Kimm Salazar

English 220
Jennifer Gammage

Abstract
This paper examines the relation between hipsters and nihilism by providing background
information about both topics that is laid out in an outline form to help the reader understand the
relationships in an orderly manner. By providing background information, the author is allowed
to answer the question; is hipsterdom and nihilism related, and if so how? By gathering
substantial evidence the reader concludes that hipsters and nihilism are indeed related, and
provides support to clarify where they are coming from.

Hipsters and Nihilism: How They Influence Each
Other
Life as we know it is always changing, we evolve and learn new things all the time. In
this research paper I will examine the evolution of Hipsters and how they coincide with Nihilism.
Some people dont believe the two are related at all, while others do. Throughout the years
hipsters have developed nihilistic tendencies having not realized they have done so. This is
because people dont fully understand nihilism. Likewise, people dont understand hipsterdom. I
have gathered evidence for both sides and have come to my own conclusion; hipsters and
nihilism are indeed related.
This research paper required a lot of sources about Hipsters, and Nihilism. I found all
kinds of sources ranging from magazine books to blogs. Because our class is about Nihilism, I
had a lot of sources already on hand for this paper. While we did examine hipsters, I had to do a
bit more research on that topic. I used google scholar, UNM library services, and simple web
searches. I found myself searching for hipsters and nihilism the most because thats what my
paper is about. However, sometimes it was best to find articles specifically on nihilism or
hipsters, then use that information to make my own analysis.

Nihilism
Nihilism is the idea that nothing has any real purpose; a sense that everything is unreal
and that there is no higher power. This is expressed in to todays society, in that people are living
for the now, not the latter. People have developed the rather misleading and misunderstood
concept of YOLO. An expression meaning, you only live once; a way to sort of justify the
actions one takes in the course of a lifetime. However, a select few use it as motivation to make
life worth living. Either way, YOLO, and Nihilism have overcome society in ways that are most
definitely life altering. People have something to live for. Exploring the concepts of nihilism
open up the mind to a new way of living; a new way of satisfying ones self worth and life goals.
Depending of the age of a certain person, and the era theyve lived though, one can draw
assumptions of the way younger generations are living by their actions. Elderly people, roughly
60s+, characterize youth as reckless, selfish, out-of-control, wild, etc. But what if there was some
sort of rational reasoning to this seemingly abrupt, and disruptive way of living? In the work All
Things Shining, by Dreyfus ad Kelly, the two authors describe the simple choices we make in
life, (like hitting the snooze button) trivial in more ways than one (Dreyfus and Kelly 4). This
simple statement presents a very important point in nihilism; that if a simple task such as hitting
snooze is so superficial, what else is?
Young people, and even older people have come to the realization that life itself is a
mystery, that one must live for themselves in order to fulfill a life worth living. Or at least some
people have come to that realization. Others go day by day living their life in a manner that is
safe, and predictable. This is where nihilism comes to play. Nihilism is the underlying meaning
of this lifestyle. People are a living a nihilistic life without even realizing it.
People are so keen on living a life of recklessness and danger that they focus on the now;
this specific moment in time. When something gives you such an adrenaline rush it becomes all
consuming, and for a brief moment in time everything is meaningless. I mean, Yolo right?
Focusing on the future seems too wasteful. Sure youd like to finish college in 4 years and begin
your career, but here you are, in this exact moment decided whether pressing snooze and missing
class is what will be the course for the day. One act, one act today can change the course of a
lifetime. Your future probably changes 50 times a day all depending on little acts, the decisions
of today. Yet we dont dwell on that, in fact we dont even acknowledge it at all.
These acts of rash decisions fuel our desire to live life freely. A life without regrets.
Nitchze sheds light on the situation in a lot of his work. He believes that nothing matters, while
everything matters (Nitchze 3). This is a contradicting way of thinking, but makes sense in a
lifestyle that is guided by the individuals own goals. He also believes that there is no truth or
certainty, so why should one believe in a higher power?
The absence of religion is society is growing rapidly. Every religion is seeing a decrease
in its parishioners, and an increase in struggle to keep faith within society. Most nihilists have no
interest in keeping their life bound in a neat little book, such as many people think religion does
to you. This ignorance is allowing people to live their lives with no regrets, no remorse for the
live they couldve lived. Its simply I am here now, this is my life. While many branches of
society still devote themselves to religion, there are many that dont. In this ever-expanding
nihilistic world, that is becoming a problem. People cant have beliefs about one thing without it
being questioned.
For example, people are entitled to dress however they wish, a nihilist might take a risqu
approach to their wardrobe, whereas a Christian is more conservative. Either way, the other is
getting judged. However, a nihilist is prepared to take the criticism with such arrogance, they
might as well have been complimented. In Nihilism, American Style, we are told that nihilism is
ironic. Everything seems to be easy going, and free spirited, yet someones one comment can
make you question yourself yet again (Hibbs 21). How is it that you can be a free spirit with no
cares in life, yet care about your appearance or who you surround yourself with? Almost every
article/book published about nihilism examines the irony in nihilism.
How does one live life ironically? Sure theres irony in life all around you, but your life is
not ironic. Nihilists believe that everything is ironic. You can pick out certain things about an
appearance, or lifestyle and call it ironic but why? More often than not there is no true irony to
what you mean. That is one of the greatest misconceptions of life. Hipsters for example choose
to dress and act a specific way.

