hipster

A lot of my friends identify with the fad of 'hipster' or at least they want to; but, like the first rule of Fight Club, you don't actually talk about being a hipster, because "you just don't care" .  According to wordnetweb.princeton.edu a hipster is "someone who rejects the established culture; advocates extreme liberalism in politics and lifestyle".  I can't vouch for their political views and I don't think their lifestyle is really that liberal, but I could be wrong.  Here's how to spot a hipster (yea, I know I'm stereotyping, but it's my blog): TIGHT skinny jeans, tattoos, piercings (especially on the face), v-neck shirts, t-shirts that are clearly not cool but they wear them because they 'don't care about what others think', they listen to music that mainstream society doesn't care for because (I guess) it makes them feel cool, flannel plaid shirts (they're bringing back the lumberjack look), and they pride themselves on enjoying things that no one else cares for.  They think they're being quite ironic in being a hipster; I think it's ironic that they pride themselves on being very counter-cultural and individual, yet they work to fit into a very distinct group that is borderline exclusive.

Comparing me to a hipster, I don't come close to looking like one.  Also, I don't particularly hold extreme political views or lifestyle.  Looking again at the definition a hipster is "someone who rejects the established culture"; this is something I can identify with.  Culture tells us, subliminally or to our face, who we are.  According to mainstream culture: I'm not pretty enough, I'm a prude,  I'm closed-minded, I'm plain, and I'm uncool.  But I reject these labels that society gives me and I reject all the things mainstream culture tells me is conducive to a a good life. I reject letting money rule my life choices and mistreating others to benefit myself.  I reject materialism.

I reject these things because they are not true and I will not let society decide who I am or how to live my life.  As Christians, our identity is to come from Christ and no one/nothing else. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus  for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."  Ephesians 2:10  Wow!  We are His handiwork (NIV), His masterpiece (NLT)!  What a privilege to be thought of so highly by the Creator of the Universe.  "But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God" John 1:12 says.  God wants us to be His children, and He's the perfect Father.

Lately, I've been hearing/thinking a lot about my identity...and I've come to this conclusion:  all my life I've felt/been on the outskirts of different fad groups (preps, goths, geeks, hipsters, etc), and I've never really fit in with/identified with one particular group of people.  But I'm not in high school anymore, so I'm not gonna worry about who I'm gonna sit with during lunch time.  Fads will always change and it's easier, cheaper, and safer to not spend my life chasing them, instead I'll spend my time and efforts pursuing a relationship with the Unchanging God.

I have nothing against hipsters or any other fad group, but my whole life I've been disassociated with them so why start now?  There are aspects of different fad groups that I like, but I'm not gonna tie myself down to fit into a particular group.  I'm gonna wear what I wanna wear and be friends with people that build each other up (Ephesians 4:29) and exemplify community, no matter what fad they look like.

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