey,butinjudgingthehipster,wedosowithaninterestin
distancingourselvesfromthe“wrong”kindofconsumption,revealingthatwearemore
investedinthemythologicalcompetitionofstylethanthehipsterhimself.Thus,hipsters
arethescapegoatforeverythingwehateaboutmodernitybecausetheyprovideawalking
reminderofhowwearethecomplicitslavesoflatecapitalism.
Horningappearstopickupontheideathatthehipsterisactuallyanimaginary
construction,appearingtobetheonlypersonwillingtoacknowledgewhatthis
phenomenonmaysayaboutus:
Rothman43
Thehipster,then,istheboogeymanwhokeepsusfrombecomingtoosettled
inouridentity,keepsusmovingforwardintonewfashions,keepus
consumingmore“creatively”anddiscoveringnewthingsthathaven’t
becomelameandhipster.Wekeepconsumingmore,andmorecravenly,yet
thisalwaysseemstoustobethehipster’sfault,notourown.
Theproblemwithcritiquingthehipsterisindoingsoweareactuallyrevealingmoreabout
ourselves.Ifwecritiquetooharshly,thenweconfirmthatwearejustas,ifnotmore,
shallowforgettinghunguponsuperficialsignifiersofmaterialism.
Additionally,thesuggestionintheYouTubevideothatnerdcultureactually
somehowearnsitsrespectmorethanhipstersisjustanothercapitalistdrivenmyth.Arsel
andThompson’sstudyevenmentionedhowthenerdiconwaspittedagainstthehipster
iconinanApplemarketingtactictoappealtothe“cool”crowd:
Apple’shigh‐profile“I’maMacandI’maPC”advertisementswerequickly
andwidelyreadasacompetitivereparteebetweentheuncoolbusinessman
nerdandaprototypicalculture‐savvyhipster(Stevenson2006).Soon,
consumer‐generatedsend‐upsofthiscampaignwerebeingpostedon
YouTubeandothersocialmediasites,generatingconsiderabletraffic.In
theseadparodies,theApplehipsterwasportrayedassuperficial,
narcissistic,pretentious,andindolent,whereasthePCnerdrepresenteda
paragonofcommonsensevirtue,maturity,industriousness,and
imperviousnesstofaddishness.
Rothman44
Myquestionis:Ifnerdsareanti‐trendyandhipstersareanti‐trendy,thenwhotheheckis
buyingalltheiPhones?Itjustgoestoshowalltheenergywastedinourcultureontrivial
nonsense.Furthermore,althoughhipsterdiscriminationisunarguablyfarmore
insignificantthansomeofthemoreseriousformsofprejudiceinherentinsociety,it
neverthelessdeservesourscrutiny,ifnotforthereasonthatittrivializesbigotry,thenfor
itsmisdirectionanddistractionfromthemorepressingconcernsthatexistinoursociety.
Part3:ChristianHipstermentalism—ARebelwithaCause
“Therearenofacts,onlyinterpretations.”
―FriedrichNietzsche
IfIhavesuccessfullyestablishedthatthehipsterisaparadoxicalandweird
phenomenon,IthinkthatitissafetoassumethattheideaofahipsterChristiantakesthis
weirdnesstoawholenewlevelofstrange.Ineverreallyhadanystrongopinionsabout
hipstersorhipsterChristiansforthatmatter.BeingasocialchameleonIhadcometobe
acquaintedwithseveralmembersofbothgenresandneitherstylenorChristeverreally
dominatedanyoftheconversation.SoIalwaysjustviewedthemasregularpeople,doing
theregularthingsthatpeopledo.Thatis,untilonenightIwasknockedoutofmystateof
oblivion.WhilehavingabeeratalocalpubwithsomefriendsIhappenedtonoticeatthe
tableofhipstersnexttous,theywereconsultingtheirbibleswhiledrinkingtheirbrews.
JustthenitstruckmejusthowbizarrethiswholehipsterChristianthingwas.Wasthis
stagedirony?Weretheytryingtomakeastatement?Theyjustappearedtobearegular
groupoffriendsenjoyingsomelight‐heartedconversation.ButIcouldn’tstopthinking,
“WhatiswiththeBibles?”
Rothman45
Thereissomethingveryunsettlingaboutthispostmoderndisruptionofthesign.
Thissuspensionofmeaningmakesithardforonetoevaluatesituationsandhasawayof
renderingyoumotionless.Leadersonallsidesofthepoliticalspectrumarestrugglingwith
theparadoxesofpostmodernity,eitherbyarguingfor“backtobasics”campaignsormore
progressiveidealsofchange.Butregardlessofideologicalaffiliation,everyoneseemsto
agreewiththegeneralconsensusthatshiftingtimesareindeeduponus.Politicalsways
overthelastdecadeseemtosuggestthatAmericansocietyisshiftingtoamoreliberal
outlook,specificallyinregardtosame‐sexmarriage.WiththerecentremarksofPope
Francis,Ithinkit’ssafetoassumethateventhetraditionalinstitutionofreligionis
respondingtothisculturalclimate.Couldthehipchurchesspringingupacrossthenation
beanothersignthatthefundamentalistsectorsofreligionisalsolettinglooseonsomeof
itscentraldogmas?
