Be the first to know about breaking news, articles, and updates.
The Coast | News, events, restaurants, concerts and Burger Week for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Home of the Best of Halifax Reader's Choice Awards, the award-winning independent newspaper covers the Halifax news, politics, events, concerts, movies, restaurants, and nightlife scene.
Why are all young men starting to look the same in HRM? Seriously. Hipster culture is almost as mainstream as Apple gear. A beard! A vintage haircut! OMG. So original.
Try being yourselves for once, it’s sexier.
—waiting for change
This article appears in Feb 20-26, 2014.
51 Comments
A least they give a fuck enough to actually try, which is more than I can say for the Georgina Costanza’s out there wearing their dal/smu sweats and UGs day in day out.
I didn’t realize the only two alternatives were hipster dousche or slob…
Seems to be a wave of hipster hatred these days. As much as I like to point out their complete lack of originality, I kind of feel bad for them now!
But yeah, been here long enough. Halifax is all about bearded party dudes. I blame Matt – long hair bearded dude.
and if it gets them laid…well, I can’t see it changing.
This is a young man’s domain, totally a 20-something thing. In a decade, their hipster look will either evolve or stay suspended in a time warp. The hipsters in the latter category will mostly be still living in their elderly parents’ basement at age 35. The rest will evolve their ‘look’ as they age.
My sister threw me a curve the other night, telling me that the 80 year old women in interior BC dress like Pamela Anderson zombies but with tons of jewelry – and every one of them has had so many face lifts, they have beards and a huge cleft in the chin.
I am too old to know or give a fuck what a hipster looks like, but i will say fuck off with the beard comment. Like it or not facial hair is part of what we are. And like the hair on our heads, facial hair comes in all styles and types. Get used to it.
I don’t mind beards, it’s the hipster beard/attitude/attire that really gets me. The “party dude ” Halifax stereotype.
I actually have a beard atm.
I live in the valley (rarely visit Wolfville, I take the 101 to New Minas)) and work in Burnside so I’m hipster free.
Yes the Hipster , or not so hip since its very old and lame and non original is right up there with the Ug booties, gym pants,pajama bottoms,spandex ,ponytails and Taylor “not” so Swift nerd glasses.
https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7888901888/h0…
A PHILOSOPHICAL DILEMMA: THE PROBLEM OF IDENTITY
“Try being yourself for once, it’s sexier.” waiting for change
To advise the Hipster to try and be himself raises the philosophical problem of identity. In other words, who is the Hipster and how can he try and be himself? The question turns on the nature of how the self is to be conceived.
Is the self an essence, some sort of pre-experiential entity in respect to which one either conforms or one does not? On the other hand, is the self to be understood as being identical with its experience, that one cannot coherently separate the one from the other? Is the self an existential phenomenon in respect to which the concept of the self as some pre-experiential essence is incoherent?
Either one is oneself or one is not. If one is oneself there is no problem. One is who one is and who one is is what one does. In other words, the Hipster is a Hipster because that is what he does, he acts as a Hipster because he is a Hipster. That is what it means to be a Hipster.
However, if one is not oneself, if one is not doing what one does but rather only trying to be a Hipster, then who is the one doing the trying and what is his relationship, if any, with the one who simply is, the one who is not trying to be himself because he already is himself? Are there two Hipsters here, a shadow Hipster lying behind the actual, real-world Hipster?
In the latter case what we have is an instance of ontological schizophrenia, the self who is trying and the self who is not trying but simply is. Given this ontological schizophrenia, does the advice to be oneself make any sense? Can it make any sense? It’s a philosophical dilemma.
New Avatar Alert! A Young English Poet
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Montrealman,
Because I can’t stand that kind of writing anymore, I only read your first paragraph. I tend to agree, that this is probably a crisis of identity – most likely the lack of any real identity, driven by their insecurities and the need for acceptance.
Of course, intelligent and secure people don’t need to chase this approval, and from my observation, tend to dress in various ways with no real concern for specific trends. To care for your appearance is not a specific trend per say.
