I think one of the main problems – and one that is exacerbated by the internet and blogs in particular – is this constant comparison to other people. It’s getting harder and harder to just be happy with who you are and what you have because there are endless reminders of what you don’t have; people who are cooler than you, prettier than you, more successful than you; people with better houses and better shoes than you; people with more tattoos, more money, more street cred, more shrunken-head jewellery… It’s all a big competition, and I guess it always will be so long as the main objective of my generation is looking good to other people.

The internet has given rise to the ‘poseur’ revolution. Nowadays ‘hipsters’ can download all the once obscure music and film, and use google to fill in the blanks. Becoming an expert has never been so instantaneous.

I don’t think most ‘hipsters’ are REALLY into all the things they claim to be into either. They just run down the list of names to check off, to keep their bases covered and seem cool. The extent of their consumerist attitude even reflects in their misuse of free knowledge!

And to further enable their counter-cultural pillaging, the ‘edgy’ clothes gays, punks, and goths once got their asses kicked for wearing is now readly available at any mall. I can buy a sweatshop made spiked choker at Forever 21 for 5 bucks. Chances are, the gal who sells it to me will be the type of person who would’ve bullied me 17 years ago for being ‘weird’.

What pisses me off about the faux decadence is that when faced with REAL outsiders and eccentrics, ‘hipsters’ can’t hang. Ever notice how timid and overall well mannered ‘hipsters’ are? Stick ’em in a room full of loud, obnoxious, unfashionable, unpopular, confrontational, conventionally unattractive, rowdy people and HIPSTERS GET SCARED SHITLESS.

Perhaps that’s an extension of their ironic fashion though. ‘Hipsters’ love irony.

-SJ

Sister Wolf’s graph is so spot on.

You’re bang on point. I think what irritates me the most is that its decadence in a classless form. Its looking ‘heroin chic’ and malnourished when there are people really suffering. Yet the luxury of looking that way because they can – not because they have to. Is that decadent? It’s those miserable gormless stares when their lives are to be envied by most of the world’s population. If you can afford to spend that much time on your art rather then in a rice field, smile every now and again for fuck’s sake. It’s all become so boring and… silly?

My ramble is so much better in my head but I will elaborate at some point on L&S….