InHipsterChristianity:WhenChurchandCoolCollide,BrettMcCrackensurveysthe
tophipsterchurchesinthecountryandexploreshowcontemporarychurchesnavigatethe
postmodernterrainaskingthecentralquestion"whetherornotChristianitycanbe,or
shouldbe,oris,infact,cool"(12).Hediscussesthemainproblemsthatarisewiththe
mergingofthechurchandthehipsterthatnotonlyrevealtheparadoxicalweirdnessofthis
wholephenomenon,butthecomplicatedissuesthattraditionalreligionfacesinasociety
rampantwithruggedindividualism.AsI’vepointedoutinpreviouschapters,hipis
groundedinideasofliberty,civildisobedience,andindividuality,anditisverymuch
vestedinthematerialworld.Christianityseekstotranscendtheegoandworldlyconcerns
whilehipstersaregroundedintheselfandculturalcapital.Italsopromotesvanityand
pride,featuresthatreallyhavenoplaceinareligioussetting.Anotherproblematicaspect
Rothman46
ofmeldingculturewithreligionisthathipmoveswiththeculturalcurrents,andthis
ephemeralqualityisaseriousthreattovaluesgroundedintradition.
Thecombiningofcultureandreligionisafairlynewphenomenon.Upuntilabout
1970,fundamentalismwasquitecomfortableinthesquaresphereofsociety,takingastand
againstthemoraldegeneracyitsawinthebeatandhippiesubcultures.Butbytheendof
the60’s,Christianleadersbegantomirrorthemovementsofconsumercapitalism,
interestedinfindingwaystoreachouttocounterculturalyouthmovements:
Sincearound1970,theideaofcoolChristianityhasinsomewaysreoriented
thewayevangelicalsgoaboutthebusinessofbeingevangelical.Theyno
longerfocusonbeingsafeandprotectedfromculture,butbeinginculture—
relevanttoit,savvyaboutit,privytowhat’s“in,”andtotallycomfortable
withcool.(McCracken76)
Inmanywaystheidealismoftheeraprovidedfertilegroundfortheemergingchurchto
takeroot;manyhippiesdisenchantedwiththeemptyhedonismofthesex,drugs,androck‐
n‐rolllifestylewouldseekrefugeinthepurposethatthegospeloffers.Equally,forthose
facingthethreatofutternihilisminthebleakendofaneraofoptimismandpossibility,
jadedbytheColdWarandthefailuresoftheanti‐warmovement,theassassinationsoftwo
ofthemostadoredpublicfiguresinAmericanhistory,riots,Cubanmissilethreats,etc.,
Christianityofferedastrandofhope.
McCrackendescribeshowahippieoutreachprogramthatbeganincoffeeshop
knownasTheLivingRoomwouldsowthebeginningsofChristianityinpopculture.The
JesusPeopleMovementsuppliedthehumblebeginningoftheChristianmusicindustry
Rothman47
whichbeganasnon‐profitin1971,butwouldbethoroughlycommoditizedbythe1980’s.
Likewise,moreandmoreevangelicalleadersbegantoactivelypursuecoolintheinterests
ofappealingtoyouthcultureduringthe80’sand90’signitinga“PurposeDriven,
megachurch,seeker‐sensitivezeitgeist”intheChristiancommunitythatwouldeventually
drivemanymembersaway(88).Inthearticle“HipsterFaith,”McCrackendescribesthis
kamikazecoursefromChristtokitschintheChristianEvangelicalyouthmovement:
…evangelicalisminthe'90shadafirmlyestablishedyouthculture,builton
theinfrastructureofalucrativeChristianretailindustryandcommercial
subculture.HugeChristianrockfestivals,Lord'sGymT‐shirts,WWJD
bracelets,LeftBehind,andsoforth.Itwasbigbusiness.Itwascorporate.It
wasschlockykitsch.Anditwasbeggingtoberebelledagainst.(26)
Muchlikesecularsociety,Christiansbecamewisetotheruseofcommoditycapitalism,and
begantogrowwearyoftheemptyandartificialspinofthe“quicksell.”Butwhilethebig
businessofChristianitymaysupplyanoutletfortheanti‐establishmentaspectof
hipsterdom,itstilldoesn’tdescribeitsalluretosecularsociety.Whilethisrebelliousaspect
mayappealtothosealreadywithintheChristiancommunity,itstilldoesn’tseemtobe
edgyenoughtoappealtosecularoutsiders.Sohowdoesthechurchcontinuetotapinto
secularculture?
