The Hipster Conundrum

What makes someone a "hipster"?

In today's society, a hipster is someone who likes to believe they are "breaking away" from the common culture. They aren't a part of any clique or organization--they are, quite simply put, themselves. 

But, with this concept of rebelling from modern day society, there is one prevalent idea that arises:

If someone claims themselves as a hipster, are they placing themselves into a group, thus making them no longer a hipster?

After all, if someone is a hipster, they don't belong to a group of people. But, there are many like-minded people that separate from society who claim to be hipsters. Once again, if they are like-minded people with the same intentions, they are in a group, which makes them no longer hipsters.

Society has now started to associate the overarching group name of people who try to rebel against conforming to society as the hipster group. If an external viewer, such as society, classifies these people to be hipsters, it is no longer an issue. Those who are not hipsters can place these said people into groups, because it does not affect them. It is apparent that that group has similar intentions, which makes it easy to classify them as a group. 

So, from one standpoint, a hipster isn't a hipster because they call themselves a hipster. But, from the other standpoint, multiple hipsters can be grouped by society to form a group known as "hipsters," by the idea that people with similar beliefs should be placed into groups.

Which is the right answer?

Do hipsters truly exist or are they an impossible concept?

The Ethnography

1. The group I'm studying for my ethnography report is a church worship band. This isn't an ordinary church band however; this band is extremely professional as they perform in front of at least one thousand people per church service. My cultural broker, luckily enough, is my mother. She has been in contact with their lead vocalist, Joel, for quite some time and it shouldn't be too troublesome to research them. I have chosen to study this group because I have music knowledge already, but I am completely in the dark when it comes to the technology they use, how they rehearse in a professional setting, etc. Also, I hope to conduct interviews with each of the members and learn about the troubles they have faced in society being musicians. I believe I will learn a great deal about how such a large operation can run smoothly with little to no hiccups. It will be an enlightening experience.

2. Time may be of an issue--since they are a church band, they only meet once a week to rehearse. However, I will be able to attend many church services (there are three a week) and observe different aspects of the performance. Being a drummer myself, I am also weary of the fact that I might know too much to begin with. My goal is for this not to be the case, as I hope to study the production side of the performance rather than the music itself.

Ethics Manifesto

The main issue I see myself having with this narrative is keeping it story-driven. I will have to try my best to add tension and a big climax to something that truly wasn't that climactic when it happened. But, I believe it can be done.

Law I:
When writing my narrative, it is my goal to stay as close as I can to the truth. However, being that it is so incredibly difficult to recall each and every situation in accurate detail, I will invent ideas to bridge the gaps and add clarity to the essay. No matter what, I want the essay to stay true to what actually happened. But instead of worrying about something I don't remember, I will add in improvised substance to connect point "A" to point "B".

Law II:
I will not create new characters to add to the story. However, I will add detailed descriptions to the characters themselves to help paint a more vivid picture which may not have been entirely remembered. Adding new characters starts to delve too far away from a personal narrative and feels more like a fiction writing, which I will greatly try to avoid.

Law III:
I will use no restraint when it comes to creating new dialogue. It is nearly impossible to remember each and every word that was spoken years ago--this means there is little to no point trying to spend time pulling it out of my mind. Creating interesting dialogue and "spicing up" dialogue that I do in fact remember will add to the overall fluidity of the writing.

Trio of Domains

1. Divorce

• Divorce has greatly affected who I am as a person today. Almost all aspects of my life have somehow been related to my split family. I could find endless material to write about this domain.

2. White Privilege

• Being a while male, I am well aware of my position in society in relation to other races: I have a underlying age-old advantage. 

3. Music

• Ever since I quit baseball four years ago, music has become a large aspect of my life. I could write about how I became a drummer, the art of drumming, etc. 

The Wondrous College Application Question(s)

Although I already applied to the University of Minnesota, I decided that I also would enjoy giving a private school such as St. Thomas University a try.

This college application has two relatively easy essay choices to choose from:

• Discuss a meaningful contribution you have made through involvement in school, church or community activities.
• Describe an event, a person or an educational experience that has had a major impact on your life and why.