Hipsters
As defined by Urban Dictionary, hipsters are a subculture of men and women typically in
their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an
appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter. People find them
trendy and sometimes obnoxious. People find them incompetent because they assume they can
only be happy by changing their act every so often, so long as they stay accepted by peers.
However, they feel accepted when they stand out. Hipsters like to be the first on top of trends. If
someone copies their style or trend, they immediately lose it and find something else.
One of those fashion trends that they display, seems to be the ironic mustache.
Generation differences have different views of these mustaches. A man in the 20s could have
had a handle bar mustache that was, indeed very nice, but never once did anyone refer to it as
ironic. It was simply facial hair. Today, a man could grow a mustache, maybe not even a nice
one, and call it an ironic mustache simply as a joke. The man today could have no care in facial
hair whatsoever, but hell do it in the name of being hipster.
In Jacob Stubbs blog, The End of Hipstery and the Last Culture, he provides a good
explanation of how hipsters have evolved over the years and how people view them today. He
dates the arrival of hipsterdom in America to the 1950s. He lets us know that hipsters have been
around for a while (people assume hipsters are a new thing). He also talks about the present day
hipster movement. He describes it as the will to irony. This is yet another source that refers
to hipsterdom as ironic. He sets the claim that hipsters bind themselves to culture they hate. I.e.
a person who hates Justin Beiber will buy a Beiber shirt and wear it because it is ironic. He also
says that man creates himself and reality via creative action, moving history forward. Stubbs
blog suggests that he is not against hipsters, he embraces them as another cultural group.
However, that is not the case for everyone.
A hipster is the product of a consumer-oriented market that has the
means to use material and aesthetic choices to carve out a niche within the
market and use that niche to dictate his identity.
This particular statement by Stubbs, is perhaps the most important part of the blog. He offers the
reader a definition of hipsters, then provides the reason hipsters are nothing but fashionable
people. He basically says that people use hipsterdom as a faade to hide behind. Hiding their true
selves. I believe that they may be hiding behind their clothes, but also believe that there has to be
some meaning behind it. We all would like to think that there is a good reason behind every
action.
In a paper titled All the Hipsters Are Dead, by Ross Blanch, we are given another
perspective on hipsters, this time a more somber perspective. Blanch addresses what people think
the term, hipster, is. He talks about people thinking theyre hipster when they buy clothes from
certain places like Urban Outfiters, or listen to music they would normally hate. He says that the
only reason people do this is to receive approval from their peers when they do these things. He
closes the paper by saying The people youre calling hipsters are not hipsters, they are
fashionable. All the hipsters are dead. This is a really strong closing statement, and makes the
reader examine the idea of hipsters really being dead; that people nowadays are simply
reenacting a fashion trend. Blanchs definition and explanation of hipster seems to be brought on
by annoyance. He finds that people changing themselves, to fit in is ridiculous. It makes the
reader wonder if Blanch was a hipster, and is now examining the new age hipster.
Hipsters are also all about social media. They use it to keep up with new trends, and show
themselves off. A problem people are finding with hipster is that while they are on social media,
they draw gross amounts of attention to themselves. Often, those things are of no importance, or
romanticize something you would normally find awful. Hipsters will find anything they can, and
use it to benefit themselves for the sake of being admired.
Hipsters and Nihilism
Now that we have some background on hipsters and nihilism, I can explain the relation
between the two, and answer the question, are hipsterdom and nihilism related? Hipsters are
nihilists. They find joy or even worth in knowing that they control their lives, and make others
notice them. People want control, they want to feel like their life is worth more. The ironic
mustache, and other ridiculous fads express that even if something has no meaning, someone can
take that idea and make it funny, all in the name of being unpredictable. Hipsters pride
themselves to be the first to jump on trends and fads, but has anyone else noticed that these
trends and fads were established years before our generation? While hipsters claim they are
original, they prove to just like every other hipster. These people werent the first to take a liking
to loafers and wide-rimmed glasses, those things were a trend before they were even born.
Hipsters simply bring things back, which is why hipsters change their physical appearance so
often; they never stick to one thing for too long.
Hipsters live to please themselves. They have found a way to gain control of their
life, and revel in it. Over the past decade, more and more hipsters have emerged, as well as
nihilism. Its funny how ways of life; of living, effect such things like the state of mind. Nihilism
is spreading to all corners of the world, even if people dont know it. And hipsters are spreading
their indie music and style all over the world as well. Both have gained so much over the past
even if we dont acknowledge it. I dont think people can live a truly nihilistic free life. Everyone
wants to live a life that makes them happy. They dont have to put themselves first, but they will
do whatever it takes to reach that state of happiness.
Hipsters dont follow any specific religion, and it shows. The absence of religion in
society is growing rapidly. Every religion is seeing a decrease in its parishioners, and an increase
in struggle to keep faith within society. Most nihilists have no interest in keeping their life bound
in a neat little book, such as many people think religion does to you. This ignorance is allowing
people to live their lives with no regrets, no remorse for the live they couldve lived. This
explains hipsters so well. Any hipster/nihilist lives according to their own rules. They arent
going to stop living to make others happy. They just want to make a life for themselves, that is
free of societal influence, but their own personal will. Individualism is ever-expanding, and
many are embracing it. It has become an overwhelming new movement. Hipsters and nihilists
have embraced it, and many others probably will too. There is something appealing about living
according to your own rules.
Ultimately, your personal view on life, and how you perceive a life worth living, is what
makes you happy in the end. You could live a life worth meaning by focusing on the future OR
concentrating on the now. Funny thing about life is you get to choose how you live it, whether it
be Live life to the fullest or YOLO. The possibilities are endless.