IamtheWay,theTruth,andtheLife…ofaHipster?
I’vebeguntorealizethathipstersandChristiansactuallyhavealotincommon.The
originalideaofbeingable“tosee”or“toknow,”canbeeasilytranslatedtowisdomthat
Christiansclaimtoprofess.InmanywaysChristianitycanbereadasanexclusivepractice.
Rothman48
Thesimplequestion“Areyousaved?”automaticallydenotesaninsider/outsiderness
quality,implyingthatthepersonaskingalreadyhasaccesstoaprivilegedposition.Then
again,consideringthatit’sopenlyavailabletoanyonethat’sinterested,shouldn’titfailto
producetherebelliousallurethathiphastooffer?Anditseemsthattheconservative
aspectsofChristianitywouldbeamajorturn‐offtotheseculardesiresofahipster.
Furthermore,thehipsterissomeonewhowantstodifferentiatehimselffromthecrowd,to
beatrendsetternotafollower.Sohowdoyougoaboutconvincingthemtojointhepack‐
mentalityofthechurch?
McCrackendescribeshowtheemergentchurchisnotonlychangingitsimage,but
alsoco‐optingsecularvaluestoappealtoawideraudience.Givingasurveyofthetophip
churchesinthecountryheidentifiessomecommonmarkersthatareappealingtoa
postmodernoutlook:
Theemergingchurchdisdainsrigid,systematizedwaysoflookingatthings.
Itloathesmostofthetwentiethcentury’smostsignificant“isms,”including
fundamentalism,foundationalism,ethnocentrism,totalitarianism,fascism,
consumerism,andsoon.Infact,theideathatlifecanbereducedtoor
understoodthroughany“ism”isessentiallywhattheemergingchurch
(ironically,undertheguidanceofpostmodernism)rebelsagainst.Isms
representthehegemony,“theman.”Theyrepresentuncheckedpowerand
dangerouslyreductiveideologicalinfluence.Andforemergents,
contemporaryevangelicalismisoneoftheworstoffenders.(136)
Rothman49
Thisaspectnotonlyaddressestheskepticisminherentintoday’sculture,butshowshow
theemergingchurchisabletoco‐optsecularvalues.
Withthisfreedom,churchleadersareabletorevampthechurchtoappealtothis
rebelliousaspectofyouthculture.Thesecondmostprominentcharacteristicinthe
emergingchurchisthatChristianityismadeouttobe“edgierandlesssafe”(137).This
materializesaspaintingJesusastheoriginalrebelagainsttheestablishmentorusing
shockingrhetoricinthesermons.However,intheemergentchurchthiscaneasilycrossthe
boundarybetweenhotandnotifnotdonecarefully.McCrackenhasachapteron“wanna‐
behipchurches”thatlosetheirappealintryingtoohardtobehipeither“withskateparks
andbowlingalleysinsidetheir“Xtreme!”youthgroupbuildings”orthefortysomething‐
year‐oldpastorssportingclothesfromHotTopic(179).Justlikeinsecularculture,hiphas
toappearnaturaloritlosesitsappeal.Hipneverhastoactivelyrecruititsfollowers;itjust
simplydoessobynaturalconsequence.Thisappearstobeahighlyproblematicaspectfor
religiousinstitutionsinterestedincooptinghiptodrawinnewmembers.Ifgoingoutand
“spreadingthegoodnews”ismarkedastabooevenbyitsownmembers,howisitthatthey
canhopetogrowtheircongregation?
GuerillasforGod?
