Toodlepip dotblogspot: Put on the glasses

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A defense of hipsterism

I found this on urban dictionary of all places, but it's a really smart and well written short essay on hipsterism and it's virtues. Thought I'd share.

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. The greatest concentrations of hipsters can be found living in the Williamsburg, Wicker Park, and Mission District neighborhoods of major cosmopolitan centers such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco respectively. Although "hipsterism" is really a state of mind,it is also often intertwined with distinct fashion sensibilities. Hipsters reject the culturally-ignorant attitudes of mainstream consumers, and are often be seen wearing vintage and thrift store inspired fashions, tight-fitting jeans, old-school sneakers, and sometimes thick rimmed glasses. Both hipster men and women sport similar androgynous hair styles that include combinations of messy shag cuts and asymmetric side-swept bangs. Such styles are often associated with the work of creative stylists at urban salons, and are usually too "edgy" for the culturally-sheltered mainstream consumer. The "effortless cool" urban bohemian look of a hipster is exemplified in Urban Outfitters and American Apparel ads which cater towards the hipster demographic. Despite misconceptions based on their aesthetic tastes, hipsters tend to be well educated and often have liberal arts degrees, or degrees in maths and sciences, which also require certain creative analytical thinking abilities. Consequently many hipsters tend to have jobs in the music, art, and fashion industries. It is a myth that most hipsters are unemployed and live off of their parent's trust funds.

Hipsters shun mainstream societal conventions that apply to dating preferences and traditional "rules" of physical attraction. It is part of the hipster central dogma not to be influenced by mainsream advertising and media, which tends to only promote ethnocentric ideals of beauty. The concepts of androgyny and feminism have influenced hipster culture, where hipster men are often as thin as the women they date. The muscular and athletic all-American male ideal is not seen as attractive by confident and culturally-empowered hipster women who instead view them as symbols of male oppression, sexism, and misogyny. Likewise, culturally-vapid sorority-type girls with fake blond hair, overly tanned skin, and "Britney Spears tube-tops" are not seen as attractive by cultured hipster males who instead see them as symbols of female insecurity, low self-esteem, and lack of cultural intelligence and independent thinking. Hipsters are also very racially open-minded, and the greatest number of interracial couples in any urban environment are typically found within the hipster subculture.

Although hipsters are technically conformists within their own subculture, in comparison to the much larger mainstream mass, they are pioneers and leaders of the latest cultural trends and ideals. For example, the surge of jeans made to look old and worn (i.e. "distressed"), that have become prevalent at stores such as The Gap, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Hollister, were originally paraded by hipsters who shopped in thrift stores years before such clothing items were mass produced and sold to the mainstream consumer. The true irony here is that many of the detractors of hipster culture are in fact unknowingly following a path that hipsters have carved out years before them. This phenomena also applies to music as well, as many bands have become successful and known to mainstream audiences only because hipsters first found and listened to them as early-adopters of new culture. Once certain concepts of fashion and music have reached mainstream audiences, hipsters move on to something new and improved.

Because of the rise of various online photo-blog and social networking sites, insights into urban hipster culture is reaching sheltered suburban audiences at an exponential rate. Cultural "norms" have been deconstructed by hipster culture as a whole. Hipsterism is often dismissed as just an image thing by some, but the culture as a whole is effecting changes in society, leading to feelings of insecurity and resentment in people who are no longer a part of the cultural ruling class. For example, a lot of anti-hipster sentiment evidently comes from culturally-clueless suburban frat boy types who feel that the more sensitive, intelligent, and culturally aware hipster ideal threatens their insecure sense of masculinity. Anti-hipster sentiment often comes from people who simply can't keep up with social change and are envious of those who can.

by Trey Parasuco

Somebody had to post it

I know several have already seen it, but here's Lady Gaga's crazy-ass video with Beyonce. From Tarantino references to weird product placement to glasses made of cigarettes...it's, uh, something.

Lost - The Sitcom!

Not as good as the Lost theme song video, of course, but pretty fun takes on "sitcom style" credits for Lost:

Season One:

Season Two:

Season Three:

Came across a short, tongue-in-cheek Entertainment Weekly interview with LeVar Burton of Star Trek The Next Generation. Seems Burton may be one of these guys like Wil Wheaton who ends up being much cooler in real life than the character he played.

Dig:

What's your favorite 'Trek' episode?
The ones where we're in the holodeck dressing up as Robin Hood or Holmes and Watson. After seven years, when you wear the same spacesuit to work every day, any variety is welcome. It was like a holiday. I was still in the visor, but...

Speaking of the visor, eyes are windows to the soul. How'd you act in that thing?
The producers maintained it was a way to highlight the technological sophistication of the 24th century. It was a pain in the ass, but I cashed the check every week.

Was it embarrassing to play a character whose first love interest was a hologram?
Yeah, that was bulls---. The producers enjoyed that Geordi was inept around women. I don't want to cast aspersions, but, y'know, I find it suspect that the only -- Worf aside, being a Klingon -- black male was emasculated by white male writers.

You piloted a plane in an episode of 'Rainbow.' C'mon, you had a stunt double, right?
I flew that airplane. I landed the plane. Life is about experience, man. Drink it up!

Reminder: Whedon's DOLLHOUSE debuts tonight!

Believe it's on at 8pm Central on Fox.

And, yeah, beyond Eliza Dushku's hotness it doesn't seem like much at all to me - I mean, I can't even really remember what it's about. BUT...after seeing Firefly flop so hard, I figure I gotta tune in for at least an ep or two to see if Whedon can surprise me and Fox's shitty scheduling can be overcome.

So there ya go. Watch it. FOR FIREFLY.

Hitler responds to the Transformers movies

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

I believe this has been posted twice, maybe three times before...and yet it's still so vitally important it be posted again!

GARTH MARENGHI'S DARKPLACE

It's a Brit series that spoofs the "celebrity author" status of a Stephen King type in the form of a fictional 80s schlock TV horror show. The setting's a haunted hospital, the gags are excellent, the hair is big, the production values awesomely shitty.

JUST WATCH THE FIRST EPISODE! IT'S WORTH IT! (cut to the opening credit sequence at the two minute mark if you're skeptical)

Part I