A Reddit thread became a deep investigation into the nature of hipsterism through responses to a photo of a sandwich board outside of a cafe on which was written, in chalk:
The top comment in the thread set the tone of the ensuing discussion:
Is it me but wasn't the witty cheeky comment sandwich board in front of a pub full of people drinking craft beers the sign to "Hipsterville?"
Hipster means "a person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns (as in jazz or fashion)," but it's a word that has been used to refer to those who place a high value on arcane knowledge, artisanal manufacturing, and an often ironic view of culture. In some ways, hipsterism has become a word that refers to an always subjective notion of what is and is not "authentic," but, since hipster is one of those words that only ever seems to refer to other people, it can be hard to pin down specifically what it means in terms of fashion and habit.
Other comments included:
I liked irony before it was ironic.
How did the hipster burn his mouth? He drank his coffee before it was cool.
Yeah, I like that joke's earlier stuff. You probably haven't heard it.
