The mainstream culture is the culture of the majority, hipsters do anything and everything to not be apart of it. They have a culture all their own. This subculture is one that began during the 1940's and as evolved to leave us with the hipsters we know today.
Origins in the early 1940's
1940's Ideology:
Members of the subculture chose to isolate themselves from the mainstream society. In the 1940's, the hipster's rallied against any sign of normalcy. They did not believe in the traditional cycle that everyone seemed to live by. They were typically young individuals who sought a deeper takeaway from life, latching on to anything obscure, artistic or generally not embraced by the larger population. 1940's Appearances and Interests
As everyone knows the 40's was a time of war, radical divide a an overall sense of uncertainty. Hipsters rejected societal norms, they appeared bored with everyday mainstream society. The rejection of the extravagant lifestyles of the higher classes led the lower-class white youth to jazz clubs, which were normally filled with other young people of similar finial stature. They embraced jazz music and the culture that surrounded it, including the fashion of young urban blacks, leading to a fusion of races in the subculture. The hipsters of the 40's were primarily focused on enjoying the music scene and differentiating themselves from the upper classes, all while creating bonds with those of the same class and similar backgrounds. |
Modern hipsters
Modern Ideologies
While the hipsters of the 40's sought refuge from uncertain times among those of similar class through the shared bond of musical intrest and agreement on soceital issues, most modern hipsters will rarely claim to be apart of the group. They remain elitist and exclusive, shunning those who do not conform to the hipster view of nonconformity. These include common appearances and attitudes, such as listening to a certain type of music or choosing clothes that appear to be purchased from a thrift store. It is noteworthy that members of this modern group, unlike its predecessors, do not necessarily belong to the lower classes, they instead choose to act as though they do, regardless of their socioeconomic level, in order to maintain the grungy haphazard image that, in reality is purpose and specific. Modern Appearance and Interests The image of the modern hipster evokes a much clearer picture than the one from the 40's because the modern subculture is one more heavily focused on fashion and appearances rather than community building. A key aspect of the fashion, music preferneces, and any other aspect of hipsters that is accessible to the public eye would be the use of irony. |