When exploring social history, I like to look at its relation to fashion. Who were the people setting trends and revolutionizing the culture? So I decided to look into the origins of Hipster. You know, that sub-culture that has always been about revolting against society, being strongly-associated with a particular look, and has even spawned sites like Look at this fucking hipster. I guess you can say I have this fascination with it.
The late 1940's-1950's was a time when being prudent and politically correct were the right things to be. This was the generation where hipster began.The emergence of a group of writers and artists, called the Beats, brought about a different ideology. Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg wrote about spontaneity and breaking the repressions of society. Their Beat poetry evolved from improvised spoken word and the musical nuances of jazz, highly influenced by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. The poetry gatherings would take place at coffeehouses around NYC, mainly the Village Vanguard. They explored the existentialist themes that were revived by Sartre and Albert Camus. As Sartre put it, "man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count no one but himself; that he is alone." And why wouldn't their philosophy make sense during a post-war time? After all, the word existence derives from the Latin word existere, meaning "to stand out". And this is what hipster culture is about.
The late 1940's-1950's was a time when being prudent and politically correct were the right things to be. This was the generation where hipster began.The emergence of a group of writers and artists, called the Beats, brought about a different ideology. Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg wrote about spontaneity and breaking the repressions of society. Their Beat poetry evolved from improvised spoken word and the musical nuances of jazz, highly influenced by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. The poetry gatherings would take place at coffeehouses around NYC, mainly the Village Vanguard. They explored the existentialist themes that were revived by Sartre and Albert Camus. As Sartre put it, "man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count no one but himself; that he is alone." And why wouldn't their philosophy make sense during a post-war time? After all, the word existence derives from the Latin word existere, meaning "to stand out". And this is what hipster culture is about.
Transition to the Beat Generation
Song: Blue in Green by Mile Davis
Song: Blue in Green by Mile Davis
With new hipster icons like Zooey Deschanel, new stomping grounds like Brooklyn, and even skinny jeans for guys (eh, New Boyz), the hipster look has since evolved. However it still stays true to its rebellious roots of finding your own voice and style within an overbearing mass society. After all, you stand alone and you were born to stand out.
