Do you have a Tumblr? If you said “yes,” then you might already be aware of the large hipster population that has made this photo-blogging site their creative sanctuary. You might have seen many popular memes such as Hipster Kitty, Awkward Penguin and Paranoid Parrot, just to name a few. Or maybe you’ve laughed at the occasional “Forever Alone” cartoon while scrolling through your dashboard in search of a few laughs. The users wear large glasses without a prescription, vintage clothing from thrift stores, and listen to bands “you’ve probably never heard of.”

However, if you said “no,” then Tumblr users probably don’t want you to join Tumblr anyway. That might make it too mainstream.

Thanks to Tumblr, I have become more educated about the lifestyle of hipsters. Hipsters have a penchant for irony and shy away from anything “mainstream,” so it’s only fitting to state that the hipster lifestyle has become quite popular. However, as their lifestyle becomes more prevalent in society, they are bound to become as popular as the emo kids of yesteryear. Their love for obscure indie music, philosophy, and their occasional political sneers allow them to reject the culturally-ignorant attitudes of mainstream consumers.

As someone who spends a fair amount of time on Tumblr reblogging pictures and quotes from Harry Potter, I have come to appreciate the occasional hipster. They are intelligent and quick-witted. Many hipsters are currently attending liberal arts colleges or already have their degree. They commonly do not associate with the educationally inept and have a knack for expressing their personal views with eloquence. They are aspiring writers, artists, photographers and musicians. They wear an obscene amount of plaid and polyester. Does this sound like you? Frankly, I see this “type” in a lot of Goshen College students.

Where do we draw the line between “hipster” and “educated?”

Even if they can be found right here at our college, most hipsters would never refer to themselves as hipsters nor want to be referred to as hipsters. I am doing it for the sake of this perspective, but you would never hear me say the words, “Hey, hipster!” to a person wearing skinny jeans, a large sweater, and over-sized glasses with an American Spirit hanging out of their mouth. Nevertheless, I marvel at their novelty and find their style and taste overwhelmingly cool.