Hipster. According to Cracked.com (my go-to source for all things hilarious), the term first arose in the 40's to describe middle class whites acting like black musicians, now referred to as "nerdcore".
Today, a hipster is self-centered elitist who, in their quest to avoid and cast judgement on the mainstream, is actually controlled by the mainstream. Even worse than the angsty, complaining hipsters are those who just wear clothes that almost pass as vintage and call themselves hipsters. The majority of self-proclaimed hipsters are just obnoxious teenagers who want to be accepted by society, but aren't man enough to just admit it. So instead, they choose to join the ranks of emos and goths; pretending that they don't give a crap when in actuality they do.
Anyway, I do believe that true hipsters do exist, but I prefer to call them indie. Indies are similar to hipsters in that they wear vintage-styled clothes and whatnot, but their attitudes are entirely different. For one, indies do not claim to be hipsters, or anything else-- they just are who they are (not intending to sound like a Ke$ha song...).
My main problem with hipsters is that they all claim to hate society for being so mundanely mainstream, when in fact they are just as much a part of the mainstream. Without mainstream, hipster would cease to exist as they would no longer have a constant supply of music, clothes, etc. to judge and dismiss. It's pretty ironic when you think about it.
All this being said, I do believe that true hipsters exist in this world, but I prefer to call them indie. See, indies are similar to hipsters in that they wear vintage or vintage-looking clothes, but their attitudes are completely different. Indies do what they do; wear what they wear; and like what they like because it is just what appeals to their personal tastes. Hipsters are tied to the mainstream, but indies are only tied to themselves. If indies like something that also happens to be mainstream, then that's fine because the reason they like it is not because it's mainstream. Hipsters, even if they liked something considered to be 'mainstream', would never admit it because that would destroy their 'reputation'.
This is why whenever I am told that I could easily be hipster, I get offended. Just because I like vintage clothes and accessories, which, mind you, I have been quite fond of for quite some time (not trying to sound hipster there, it's just a fact...), does not make me hipster. There are plenty of mainstream things that I like, and then some I don't. I like whatever I think is rad and if what I like happens to be mainstream then I like something mainstream.
I guess what I'm trying to get at is that you shouldn't put something down just because it's 'mainstream'. I mean, it could be mainstream simply because it's really awesome and a lot of people think that. At the same time, don't turn into one of those people (we can probably point out hundreds of them at our high school) who treat fashion magazines like their Bible and can't wear something that's 'not in fashion'. Just, man this is going to sound cheesy, be yourself and dress in whatever you like and you feel comfortable in. Don't conform. Don't be elitist.
