good times... good times...

Well, I was just sitting here in my apartment trying to think of something to poke fun at. Poking fun....hmmm..... like with a stick with something on the end of it. Fun... I suppose, or doo-doo. Either way I was looking at some Minneapolis websites not only because it gets me excited for the move, but also gives me a clue as to what is happening around town. Speaking of which I always thought a good gag gift would be a small box with "Clues" printed on it all professional like and perhaps a clever, yet obvious tag like "You know you need to get one." The box would be empty of course, but... ok whatever.
So I happened to click a post about loft apartments and ended up reading the vitriolic lambastings that constituted the replies to it. Apparently lofts are the subject of much contempt and ridicule in the Twin Cities as are, people that build lofts, people that live in lofts, people that would like to live in a loft someday, or people that just like interesting and creative interior design.
The original post was itself innocent enough, but what really seemed to spark some controversy was the use of the words "creative class." I believe the prase was coined by writer Richard Florida in his book, "The Rise of the Creative Class." I've never read the book myself, but judging by some of those response posts, the creative class is not necessarily something to aspire to. But the subject many Minneapolitans seem to take as their favorite verbal punching bag is the hipster. Again, I'm not really sure what qualifies a person as a hipster, but it seems it is a universally negative thing to be. I sure hope I'm not a hipster. But if I were to take a stab at what might consitute such a person I'd have this to say. The hipster is apparently some kind of person who pretends to be cool.... but isn't? Or dresses unconventionally but deep down.... is a conformist? Judging by some descriptions the hipster is very concerned by their own superficial "look" and goes to great lengths to cultivate it, including reading "deep" books or obscuritan poetry that isn't really obscure (to the truly educated). In fact the hipster, it seems, is so involved in crating a personal "image" that they don't make decisions based on self-motivation but on aesthetic veneers that they believe will indicate to others that they are cool. Oh, and they regard non-hipsters (and possibly each other) with distain, when they regard others at all.
I guess what I'm getting at with all this is that while much of the commentary surrounding the creative class, hipsters, and so many other labels is tongue-in-cheek I can't help but feel that deep down there is some sort of real chaffing going on. That our own insecurities are what usually give rise to such criticisms. I'm not saying all these people want to be hipsters in some way, they just feel some compulsion to view their own lives as more authentic than those whom they consider to only be posturing. But then again maybe it's just me who is the intellecually elitist prick. At least I'm not a hippy.