A New Social Paradox | Teen Ink

A New Social Paradox

October 26, 2011
By livetowrite SILVER, Roslyn Heights, New York
livetowrite SILVER, Roslyn Heights, New York
6 articles 0 photos 0 comments

If I was a hipster would it really matter?
I don’t want to live in Williamsburg
If I was a hipster would I have to be sadder?
I like being an optimist
If I was a hipster would I have to listen to obscure music?
The most obscure music I enjoy is classic Disney
If I was hipster would I have to get larger glasses?
I like my medium sized ray-bans
If I was a hipster would I have to call everything ironic?
I know the true definition of irony
If I was a hipster would I have to wear clothes from thrift stores?
I like my polo shirts

But what does Hipster mean? No one can tell me that
They are pretty bad at definitions; exhibit (A) irony
Just because I like vinyl does that make me a hipster
“No” my friends say, “It just makes you less mainstream.”
What does mainstream mean to them? I’m not going to even bother asking.
Because I wear abnormally sized glasses, does that make me a hipster?
Because I read obscure books and then looked shocked when no one else has, does that make me a hipster?
If I like strange, unpopular modern art, does that make me a hipster?
To some all of this does, and to some it doesn't

The new paradox, it’s cool to be uncool; you are popular if you are a nerd; normal is abnormal.
Where will it end? A new social order in which you want to be a hipster, is this is the norm?
But what do these “hipsters” stand for? Abnormality for the sake of abnormality?
That doesn’t seem right.


The author's comments:
My inspiration for the piece above was that I saw a new type of social norm evolving. People are becoming preoccupied with becoming too "mainstream" in my social group

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 1 comment.


blackbird123 said...
on Nov. 4 2011 at 6:37 am
I love this poem!!! I totally get your commentary on hipster culture and I think its fabulous!