The 21st Century Hipster and the Causes of Gentrification

17 May on Uncategorized  

David Muhieddine 

Professor Creaney 

Writing for Social Science 

May 12th, 2020

The 21st Century Hipster and the Causes of Gentrification

The disposition of this particular research paper is to draw attention to how the hipster subculture can be unique as compared to any other style, trend, and movement all around the United States of America. The 21st century hipster established an emphasis on the essence of individualism and notions which invoke originality and eccentricity. However, when sustaining a particular lifestyle, there may be a series of consequential results that can contradict the communal credences and alter its surrounding environment. And so, the overall goal of this essay is to determine whether the presence of hipsterism stimulates the process of gentrification within municipalities such as New York City and if it impugns on the non-conformist standpoint the movement generally supports.  

Throughout the years of the 21st century, a series of cultural trends and styles has generated a resurgence in the hipster subculture within small neighborhoods around urban parts of the U.S. Although, the term, “hipster”, has been in use since the 1940’s and pre-World War II. In accordance to the journal article, “Late-Modern Hipsters: New tendencies in popular culture”, Bjorn Schiermer states, “Originally, it was a term for the decedent connoisseurism and over-refinement of late black jazz culture captured in a famous essay by American literary critic, Anatole Broyard (1948)…” (Schiermer & Pg.169). Moreover, in reference to the article, “Hipster Subculture”, written by Abdulaziz Alsaeed, it alludes to the jazz musicians utilizing the phrase, “hep”, in order to establish a label and/or title for jazz enthusiasts. (Alsaeed & Cnx.org). Contrary to the subculture in the 1940’s, contemporary hipsterism greatly appealed to the practices of non-conformity and the pursuance to being unique within mainstream society. And so, the essence of anti-trends embedded into the subculture is derived from developing the whim of individuality. As mentioned by Mark Greif in the New York Times, “The Hipster in the Mirror”, Greif states, “All hipsters play at being the inventors of first adopters of novelties: pride comes from knowing, and deciding, what’s cool in advance of the rest of the world…” (Greif & Nytimes.com). In addition, a particular clothing attire within the hipster community may stand-out from other normative perceptions that the remainder of society appeals to. In turn, with any kind of subculture, societal interpretations may conjure certain stereotypes that may and/or may not possess any form of accuracy to reality. In some cases, negative depictions of hipsterdom, entails a satirical attitude towards the peculiar clothing preferences amongst the members of the community. With this being concluded, Zachary Crockett elaborates on certain connotations in the article, “Why You Should Love Hipster Entrepreneurs”, by stating, “A mere mention of the word hipster seems to conjure some primal, collective anger — anger directed at skinny jeans, fake reading glasses, unkempt beards, flannel…” (Crockett & Time.com). Thus, justifying the many stereotypes being configured throughout society.    

With the perfervid community valuing certain theoritics that invoke the sense of individualism, political beliefs often take into account and are popularized amongst the subculture as well. Hipsters that tend to reside in urban environments across the country typically maintain a homogeneous political stance which often gravitates towards progressive and liberal ideologically-based thinking. With the notion of being against the “corporate establishment and the other various political machines signifies a non-conformist identity. However, socio-politically sound hipsters consistently expose their over-reliance towards social media platforms in order to voice their own opinionated cries pertaining to social reform. Consequently, excessive use of social media is undoubtedly aligned to societal normatives, which in turn establishes a contradictory force against their non-conformist identity. As mentioned by Camila Victoriano, “ Ironically, they voice their counter-culture attitudes chiefly through technology, a leading force in mainstream culture. However, hipsters also act upon those aspirations through how they live their daily lives and through participating in different social and political movements…” (Victoriano & Harvardpolitics.com). With that being said, the statement justifies certain paradoxical actions in regards to communal beliefs that are correlated to hipsterism. 

From the hipster movement establishing trends and reaching global popularity also comes with certain effects that change the appearances and social dynamics of urban environments. All throughout the United States, a sudden influx of transitions have been established that heavily pertains to urban planning. With this being done, quality of life and racial-ethnic composition may dramatically alter and transform. The specific process at hand is popularly known as gentrification. Derived by liberal thinking, societal normatives may distinguish the term gentrification with the attainment of a negative connotation. In terms of dealing with social dynamics, the affair is tied to various social tolls on neighborhoods within a metropolitan area. Such costs can result in the displacement of impoverished peoples, local business shut-downs, and the forced sale of assets (foreclosures). To be specific in terms of the effects of gentrification on housing, renters and/or tenants are greatly vulnerable due to the increase on rent-averages/estimates which may result in rent hikes or evictions. And so, when apartment buildings/complexes are purchased, new owners would often evict pre-existing renters in exchange for new tenants that can afford the higher renting rate. As for the changes in racial-ethnic composition, it is evident that the effects of gentrification will produce a decline on the quantity of racial-minority communities which then limits the efforts to maintain diversification within a municipality. Moreover, with new investments there can be a dramatic increase in pricing for surviving businesses in order to compete with newer 