My take on the whole thing; The bearded plaid wearing musician party dudes just lack self confidence, any sense of self, and don’t even know why they’re doing this other than it gives them a false sense of belonging to a group. And in Halifax, a lot of women seem to like that, so they’re probably getting some fun to go along. Not likely to change around here for a long time, given the circumstances.
Again, I don’t think it’s the beards at all! It’s the whole package, which tends to come with the beard and young men these days.
And there is no hipster, only trying to be a hipster. And that’s the real irony; trying so hard not to try or care.
RSVP
: jhey (02/24, 9:57AM)
“Because I can’t stand that kind of writing anymore, I only read your first paragraph.”
There’s an old saying to the effect, “All discourse is self-referential.” It applies here. In other words, your comment says more about you than it does about me. But I don’t suppose you’ll read that either.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Yes, agreed. It says lots about me. I don’t need convoluted writing to get a point across.
Touche!
Personally… I’m am LOVING the beards guys, so keep ’em!
As much as I like to poke fun at them, I am indifferent about the beards/hipster types. But I do get the original post – Halifax is a big high school when it comes to cliques and trends.
Of course, I’m generalizing.
RSVP
: jhey (02/24, 10:41AM)
But, beyond uttering the usual platitudes about “the crisis of identity,” you have no point. That is the point. But you will never understand that point. That is because you are out of your depth. That is the real point. Now, you must go away.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Montrealman,
One who uses “you will never understand” is simply showing his or her lack of cards.
But you will never understand, because I am superior to you in every way. I’ll simply point my nose towards the ivory tower (up up up!) and smugly walk away.
Regurgitation, the most useful skill in University, but completely useless in the real world.
Go read a Hemingway novel. Or Elements of style. Strongly recommended.
RSVP
: jhey (02/24, 3:05PM)
Well no, when I said that “you will never understand” I was simply stating a fact. But you claim that I am showing my “lack of cards.” Whatever can that mean? So here’s your chance. Support your claim that I am just showing my “lack of cards.”
That will involve doing two things, one Substantive and the other Demonstrative: (1) The Substantive Claim: Indicate what your claim means. To say that those “cards” are to be understood as the equivalent to intelligence is insufficient. You must indicate what your understanding of intelligence is. Don’t try to dodge the question. (2) The Demonstrative Claim: Having given your substantive definition of intelligence you must go on to precisely demonstrate how I have failed to satisfy the criteria of intelligence as defined in the Substantive Claim. Otherwise, as I previously said, your assertion is empty because you have no point. You have no point because you are out of your depth.
Now, don’t try to tap dance away with your nose in the air. Let’s hear your explanation of both (1) and (2). And no regurgitation please. It might have worked in your plumbing course but never in university.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
stretching my neck as I point my nose higher and higher while I tap dance away pointing to all the plebes below!
Are you currently IN university and have yet to realize the inefficiency of your writing or have you simply never cut the academic umbilical cord?
RSVP
: jhey (02/24, 3:44PM)
As I suspected you were unable to answer my two questions and so any further discussion must cease.
Well no, I’m not currently in university but, as a matter of fact, I have two Bachelor’s degrees, two Master’s degrees, and one Ph.D. all from accredited Canadian universities.,
Now, what was that you were saying about the inefficiency of my writing?
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
I was saying that your writing is inefficient. That’s what I was, and still am, saying about your writing. Convoluted academic crap.
You could have 15 degrees and it wouldn’t impress me, or anyone else with an ounce of intelligence.
Don’t even bother with that pompous windbag. He’s just bitter because all his colleagues laugh at him behind his back and call him stupid. All he’s doing is transferring his torment and asserting his pseudo authority onto a bunch of anonymous internet people who couldn’t care less for his opinion of them.
He’s just mentally masturbating. Unfortunately, it’s always the same…all stroking and no climax. All he’s left with is a well stroked ego and sore palms.
SHISMD,
I chuckled out loud.
Unfortunately, masturbatory writing is a trap into which many academics fall. I was fortunate to have professors who would not tolerate this.
