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The Dead End of Western Civilization?

posted by Ryan McManus
Ryan McManus
Ryan McManus

Senior Art Director : New York

topics: Social Media, Design, Creativity, Fashion, and Photography

on August 01, 2008 at 01:47 PM
filed under: Fashion and Internet Culture
Man, talk about Kettle:Blackism.
A bit of a dustup recently about this article on Hipsterism by the normally moderate and reserved Adbusters:
An artificial appropriation of different styles from different eras, the hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture lost in the superficiality of its past and unable to create any new meaning. Not only is it unsustainable, it is suicidal. While previous youth movements have challenged the dysfunction and decadence of their elders, today we have the “hipster” – a youth subculture that mirrors the doomed shallowness of mainstream society.
Wow, so hipsters are going to end culture, hmm? We’re all going to hell in a track bike basket?
It’s called Fin De Siécle, boys. Read a friggin’ book.
(via brooklynvegan)
(image from flickr)

4 comments

This article was so painful. It amazes me people still believe they can write things like that and it means anything other than "the author got old."

I do think it'd be a worthwhile exercise to actually chronicle the accomplishments and positives about this generation though: their near obliteration of racism and nationalism. Their political engagement. Their lack of shame. Their desire to advance society, technology, modernity. I'll bet it would be an interesting list.
http://streetbonersandtvcarnage.com/blog/hating-hipsters/
Yeah, but you hipsters ARE really annoying. :P

Well, I'm off to Home Depot to pick up some fertilizer. Gotta keep that lawn green. Maybe Bed Bath, and Beyond - don't know if I'll have enough time.
On August 13, 2008 at 03:03 PM, keith wrote:
Terrible article. The pages and pages of comments, however are really interesting. I think this is really just an example of writing something inflammatory to create buzz.