Businesses. The hipster subculture has unleashed certain ways of living that deals with specific dieting, spending, and even areas of living within a city like New York. And so, one may argue that the hipster subculture is closely aligned to the immediate changes of urban planning. In accordance to Peter J.Marina’s novel, Down and Out in New Orleans: Transgressive Living in the Informal Economy, provides the accounts of public opinion in regards to the gentrification towards small neighborhoods within a municipality. The ninth chapter of the novel that is labeled “Hipster Wonderland” contains a very racially-charged description that elaborates on communal dissatisfaction amongst black residents. “The discontent many traditional black residents experience serving white tourists in the service industry or watching white yuppies drink fancy latte coffees and cocktails in and around the vieux carre dissipates when they return to the comforts of their traditional communities. But thanks to gentrification, such a retreat is often no longer possible. All of the yoga and lattes, the white privilege, and expensive consumer choices, all the wealth and high status now comes barreling into the communities that once offered support and comfort…” (Marina & Pg. 197). 

And so, this particular statement made towards the massive effects of gentrification expresses the dissatisfaction amongst minority groups and that of lower socio-economic status. 

The drastic changes of urban planning stems from the vast ranges of quality of life. To be specific, certain factors such as rent-gaps, capital reinvestments, and demographic transformations all maintain great potential of jumpstarting the gentrification process within Harlem. When focusing on the borough of Manhattan, there can be many reasons as to why and how urban planning may be altering the appearances of low-income neighborhoods. Throughout the history of New York City, Harlem has such a unique past. From the birth of the Harlem Renaissance to its communal stance on the Civil Rights Movement, this particular neighborhood establishes a sense of concentration amongst certain individuals. When establishing a correlation between hipsterism and Harlem, one can characterize both entities as maintaining a non-conformist identity. The counterculture and its qualities that solely appeal to individuality recognize the similarities and interests many generations of hipsters have on lower class neighborhoods like Harlem. Based on Neil Smith’s and Richard Schaffer’s outlook, both believe that there are certain components that transcend gentrification. “One would expect to see changes in the occupational and socio-economic character of affected neighborhoods as well as in the property market, and indicators are available for identifying such changes. Specifically, one would expect increases in the percentage of college graduates and of professionals in gentrifying neighborhoods…” (Smith & Pg.350). Therefore, a form of recognition justifies that people with a higher education background can create effects when residing in lower class neighborhoods. 

In accordance with the research completed in exploring the hipster subculture and examining the effects of gentrification. The objective of this research paper was to go-depth and concentrate on the unique aspects and ideological beliefs that make up the Hipster community within urban environments. 

Work-Cited

Alsaeed , Abdulaziz. “Hipster Subculture.” OpenStax CNX, Rice University , 23 Apr. 2015, www.cnx.org/contents/bYlczNqu@1/Hipster-Subculture.

Victoriano , Camila. “The Hipster’s Movement.” Harvard Political Review, Harvard Political Review , 28 Sept. 2014, www.harvardpolitics.com/books-arts/hipsters-movement/.

Smith, Neil, and Richard Schaffer . “The Gentrification of Harlem?” Shibboleth Authentication Request, Taylor & Francis LTD, 1986, www.jstor-org.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/stable/2562585?seq=4#metadata_info_tab_contents.

“HIPSTER WONDERLAND.” Down and Out in New Orleans: Transgressive Living in the Informal Economy, by PETER MARINA, Columbia University Press, New York, 2017, pp. 194–207. JSTOR,  

www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/mari17852.14. Accessed 14 May 2020

Crockett, Zachary, and Hipster Business Models. “Why You Should Love Hipster Entrepreneurs.” Time, Time, 23 Dec. 2014, time.com/3644520/why-you-should-love-hipster-entrepreneur/.

Greif, Mark. “The Hipster in the Mirror.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Nov. 2010, www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/books/review/Greif-t.html.

Schiermer, Bjørn. “Late-Modern Hipsters: New Tendencies in Popular Culture.” Acta Sociologica, vol. 57, no. 2, 2014, pp. 167–181., www.jstor.org/stable/24569530. Accessed 14 May 2020.