What is a Hipster?

For those of you who frequently check in with the inhuman ones, I apologize for my recent lack of content. I could spend the next 50 words griping about why I am unable to get anything up on this blog right now, but I will save you the pathetic self-pity.

Last week, I read a book that is being sold out all over in New York City titled "What Was the Hipster?" The book is a follow-up to a panel/academic conference held at The New School in April 2009 and was coedited by Professor Mark Greif. Mark is an amazing cat--he did his undergrad in literature and history at Harvard, Master's at Oxford, and got his Ph.D. in literature from Yale.

I sat down with Mark to interview him on hipster culture and we had a very interesting conversation. The book is so good, it inspired me to abandon one of my research topics here in my final semester to take up trying to answer the following question that has puzzled me about hipsters: "Why is this the one (or at least, first) subcultural movements of which its members wish to deny being a part of?"

Being called a "hipster" is an insult to most. The Onion captured it best in a witty article heading; "Two Hipsters Angrily Call Each Other 'Hipster'." Hipster culture is a fascinating topic to me and this week's Book Talk on BreakThru Radio was the best show yet.

I implore you all to take some time (the show is 60 minutes in length) and listen to Mark discuss what he and his co-researchers have discovered about hipsters in 2010 (especially if you deny being in the category yourself--this means you and all your hipster friends Eugenia). And, if you like what you hear, go and buy his book ("What Was the Hipster?").

Click HERE for the show.