OneofthemostintriguingaspectsoftheSojournersisthatyouwouldneverknow
thattheywereChristiansunlessyouaskedthemoutright.It’snotasiftheyareashamedof
theirfaith,theyjustdon’tchoosetorubitineveryone’sfacesortrytoconvertevery
“heathensinner”theymeet.TheSojournersreflectalotofthechangesinrhetoricthat
McCrackendescribesinhisbook.“Christianhipsterscringeatmegachurches,altarcalls,
Rothman50
anddoor‐to‐doorevangelism”andtheyaredoingeverythingtheycantoseparate
themselvesfromthatimage(McCracken88).Theoutcomeisthattheyappeartobemuch
moretolerantandlessjudgmentalofsecularsociety.Thisisoneofthewaysthatthe
hipsterchurchreallyreflectsapostmoderninfluence.They’verecognizedthatsocietyisfar
toocomplicatedtorelyonsimplebinaries:
Emergentsdonotlikebinaries.Theideathatsomethingmustbethisorthat,
andcannotbeboth,troublesthem.AgreatfaultofmodernChristianity,they
argue,liesinitsemphasisoncertainbinaries:invs.out,sacredvs.secular,
goodvs.evil,andsoon.Thoughintruth,binariesmaysometimesexist,they
areneverasblack‐and‐whiteasmodernitymakesthemouttobe.Thus,while
manyemergentsacknowledgeadistinctionbetweenChristianandnon‐
Christian,theyareveryreticenttoassumeanysortoffinaljudgmentasto
howorwherewecandrawsuchadistinction.Theiremphasisisnotonwho
issavedorunsaved,inorout,butratheronthetransformingpowerofthe
gospelforeveryone.(McCracken141)
Similarly,theSojournersseektoco‐existwiththecommunitiestheyinhabit.Inthearticle
“SmellsLikeHolySpirit,”StephenGeorgereportsthatthepastorsatSojournare“tryingto
createanewchurchmodel,onealittlelighteronthewholesacred/seculardichotomy.”In
“SouthernBaptistNumbersDip”PeterSmithreportsthat“thechurchusessuchthingsas
artexhibitsandneighborhoodoutreachtomeetpeoplebecause‘we[Sojourn]don'texpect
everyonetocomeintoachurchservice’‘It'snotaboutbeingcoolorhiporanything,it's
aboutbeingrelevantandreal,’hesaid.” Rememberthefirstruleof“FightClub,”Sojourn
Rothman51
seemstooperateinaneerilysimilarmanner.In“HolyRock‐n‐Rollers,”JosephLordreports
thatfrom2006to2008,the930ArtCenter,ownedandoperatedbySojournCommunity
Church,hostedawiderangeofmusiciansconsisting “notonlylocalbandsbuttohigh‐
profileacts,too.”But,thisisnothingliketheChristianpseudo‐rockconcertsofthe90’s,not
onlybecausethemusiciansandartistsconsistofbothChristiansandsecularists,butalso
becausenobodyactivelyengagesinrecruitingnewmembersattheevents.Theorganizers
oftheshowsclaim“thatmembersoftheirrespectivechurcheswill‐andhave‐discussed
Christianitywithcuriousconcertgoers,butonlywhenapproachedwithquestions”(Lord).
SoisthiscovertChristianityandguerillamarketing,orjustasignofemergingtolerance?
ThisistheGospelAccordingtoHip
WhileSojournleadersinsistthattheyhave“nounderhandedploystogainnew
members,”itneverthelessappearstobeworkingforthem(Lord).Thisseemstobeone
waythattheemergingchurchiscopingwithculture’sinterestsinindividuality.Rather
thanexpectingculturetochangeinrespecttothegospel,theysimplyinfuseChristinto
everyaspectoflife:
“Christians,andpeopleingeneral,havethetendencytocompartmentalize
theirlives;'Ihavemyworkoverhere,Ihavechurchoverhere,mysociallife
overhere,'"Janes,abearded,bespectacledmemberofSojourn,saidwhile
nursingacupofcoffeeatSunergos."WebelievethatGodissovereignoverall
ofthosethings.Thatincludesart,musicandentertainment.Thereasonwe
celebratecreativityincultureisbecauseGodhimselfisthecreator.He
createdusinhisimage;itsaysthatinfirstbookofGenesis.Therefore,weare
Rothman52
inherentlycreativepeople,soweliketocelebratethatcreativitythroughart
andmusic."(Lord)
Thisreallyisn’tanynewidea.WhenIwasapracticingCatholic,everymassendedwitha
remindertoletChristinfluenceouractionsintheworld.Thenagain,thisseemsinherently
differentbecauseit’snotonlyaboutlettingtheGospelguideyouractions,butitsomehow
transferseveryindividualactionasadirectexpressionofGod.Thisishowsecularculture
issoeasilyadoptedbytheHipsterChurch,becauseregardlessofcontent,italwayspoints
backtoGod.Therefore,religiousmembersareallowedtosharethevaluesofsecular
society.
McCrackendescribeshowjustlikehipsters,Christianslongforauthenticityintheir
lives.Likemuchofsecularsociety,theChristianhipstermentalistshatetheworksof
ThomasKincade.“ForChristianhipsters,Kinkaderepresentsmuchofwhatiswrongwith
Christianart…Hispaintingsarejustsohappyandnaiveandfake”(McCracken162).
HipsterChristiansarelessfrightenedby“worldly”things.Theydon’twishtobemindless
followersofthefaith,buttoactivelythinkabouttheirrelationshipwithGodandtheir
purposeinthisworld.Theyrecognizethatevensecularartcanbethoughtprovokingand
didactic,andlikelife,“artismessyandmorallycomplicated”andmayhelpuswork
throughthesedilemmas(163).AndthisisareasonwhySojournissoappealingin
Louisville’scommunity,becausetheyhaveco‐optedmanyofthesecularvaluesofurban
societyandconvertedtheminawaythatappreciatespeoplefortheir“God‐given”talent.