I’m just shocked, given the amount of degrees, that Montrealman was never taught anything about concise and efficient writing; two pillars of good writing – regardless of discipline.
I am very critical of writing within my own profession, and of course my own. I believe concise writing to be the foundation of clear communication.
Oh well.
Yes yes.
You are the Fox news of the hipster coversation (your obsessive pathology by now)- a collection of unimpeachable self – referential talking points, and disgust outrage and misdirection directed at disagreement, and those who simply communicate better than you ( a special Fox ‘Everyman’ celebration of dumbing down). But you are fascinating- humourless robot? Hippest of the hip? High School student? My aunt after a cap of Chardonnay? The guy from Nickel back? PLEASE tell us more about yourself.
I also like beards only when kept short.
Jenny G,
I love hipsters, they’re kind of adorably cute. I’m flawed as hell. Your assumptions are completely off the mark.
Simple and concise writing has nothing to do with dumbing down. Montrealman simply cannot write without inflated grammatical constructs and overblown sentences. But I’ll leave him alone.
Maybe we’re all hipsters, posting on The Coast forum? I’m getting a bit bored of the hipster conversation these days to be honest. I’d rather talk about the hicks driving down Quinpool road throwing junk out of their vehicles and screaming.
I’m going to go read a really really BIG book in hopes of picking up really really BIG words so that one day I can write just like you and Montrealman.
I’m half joking, btw.
omg! jhey are you in the middle of an intervention? d’ya think you could go 1 week without using the word ‘hipster’ ?
we wait with worm on tongue
GDM,
Considering that I’m posting in a post ABOUT HIPSTERS, it doesn’t seem so out of context? People tend to talk about the topic. Maybe I’m wrong.
There. Used it again.
Don’t read HIPSTER bashing posts if you don’t want to read the word HIPSTER.
HIPSTER.
Ok, starting now!
Seriously, some of you don’t get half hearted comments.
methinks he doth protest too much.
it’s ok you know, we all have our pet peeves. mine are legion. yours appears to be young men with plaid clothing, beards and guitars getting laid too often.
GDM,
Yes to all but the last.
But at least I’m on topic!
lol, it’s your favourite topic jhey.
did you mean you don’t think those hipster guys get laid more often than they deserve?
I don’t keep stats on them, I’m sure they do ok with the hipster ladies (hipsterettes?)
My favorite topic is the lack of vision and proper urban development in Halifax.
And also the hicks driving down Quinpool throwing garbage out of their cars/trucks. But nobody ever bitches about that.
Maybe I should write a bitch about the Quinpool trolls…
JHEY’S TEST OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION
RSVP
: jhey (02/24, 8:42PM)
” I am very critical of writing in my own profession, and of course my own. I believe concise writing to be the foundation of clear communication.”
I know I shouldn’t but I couldn’t resist. jhey, I’m afraid to have to tell you that you have failed your own test of clear communication.
Read your first sentence over again. It is incoherent. How can you be critical of writing in your own profession, and of course be critical of writing in your own profession?
I won’t ask you to explain that jhey, because I know you will be unable to do so. I also know that you will never be able understand that.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
My own personal writing.
You sir, are a FAIL.
wouldn’t that be failURE? you know, to make it a noun?
Sure, why not. But FAIL is a common colloquial expression. Given the context, it’s appropriate. And it’s more an expression than anything.
Context people. It’s important!
humour! it’s important!
(in context, esp since you had just pointed out how critical you were of your own writing)
GDM;
I was only half serious. I should have typed “lol”
Whether vernacular, professional or academic, writing should be clear, and concise. Often times, vernacular can be quite clear.
Anyways. Off to write a bitch about them Quinpool hicks and all their FAILS. lol.
JHEY’S TEST OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION (II)
RSVP
jhey (02/25, 3:40PM)
“I am very critical of writing in my own profession and of course my own.”
