How hipsters and mainstreamers can agree to be in-betweeners sometimes

Emily Leyva | Contributing Writer

In 2011, hip-hop artist Big Sean released a song called “Dance (Ass)” which ranked No. 10 on the “Billboard Hot 100.” Since 2010, the hit reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians averages about 3.5 million viewers each episode, and the Twilight series is worth approximately $2 billion.

While some members of older gen- erations accuse young adults of being shallow, self-absorbed and lacking any kind of cultural or intellectual depth, young adults are also being judged by other young adults who take pride in seeking intelligence and independence apart from trends and popular media. Based upon the popularity of our entertainment, they may have the right to do so.

Granted, there are some that faithfully track more underground enter- tainment outlets such as independent films and local bands, but those in- dividuals often run the risk of being labeled as (gasp!) hipsters. Maybe the term isn’t offensive to some, but to a few mainstreamers, nothing can be worse than grouping themselves to- gether with a bunch of thick-rimmed glasses wearing, Apple-product loving, Urban Outfitters employees.

You are either classified as an au- tomaton droid, mindlessly following the herd, or a condescending, blogging hippie making assumptions about the intellect (or lack thereof) of a mainstreamer.

We are seemingly destined to love either independent, thoughtful ma- terial like a hipster or shallow, mindless media like a mainstreamer. But with the emergence of current media production, it may be safe to say that there is a middle ground between hipsters and mainstreamers that reflect values from both ideologies. By indulging in some of society’s current trends, there are ways to be grounded in cultural depth like a hipster but still enjoy swimming in the mainstream.

In its most recent season premiere, Keeping Up With The Kardashians hit a low rating of 1.79 million viewers, which is a whopping 40 percent drop from its first season premiere. As thoughtless reality television pro- gramming is losing viewership, it is slowly being replaced by creative and intelligent shows in which hipsters are proud to partake. Shows such as Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Walking Dead, Downton Abbey and Sherlock continue to break viewership records and set a higher standard for complex plot lines while still entertaining the masses of the mainstreamers (see page 10 for more on smart TV).

If you want to look like a hipster, it’s as easy as obtaining a new pair of nonprescription glasses and watching YouTube tutorials. If you want to be- come a mainstreamer, keep listening to popular music stations and watching Michael Bay films.

Maybe the changes that need to be made in order for the mainstreamer and the hipster to understand one another aren’t so drastic after all. There is a way to enjoy both sides of culture by finding a satisfied medium and here is how:

1. Give and receive suggestions for movies and books, but don’t be judgey.

Some hipsters will often avoid suggesting things to others simply because a mainstreamer has probably never heard of it. And you’ve seen YouTube, filled with comments like, “I liked this song/artist before it was popular!” or what is actually inter- preted as: “I liked this before it was cool, therefore I am more culturally aware than you.” Instead of belittling others for acknowledging good material, take pride in your discovery and be grateful that others are appre- ciating its beauty. Keep recommend- ing songs, bands, movies or shows to someone from the opposite trend. An exposure to different types of media can help change another’s perspective.

2. Shop at Hot Topic.


Before you roll your eyes or drop your mouths, have you shopped in there lately? Maybe once upon a time it used to be an avenue for punk-rock and gothic fashion accessories, but there are artifacts that appeal to both hipsters and mainstreamers! Rejoice while walking in, and enjoy your fa- vorite childhood characters alongside your current obsessions that are plastered and merchandised onto the walls. The items range in themes from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Dr. Who to John Lennon. I bet you a Star bucks that both hipsters and main- streamers will come back with several culturally significant treasures.

3. Don’t Shop at Wal-Mart or Claire’s Accessories.

Their aisles are flooded with “mainstream” merchandise like One Direction and Justin Bieber, the exact music that parents and hipsters associate the shallow mainstream media with. Even the mainstreamers avoid these stores and shop elsewhere when searching for the latest trends.

4. Here today is not gone tomorrow; don’t be afraid of the dated pastimes.

Most hipsters have got the right idea when jotting down thoughts, poems or song lyrics in a journal, so mainstreamers and in-betweeners, this one is directed at you. When was the last time you wrote a letter to anyone? Furthermore, when was the last time you wrote in cursive? How about the last time you grabbed a book off of the shelf in a library or bookstore and sat in a lounge chair? (see page 18) For most of us, it’s been a while, mostly because there is no need since everything is digitally produced. Plenty of scholars and professionals still read a physical book because it enhances learning, broadens perspectives and allows you to experience another universe without a screen in front of you. And it doesn’t matter which book; any kind of reading makes you look smarter and more independent.

5. But don’t forget the present either.

The Breaking Bad series finale had nearly 10.3 million viewers; The Walking Dead season four premiere reached an audience of 16.1 million. Lana Del Rey’s cinematic sounding album Born to Die has spent a remarkable 81 weeks on the U.S. “Billboard Top 200 Albums” charts while author J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is ranked No. 26 of the best-selling books of all time. On the surface, the sheer power of numbers in these entertainment options can be labeled as mainstream and thus predictable or shallow, but ask any fans of these shows, artists or writers, and they will tell you otherwise. The main reason for their popularity? They’re really, really good, thought-provoking and creative forms of entertainment, created by talented people. Indulging in any of these genres is a win-win and a middle ground for both the hipster and mainstreamer.

6. Ask a member of an older generation what he/she used to listen to/ read/watch.

Each generation accuses the former of being intellectually and culturally inferior. Generation Y accuses Generation X of being narrow-minded and stubborn to change. In order to gain insight, it could be beneficial to ask a parent, grandparent or mentor what he or she considered in his or her days to be deep and meaningful media. While hipsters or mainstreamers are in the midst of defining their cultural preferences and tastes in media, looking at past cultural phenomenons as references can influence each group’s view of how trends in the past have developed into the trends they are today. It’s funny to think about mainstream trends “back then” being hipster media now.

While socially separating yourself as a hipster or mainstreamer is not entirely bad, it is not entirely good either. Creating labels can bring together those from the same social background together, but it can also create invisible barriers and tension between particular groups of people. If the guidelines above are followed, the two ideologies, which are represented by two different types of culture-consumers, can meet in the middle and shake hands instead of butting heads. It should be a shared objective to understand and consider the values and interests of others in order to maintain a tolerant and well-rounded society.

Or as Aristotle said (hipster readers wake up), always seek the Golden Mean, the desirable balance between two extremes. Dive into both types of media and engage culture at both ends of the pool.