SoasGeorgenotes“theappropriatequestionisnotwhetherthey’reactivelytrying
toconvertpeople—it’swhethertheyhaveto.”Whatstartedoutin2000asasmallgroup
Rothman53
offriendsmeetingweeklyinaBardstownRoadapartmenthasturnedintoamulti‐campus
mega‐church.Infact,thecongregation“quadrupledinsize,from300orsotomorethan
1,200”inthe2yearspriortothepublishingofthisarticlein2008.Inthe2012article“New
CalvinismfindsSouthernBaptistfans”PeterSmithreportsthatSojournCommunityChurch
“hasbecomeKentuckiana'snewestlargechurch,withattendanceapproaching3,000at
fourcampusesinLouisvilleandSouthernIndiana.”
ButSmithalsoreportedin2010in“ReluctantMegachurch”thatSojournhadnever
intendedtobecomesolarge:
‘Wewereagainst“TheMan,”’recalledleadpastorDanielMontgomery."Most
ofourvisionsof'large'werechurchesthatwereprimarilydrivenby
attendance,building,cash."NotthatSojourndidn'twanttoreachpeople.But
thetwentysomethingsworshippinginrentedspacesaroundtheHighlands
figuredtheywouldgrowto150members‐‐250tops‐‐andthensubdivide,
startingnewchurcheselsewhere.
Butotherthanaligningthemselvesas“anti‐establishment”andheavilyvestingthemselves
inthelocalartandmusicscene,Sojournhasmanagedtogaininpopularitybecauseoftheir
willingnesstopracticewhattheypreach.AsMcCrackennotes:
[…]activismfitsperfectlyintothehipstervaluesystem:ofalwaysbeing
activeandfightingsomefoe(whetherit’s“theman”orthescourgeofworld
poverty).Christianhipstersarenodifferent.Adefiningcharacteristicofthe
newgenerationofcoolyoungChristiansisthattheyareaggressivelyonthe
Rothman54
sideofactivism,ofsocialjustice,ofgettingtheirhandsdirtytoserveothers
andhelptheworld[…].(148)
Likethemanycompaniesofferingneworganicand“green”productsinresponsetothe
culturalclimate,Sojournhastappedintotheenvironmentalistaspectofourzeitgeist.
Nevertheless,thequestionremains;areallthesechangesthatSojournandotherhipster
churchessuggestingaveertowardsaNewChristianLeft?Oraretheyjustcosmetic?
BuyerBeware
Whilesomeemergingchurchesareadoptingmoreprogressiveandliberalviews,
McCrackenreportsthattheyarestillthevastminority,buthedoessuggestthat“thedawn
ofanewpoliticaleraforevangelicalsmaycomesoonerthanyouthink”(160).However,
thisnewemphasisofsocialjusticeandactivismcouldhaveaverypositiveimpacton
society.Onefellowcommunitymemberwhodoesn’tnecessarilyagreewithSojourn’sbelief
systemvoicesthatshegenerallyseesthemasapositiveforceinthecommunity:
“ButIdoappreciatetheindividualsthereandthattheytrytoactuallyfollow
Jesuswhenitcomestopoorpeople,theelderlyandcommunitybuilding.
Theyworkvery,veryhardonneighborhoodprojects.Idon’thaveaproblem
withthefacttheyareinmyneighborhood,andI’veworkedonlotsof
projectswithSojournpeopleoutsideofthechurchandfindthem
enthusiasticandhelpful.”(George)
Byplantingthemselvesintherun‐downcommunities,Sojournhasdonemuchinrespectto
urbanrenewal.Andmanyoftheirmemberspurposelyrelocatetotheseareassotheyare
Rothman55
fullyvestedintheworktheydo.Regardlessofthispositiveimage,noteveryonesharesthis
enthusiasmaboutSojourn’spresenceinthecommunity.
Despitetheiredgylook,Sojournisactuallyverymuchontheconservativeendinthe
hipsterchurchmovement.AsGeorgewrites“Initspurestform,SojournisaSouthern
Baptistchurch,andthemessagehereisnotaparticularlyprogressiveone.Pastorscounsel
astrictadherencetoscripture,whichmeansabortionismurder,menarethenatural‐order
leadersandhomosexualityisasinfromwhichgaysneedtobeconvertedandredeemed.”
