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diligent — and, therefore, better — than that of their "nonhipster"
counterparts.
The three most widely cited hipster flaws are, in fact, signs
of vibrant cultural consumption:
• Elitism. As the previous answers make clear, hipster taste
tends toward the obscure. Almost every question pertaining
to hipsters includes a jab at their penchant for liking
things that "you haven't heard of." But did you ever
consider that this perspective might be a result of your
shortcomings, not theirs? I can guarantee that hipsters
are familiar with both popular and underground culture,
yet they overwhelmingly prefer the latter. You, on the
other hand, only know the former. Hipsters have given
everything a chance, and have settled on niches they consider
superior (usually rightly so). You are afraid to venture
outside the cozy confines of mainstream media. Who
is the elitist in this situation?
• Capriciousness. everyone values novelty in some aspects
of their lives. nobody wants to watch the same movie every
night, or use the same computer until the day they die.
This is because novelty broadens our knowledge base and
makes us more productive. So what's wrong with actively
seeking novelty in music, art, film, and literature? Maybe
it is inefficient to dwell on works that repeat last year's
conventions, as progress in any area of society requires us
to reject clichés. Maybe hipsters' passion for the "new" is
much healthier than your complacency.
• Laziness. Hipsters are often bashed for being consumers,
rather than producers. But people forget that consumers
are an integral part of any functioning economy. Hipsters
limit their consumption of material goods, living five to
a flat, shopping at thrift stores, and drinking cheap beer.
But they provide a much-needed boost to the cultural
sphere by eagerly buying records, going to concerts, and
attending gallery openings. They represent what we could
use more of in every area of society: critical, informed consumers
who don't buy into something because "everyone
else is doing it," but because they genuinely think it is better.
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