Is Anyone Else Sick to Death of Irony/Quirk???

[Augusto86]

Is anyone else getting truly weary of the unending flood of hipster irony and detached quirkiness that seems to have inundated American culture lately? Perhaps it's particularly severe in the North-East, college scene, but I'm just getting so sick of ironic facial hair, Wes Anderson movies, Chuck Norris T-shirts, Buddy Jesus statuettes, 80s kitsch and all the other trappings of the self-conscious schlock that passes for the cultural moment of my generation.

I find myself retreating to things that most other people find insufferably serious or un-ironic - epic poetry, classic literature, my photography, romance, diary writing, a drinking habit, and Dire Straits songs.

Anyone else?

 

[redcaimen]

For the older people in the audience could you explain what ironic facial hair is?

Also, have you read Jedediah Purdys naive goof of a book?

 

[Go Surface]

Agreed.

I'm unable to find anything inspiring about people who abide by hipster doctrine.

The thing's you listed as pervasively serious/un-ironic are things that I find great enjoyment in. Except, I would have to add painting to my list.

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by redcaimen

For the older people in the audience could you explain what ironic facial hair is?

Seriously.

I personally identify more with people 15 years my senior than people 5 years my junior.

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Seriously.

I personally identify more with people 15 years my senior than people 5 years my junior.

Ditto. I kind of wish I was like 50 so I could go to jazz clubs with my "posse" and drink bourbon while a quartet swings all night long.

All of this would be done in three-piece suits, of course.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by redcaimen

For the older people in the audience could you explain what ironic facial hair is?

Also, have you read Jedediah Purdys naive goof of a book?

At the risk of exposing my older person's ignorance, I think that the sporting by a young hipster of muttonchops or a Rollie Fingers moustache might constitute ironic facial hair.

 

[evilgeniusdan]

Yes, but only slightly more than I am sick of hearing people complain about hipster this and hipster that. And, I like Wes Anderson movies

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by redcaimen

For the older people in the audience could you explain what ironic facial hair is?

Also, have you read Jedediah Purdys naive goof of a book?

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=2860&page=93
scroll down.

 

[LabelKing]

Ironic and detached humor is hardly a new "hipster" phenomenon.

 

[LabelKing]

Also, what is "my photography"?

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by evilgeniusdan

Yes, but only slightly more than I am sick of hearing people complain about hipster this and hipster that.

And, I like Wes Anderson movies

Frankly, I don't even like the word hipster. There's just something about people that are self-consciously trying to look cool that really irritates me.

 

[dtmt]

Uh, your generation? The funniest thing about this scene is that it's really, really old. I mean, in the early 90's in the Midwest, people had the same "ironic"/thrift store/stupid facial hair/elitist/pseudo-bohemian thing going on. About the only difference was that it was a little more 70's kitch than 80's kitch, and people drank some other crappy beer instead of PBR. So it cracks me up now when people on the coasts act like this is like some new thing.

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Frankly, I don't even like the word hipster. There's just something about people that are self-consciously trying to look cool that really irritates me.

I don't use the word "hipster" unless it is followed by "dufus", ala Kramer.

 

[Edward Appleby]

How the **** do you figure Wes Anderson movies belong in this category? They're one of the last bastions of authentic, heartfelt filmmaking among a sea of manufactured, homogenized, bullshit "dramas" and overexposed, ridiculous, "realistic" violence Appreciation.

Although I do know what you mean about being tired of the too-cool-for-school attitude. I think that's why I've started listening to more (freak folk/naturalism/New Weird America) and less NYC postpunk. I also think it's why postmodernist criticism/theory makes me want to tear someone's eyes out.

EDIT: Also, irony has an immensely important place in most literature that's worth reading, "classic" or otherwise.

 

[LabelKing]