Althoughthesefeelingsmaynotbeopenlyexpressedinthepublic,theydoinfactstillexist
withinthechurchcommunity.AsSmithreports“Sojournpractices‘churchdiscipline,’
meaningthatmembersandelderscalloneanothertoaccountfortheirsins”and“The
church'soppositiontosexualactivityoutsideofmarriagestandsoutbothinthearts
communityinwhichit'sinvolvedandinthesurroundingneighborhoodswithlargegay
populations.”Inaninterview,theheadpastorandco‐founderoftheSojournCommunity
Church,“saidit'samatterofbiblicalprinciple,justasthechurchpreachesagainstangeror
consumerism”:
"Weareallbrokensexually,"hesaid."Thecallisgoingtobethesameforall
people‐‐faithinChrist,faithandrepentance.Ibelievechurchesthatdon't
communicatewhattheBiblebelievesabouthumansexualityinrelationship
tosame‐sexattractionandrelationshipsaren'tcommunicatingthewhole
gospel.Theyaren'tcommunicatingthatchangeispossible."(Smith)
Rothman56
Theirconservativeviewsalsoadheretostrictidealsofthetraditionalgenderroles,both
withinandoutsideofmarriage.Womenarenotallowedleadershiproles,whichmembers
say“thishaspromptedsomepeopletoleave,butothersembraceit”(Smith).
ThearticleintheLEOstirredalotofcontroversyinLouisvilleandforgoodreason.
TheSojournerstrulybelievethatgaypeoplecanbe“changed”throughthehealingpowers
ofChrist.However,whilethisdoesstrikeachordinmeduetothepotentialbigotryand
discriminationthatthispromotes,theydohaveaninterestingpointaboutdiversityand
tolerance.In“ErosiaXtra,”aresponsetotheLEOarticle,oneSojournpastorwrites: Theriveroftoleranceanddiversityflowsbothways.Wewanttoliveatpeace
withthiscity—withthosewhoagreeanddisagreealike.Onlywhenwe’re
abletogetpastpolemicandstarttoconversewithpeople,realpeoplenot
stereotypes,willwebeabletohavethatkindofpeace.Onlywhenwe’re
readyandwillingtoliveatpeacewithpeoplewedisagreewithwillwebe
abletobuildabetter,richercity.
Societyisacomplexplace,andaveryevidentresultofthiscomplexityisthehipster
Christian.AsMcCrackenwrites,“Theyaretornbetweentheveryliberal,humanistic
impulsesofacademiaandprogressivecultureononehandandsomewhatarchaic,
inescapablyold‐schoolChristianvaluesontheother”(101).Wheredoyoudrawtheline
betweenchurchandculture,especiallywhenculturalcuesareindirectoppositionofthe
fundamentaldogmasofthechurch?
Rothman57
ReligiousJenga:WhichBlockstoKeep
CulturehasobviouslyhadabigimpactontheemergentEvangelicalchurchbutit
seemstoresideinthecosmeticforthemostpart.Theemergentchurchappearstofashion
itselflikeahipster,cherry‐pickingtraditionalvaluesandcombiningitwithculture,
producingsomemonstrouscombinationofbricolageandpastiche.WhileIrespectthat
Sojournershavetheirownopinion,indeedIamgratefultoliveinacountrythatallows
religiousfreedom,Iamskepticalaboutthefactthattheycanallowsomuchrestructuring
intheirinstitutionandyetnotallowforchangeinthevaluesthatdiscriminatebasedonsex
andgender.WhyisitthattheycanchoosetothrowoutLeviticus19:28,"Donotcutyour
bodiesforthedead,anddonotmarkyourskinwithtattoos"yetkeepEphesians5:22
"WivesshouldbesubordinatetotheirhusbandsastotheLord"?
PerhapsthemostbafflingaspectofthehipsterChristianishoweducated,
progressivemindedwomenvoluntarilysubmittoinstitutionsthatseektosilencethem.I
thinkthispointstotheoptoutresponseofahipsterandthedangersofnostalgia.In
HomewardBound:WhyWomenAreEmbracingtheNewDomesticity,EmilyMatcharargues
thatthegrowingdisenchantmentwithlate‐capitalismiscausingalongingforasimpler
lifestyleandinfluencingwomentoengageinanunusualformofrebellion:domesticity.
Matcharclaimsthat“theemergenceofthehipsterhomemaker”ispartlyaresponsetoour
shakyeconomicconditions,butalsoduetothefailuresofthewomen’srightsmovementto
promoteinstitutionalreform.“Thingsweresupposedtobedifferent…Feminismraised
women'sexpectationsforcareersatisfactionbutthelargerculturedidn'triseuptomeet
theseexpectations.Infact,Americancultureatlargehasfailedworkingmothers”(162).
Matcherclaimsthatmanyurbancareerwomenarerealizingalltheunnecessaryworkthey
Rothman58
dojusttokeepupwithconsumptionhabitsandare“Rejectinganall‐consumingwork
cultureinfavorofslowpacedo‐it‐yourselfinfusedstay‐at‐homewives”(159).