As I previously pointed out, I am afraid to tell you that you have failed your own test of clear communication. Your failure resides in the fact that your referent, the phrase, “my own profession,” is indistinguishable from the phrase “my own.” In other words, one assumes that you were still talking about “my own profession” where, in fact, you were talking about “my private correspondence”. This is a rudimentary syntactical solecism which must be suppressed. It is called the “absent referent.”
I know that you will not be able to understand this.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Yes, as I pointed out earlier I forgot the words my own PERSONAL WRITING. It got lost in an edit.
Did you miss that above? I can write it again if you like.
Writing within my professions AND my own PERSONAL writing. I’m critical of both.
But this is LTWWB. I really don’t pay too much attention. Mental masturbation is for the weak.
I hope someone slaps me in the face if I ever use “you will not be able to understand”. But then again, I’m much more intelligent than you are, and would never such such a construct.
But you won’t be able to understand this.
Montrealman,
You need to learn about concise writing. It’s an essential life skill. I don’t care how many degrees you have. I’m extremely well educated, which means absolutely nothing to me (and it shouldn’t to anyone for that matter).
Your writing is dense, inflated and inefficient. I’m half kidding most of the time, but it’s hard to have a substantial conversation with flatulent writers.
But then again, I probably just don’t understand. I am but a mere peon, a simple “plumber”to use your words.
And on that note, this conversation is boring. The Tiny Penis Means No Pussy is much more interesting.
I also need to focus on writing a bitch about my Quinpool hicks throwing garbage out of their vehicles. Hopefully you will join in the fun.
RSVPS
: jhey (02/25, 8:34PM)
“It got lost in an edit.”
Well, there you go but there’s still a bit of confusion here. Was it your edit or the moderator’s? I’m betting you’re going to blame the moderator.
“Mental masturbation is for the weak.”
A bit more confusion. Does that mean that physical masturbation is for the strong? Would you want to address that question?
“But then again I’m much more intelligent than you are and would never such such a construct.”
How does one “such” a construct?
(8:46PM)
“I’m extremely well educated which means absolutely nothing to me.”
How can that be possible? The fact that you claim to be “extremely” well educated indicates that it means a great deal to you. You must try to be honest with yourself and, of course, others as well.
“Your writing is dense, inflated and inefficient.”
How can something be dense and inflated at the same time? Do you see a contradiction here? And what can you possibly mean by “inefficient”? Writing aims at explanation, at insight, and not at efficiency in selling a load of coconuts.
“… it’s hard to have a substantial conversation with flatulent writers.”
Well yes, that follows as a matter of simple logic since, to be “flatulent” necessarily entails the absence of “substance”. But you must demonstrate rather than simply assert such flatulence. By the way jhey, do you find you suffer from flatulence?
“And on that note, this conversation is boring.”
Any more talk like that Jhey, and I’m going to have to pull your panties down and give you a good spanking.
New Avatar Alert! Eric Arthur Blair
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Anyone can take any sentence, break it down, show whether it’s logical or not according to any set metric, etc.
In the small penis post, they’re using words such as;
VORACIOUS VAGINAS.
It’s much more interesting.
RSVP
: jhey (02/26, 1:56PM)
Yes, in view of the fact that the “VORACIOUS VAGINA” was my own brainchild, I found it much more interesting as well.
Speaking of vaginas, I was surprised that you didn’t pursue my stated intention to pull your panties down and give you a good spanking. Would you like to do so now? I see two possibilities: (1) You can pretend to be outraged and humiliated at the very suggestion, in which case you must give convincing grounds for your outrage and humiliation or, (2) You can agree with my intentions and willingly place yourself at my disposal. If you want my opinion, I think the second way is the more inviting. I say this because, although our correspondence has been lengthy and even acrimonious at times, I detect your strong sexual feelings for me below the surface. I think we would both enjoy the experience immensely. Do you wear pink panties with lace trim?
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
oh dear. ummmmm MM……(whispering) jhey has a beard. like, on his face.
i think it would take more than pink panties stretched around his manly bits before you would want to paddle his skinny male bum
My God Molly, don’t say that! Please don’t say that!
i’d like to see more kilts and beards, of course
Ummm…