How consumerism killed the hipster If It's in to be "out", what's in?

Richa Shankar '19 wakes up on a normal Tuesday morning to her alarm of synthesized beats from an indie pop song you've never heard of. She fumbles around for her dark rimmed glasses, throws on a flannel, and bounds out the door in her tattered Adidas Superstars, stopping at a local coffee shop before school.

Due to this distinct style, many would describe Shankar as a "hipster", as do her friends. Nadia Pollmann '19, close friend of Shankar acknowledges Richa's hipster style, noting her outfits are "cool and original."

"Her favorite accessory would be her circle RayBans. I think for clothing it would be her ripped mom jeans," Pollmann '19 said, of her friend's style. Pollmann cited Urban Outfitters as one of Shankar's favorite brands.

However, Shankar struggles to label herself under a certain style. When asked if she considered herself a hipster, Shankar replied with "not really."

She is not alone in this denial- in fact, it is common.

One in the Same

The goal of a hipster is to reject the mainstream and embrace individuality. Shankar echoes this, saying that hipsters are often "ahead of trends." That said, the term hipster, can almost be viewed as offensive, as it creates a group out of the culture- defeating the purpose of hipster culture.

This can be further supported by research done by Kevin Lewis for msnbc. Lewis explains that the evolution of hipster culture works inversely with the mainstream, specifically in one's group of friends.

"The meaning of an indie/alternative taste rests not just in the taste itself - but also in being the only one among one’s friendship circle that expresses it. If I like The Decemberists, and suddenly my friends start liking them too, suddenly I’m no longer socially distinctive. So this taste loses much of its appeal and I will run off in search of some new band to express my ‘hip’ identity," said Kevin Lewis.

So, being a hipster is about being "socially distinctive." But if being a hipster is about being unique, why is there such a clear style? When dozens of Staples students were prompted to draw a "hipster", almost all of them drew the same thing: a 20-something Brooklyn man with a beard, flannel, trendy hat, cup of coffee and polaroid camera.

(Starting top going clockwise) Drawings by Bridget '19, Catherine Grahm '19, Quinntin Bravo '19, Zoe Samuels '17

Turns out, there's a scientific reason for why all hipsters look the same, when in theory, they shouldn't.

"If you take large sets of interacting individuals - whether hipsters, stock traders, or any group that decides to go against the majority - by trying to be different, they will ultimately all do the same thing at the same time," said Professor Touboul.

Touboul explained that since trends are always changing, it is the delayed reaction that causes hipsters to maintain that certain hipster image. There is a cycling battle between the conformist and the hipster, as the conformist tries to catch up with the hipster, and the hipster tries to distance themselves from conformity. The result is a rotation through the mainstream, but since the cycle doesn't happen quick enough, hipsters get stuck and end up the majority.

Cycle of Conformity, as demonstrated by the Washington Post

Still don't get it? "Portlandia", an IFC sketch comedy series, spoofed this idea in the third episode of the first season. In the sketch, Fred Armisen's character, the punk hipster, continuously tries to distance himself from the yuppie conformist, while the conformist mimics the trends of the hipster. The result is a complete swap in styles. Though this may be comedy, this social phenomenon of the cycling mainstream is a proven theory.

But what's the point? Why does is matter if something is mainstream or not? When talking about the mainstream, it's impossible not to reference vaporwave.

Vaporwave

What is vaporwave?

Vaporwave is a genre of music with a distinct digital aesthetic, popularized on internet platforms such as Tumblr and Reddit. The style is based in the distortion of 80s and 90s sub culture, using glitch art and drawing Japanese influence. The result is a type of psychedelic elevator music with synthesized beats, a droning, eerie feel and a cult following. Vaporwave artists would release their mix tapes online, often anonymously, or under a pseudonym.

Popularized in the 2010s, even at its height, vaporwave remained extremely underground. However, both vaporwave artists and listeners liked it this way, as it protected the authenticity of their music and style.

Vaporwave has faced much criticism and confusion, as many claim it is just the repackaging of vintage 80s jazz in a digitally aesthetic way. The genre has been denounced as "lazy", and a "joke."

However many argue that vaporwave is more than just a genre, but a movement or social commentary. Vaporwave has been described as causing eerie feelings of nostalgia, or sounding "uncomfortable", but this may be the intended effect. It is possible that the "joke" of vaporwave is the artists commenting on consumerism and corporations in America. The actual name "vaporwave" is a spoof off the word "vaporware", which is a term for nonexistent products that companies announce and promote as a corporate strategy to stay ahead of competitors.

The Beginning of the End

In 2012, Rihanna performed as the musical guest on Saturday Nigh Live, using a green screen to surround herself with psychedelic digital art, with obvious inspiration from vaporwave and seapunk (a precursor/sub genre of vaporwave with an oceanic focus and lighter, pastel color scheme). The moment she stepped on the stage, vaporwave both died and was reborn.

The initial response from the vaporwave community was anger. Many felt that their culture and style had been stolen and exploited.

On the other hand, many vaporwave artists were glad to see the genre expand, even if it meant into the mainstream. Jerome LOL, a prominent vaporwave artist, commented on the performance, saying that he was proud to see the style gain popularity, but maybe not in the right way.

"That’s what pop music, big record companies, big capitalists want to do. They find something that is cool and underground and just take it. She is late, but if the mainstream is going to steal something, it’s going to take them awhile," Jerome LOL said.

But we still haven't answered the question:

What's wrong with going mainstream?

When vaporwave went mainstream it lost all meaning. Though often misunderstood, the genre of vaporwave has a political message backing the distorted and often unsettling aesthetic. When Rihanna performed on SNL, she did not sing of capitalist exploitation, as vaporwave stands for. Therefore, though the aesthetic gained popularity, it lost all significance.

The same goes for any sub genre or counter culture. Rejection of the mainstream often has a political or social message tied to it. In the 70s, the hippies did it to protest constraining conformist ideals. The idea is the same today. The rejection of the mainstream is a protest of the ideas that it stands for, so when the mainstream picks the counterculture style back up, it defeats the purpose.

Vaporwave transitioning into the mainstream was inevitable, however, as it is the fate of practically all trends that start underground.

Hipsters in Mass Quantity

Rays of sun stream through the windows of the Westport Urban Outfitters, warming the selection of band shirts, distressed denim and boho accessories the store has to offer.

The reason this cycle is able to occur is America's intense consumerist culture.

Companies and corporations have caught on to the cycle- they know they have to market the "next big thing", rather than what is "in". They go about finding the next big thing by picking and curating styles from unpopular sub cultures.

The Urban Outfitters Effect

Emily Ritter '17 browses the vintage and grunge selection Urban Outfitters is known for.

In a 2012 interview with Analyst Day, executive creative director explains how Urban Outfitters looks for the next "it" item.

"‘It’ is whatever walks through the front door. That’s the easiest way to say what ‘it’ is. It is the incoming freshman, the struggling art school kid, the girl who dresses differently than her friends. The kid who has a band, anybody who has a band is our customer." Kevin Lyons said.

Lyons describes the "it" style as the quirky style not everyone knows about. But by marketing this "it" style at a high price and in mass quantities, it destroys the idea that the style is somewhat unheard of- the hipster appeal.

Coincidentally, by deciding what is "in", big companies quickly make that trend "out."

My advice to you in this war between the hipster and the conformist? Do what you want. That's always in style.

Created By
Channing Smith
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