InmanywaysChristianitycanalsobeviewedasaformofoptingout.Droppingout
ofthemainstreamismerelyonestepclosertogivingeverythingovertoGod.WhileIcan
understandthecomfortthat’savailableinthefaiththat“everythinghappensforareason,”
thereareveryharmfulaspectsofthisretreat.Thedeterminismthatfundamentalist
religionencouragesdisplacespersonalresponsibility andcanpromotecomplacencyinthe
faceofinjustice;likewise,ifsomeonebelievestheyareactingvirtuously,determinism
allowsthemtorecognizeitasdivineinfluence.Thiswouldbefine,butinthecaseswhere
homosexualityandfemaleempowermentareseenassins,it’sjustasmallstepawayfrom
justifyingactssuchashatecrimeordomesticviolence.WhileSojournhasneverdisplayed
anyofthishostility,onemustaddressthatthispossibilityexistsconsideringthatitthey
operateunderthesamementalitythathelpedinfluenceoperationssuchastheKKK.
AsJamisonnotes“ahistorylessonisthebestcurefornostalgicpathos”(156).We
mustnotallowtherosyveilofromanticismhidethemistakeswe’vemadeinthepast.
Whiletheremaybeaurgentnecessitytoreevaluateourwayoflifeinlightoftheself‐
imposedholocaustthatweseemtobetriggeringbyourconsumptionhabits,weneedto
recognizethatshoppingatthriftstoresormakingourownsoapisnotgoingtoinspirethe
amountofchangethatisrequiredtoundothemesswe’vemadewithmodernism.Opting
outrequiresapositionofprivilegetooptoutof,andunlessweaddressthestructures
reinforcingthissystemthatweareunhappywith,wecanneverhopetochangeanything.
Rothman59
HoweverIdothinkthatSojournhasprovidedproofthatpeoplewanttobeinvolved,
andallthatmayberequiredisaspaceforpeopletocometogetherandalittleguidance.
Sojournhasshownwaysinwhichwecanpromotecommunityactivismandmaybethekey
tofiguringouthowtoinspireanewwaveofpositivesocialchangeininourgeneration.
But,Iwouldliketostressthatthiscannotoccurifwecontinuetosupportideologiesthat
servetodiscriminateandmarginalizepeopleonunfairgrounds.Ifreligiousgroupssuchas
Sojourncanchoosetodeconstructscriptureandinterpretitinwaysthataremorerelevant
inmodernity,thentheyshouldreallyreassesstheharmfulpracticestheychoosetouphold.
Conclusion
“Wherethereisnohope,itisincumbentonustoinventit.”
―AlbertCamus
Thisprojectbeganasanattempttoredeemthathipster.Forme,therewas
somethingverydisconcertingabouttheabsolutistresponsetothissubcultureandIhad
hopedtouncoversomehiddenvirtueinthehipster,aseedlingofhopesproutinginthe
wastelandsofmodernsociety,somesignthatwemaybefarlessdamnedthanpredictedby
T.S.Elliot.Regrettably,whatIfoundwasthatthehipsterisamaterializationofasickness
presentinpostmodernity.Ifpeoplelookbackatthisageandreadboththehipsterand
hipsterhateasatext,Ithinktheywillseeasocietyfarmoreconsumedbyhypocrisythan
anyCanterburyTale.Thehipstersandthehatersaretwosidesofadouble‐edgedsword
slicingawayatamythicalassailant.Unfortunatelyitappearsthatthedialecticofclass
strugglehasbeenreplacedbythefarmoresuperficialdialecticofconsumption.
However,whilethehipstermaynotbeanysignificantchampionforsocialprogress,
heisnotwithoutvirtue.Whiletheelitiststanceofthehipstermaybeslightlyhypocritical,
Rothman60
itneverthelesshasinspiredanewwaveofhealthyconsumerism.They’vehelpeddefraythe
tabooofthriftshoppinganddumpsterdivingwhichpromotesconservationism.Their
ambitionforauthenticityhasbroughtconsumersbacktothelocal‐basedeconomy,which
hasseveralbeneficialfactors.Itsignifiesthereturnofsomethingwe’velostincapitalist
culture.Thebarterandtradeofthelocalmarketisanopportunitybecomegroundedin
community,somethingwhichisverymuchabsentinthefreefloatingsuspensionof
postmodernity.Likewise,theenvironmentalbenefitsofshoppinglocalareextremely
importantintheageofclimatechange,airpollution,“plasticislands,”oilspills…
Additionally,hipstershaveprovidedanaestheticthatchallengestraditionalroles
thatarenotsohealthyinpromotingequality.Thehipsterfemaleportraysamore
intellectualappearanceforwomenandgivesyounggirlstheoptiontoopt‐outofthebubble
gumbrandingthatseemstobeginatanearlieragewitheachpassingdecade.WhenIwas
growingup,brandsdidn’tbecomeanimportantfactoruntilIreachedmiddleschool,
whereasJusticeandBobbyJackbegantoshowuponmydaughters’Christmaslistsbyage
six.Nowthatthey’veenteredmiddleschoolVictoria’sSecret“Pink”andAeropostalehave
becomethecommonrequestsandthehipsterprovidesmeawaytodirectmygirlsaway
fromsuperficialstylesthatportraywomenassexobjects.Similarly,the“hipsterfem”
aestheticdonnedbymenhaschallengedtraditionalnormsofmasculinityandhasopened
thepossibilityfortolerance,particularlyinrespecttotheLGBTcommunity.