Works Cited
1. Blanch, Ross J. All the Hipsters Are Dead. Thought Catalog, n.p. 2 Oct. 2013, Web 22
Apr. 2014

2. Dreyfus, Hubert L., and Sean Kelly. All Things Shining: Reading the Western Classics to Find
Meaning in a Secular Age. New York: Free, 2011. Print.

3. Ehrlich, Brenna, and Andrea Bartz. Stuff Hipsters Hate: A Field Guide to the Passionate
Opinions of the Indifferent. Berkeley, CA: Ulysses, 2010.

4. Iverson, Kristin How Hipsters and Irony Have Ruined Everything. The L magazine,
n.p, 19 Nov. 2012 Web. 22 Apr. 2014

5. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm. The Gay Science.

6. Pruitt, Chris. "Pumped up Nihilists: How Irony Infiltrated the Mainstream, or Foster the
People Wrote a Bad Song and They Should Feel Bad about It."The Basement. N.p., 6
Apr. 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

7. Stubbs, Jacob. The End of Hipstery and The Last Culture. The Hipster Conservative,
n.p., 21 Oct 2013. Web 22 Apr 2014


8. Nihlism. Rules for Hipsters << Nihilism. 2010 NIHCenter for Nihilism and Nihilist
Studies, n.d. Web 22 Apr 2014

9. How is Being Conservative Like Being A Hipster? The Hipster Conservative, n.p., 14
Jun 2013, Web 22 Apr. 2014