However,therearealsomanyproblematicaspectsthatwemustaddressaswell.
Theproblemwithcountercultureisthatitrecognizesaproblem,butfailstoproducean
answerotherthanoptingout.Inordertooptout,youhavetobepositiontooptoutfrom,
Rothman61
whichdenotesprivilege.Whileahipstermayshoplocalorpurchaseorganic,thefactofthe
matterremainsthatsincethe60’s,antimaterialismhasbeenlatecapitalism’sbiggestcash
cow.Furthermore,mostpeopledon’thavetimetogrowtheirownvegetablesortheincome
toshoplocal,andbyoptingoutofthemassmarket,thehipsterjustcreatesanalternative
marketthatcultivateselitismandfailstorecognizetheunderlyingstructuralproblems.By
thesametoken,thehipsterlifestylepromotesafalsesenseof“do‐gooder‐ness”inits
practitionersthatallowsthemtoignoresomeofthemorepressingissueswefacein
modernity.Whiletheymaypromotehealthierconsumptionhabits,inrealityitismoreofa
latentcauseandthusmorecloselyrelatedtothe“slactavist”modelthat’sbecomeatrendin
ourculture.Justlikethepinkribbonsforbreastcanceror“liking”acharityonsocialmedia,
whilethismayhelpraiseawareness,itessentiallydoeslittleinrespecttosocialactionand
iscounter‐productiveinthefactthatitsuppliesthefalsesensethatitdoes.
Additionally,weneedtorecognizetheimaginarythreatofidentitytheftandrather
thanrunningfromthisinvisibleassailantbyrecreatingourselvesweneedtomeetithead
onandrecreatetheworldinstead.WhiletheclassconsciousnessthatMarxcalledforcould
havebeeneffectiveatsomepointintheearlystagesofcapitalism,thisisnolongerthecase.
Capitalismhasevolvedfasterthanwecankeepup.Forthemostpart,oppressionhas
movedoutofoursightintothethirdworld,andthefactthatlivelihoodsdependuponthe
submissiontotheglobalizedeconomyisoneexampleofhowcolonialismhasevolvedwith
it.Justbecauseslaveryisnolongerenforcedbyawhipdoesn’tmeanthatitnolonger
exists.Thewhiphasmerelybeenreplacedbythethreatofstarvationanduntilwe
recognizeourownplaceonthetopofthissocialhierarchy,changecannotoccur.
Rothman62
ButthismissionisnottobeconfusedwiththetraditionalaimsofMarxism.As
Jamesonnotes,“capitalismisatoneandthesametimethebestthingthathashappenedto
thehumanrace,andtheworst”(47).Whatweneedtodoisfurtherdevelopthishipability
“tosee”andutilizeittopromotepositivesocialchange.ThisvisioniswhatJamesonrefers
toasa“cognitivemapping”andisanattemptto“renewtheanalysisofrepresentationona
higherandmuchmorecomplexlevel”(51).InLacanianterms,it’sarevisionofthe
“symbolicorder”thatreconnectsusto“theReal,”amendingof“thesignifyingchain”that
hasbeenbrokenbypostmodernity(26).Onlythenwillwegaintheabilitytoseethrough
the“hystericalsublime”thatenvelopeseverydaylife(34).
Ifasimplerlifeiswhatwelongfor,thenweneedtooptinforchange,ratherthan
optingouttoserveourselves.Religioncouldbeapowerfultoolforpromotingpositive
socialchange,buttherefusaltogiveupharmfulcustomshurtssocietyratherthanhealsit.
Poststructuralismhasopenedthepossibilitytocreatenewmeaning,butwiththiscomes
greatresponsibility.Bothreligionandrationalismhaveservedascatalystsforthemost
egregiousatrocitiesinhumanhistory.Butwemustn’tallowthistoprohibitusfrom
movingforward;normustwefallintorelativisttraps.Ibelieveboththehipsterandthe
Christianhavemuchtoteachaboutsocietyandaboutourselves.Thehipsterisasymbolof
thelibertyandautonomywehaveinforgingourownidentity.IntheChristiantherecanbe
hopeforcommunity.Weneedtofindaplaceinthemiddle,betweenheadandheart,and
hopefullycreateabetterfuturewithouttakingoureyeoffthepast.Thefactofthematteris
thatweareallhipstersinsomeway,shape,orform,anduntilweacceptthis,we’redoomed
toremainintheperpetualcycleofpostmodernity.
Rothman63
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