HIPSTER (the pit of vipers)

*

The older I get, the more I think that searching for completely pure motivation in yourself or in anyone else is a waste of time and energy.

How can people go on knowing that people are probably thinking things about them

But since he's not one of my most favorite salsa singers, it doesn't mean too much.)

Here's my thought on the post: Undeniably, people gravitate toward certain kinds of music for reasons that aren't exclusively aesthetic. But does anyone really champion something that they don't genuinely like on some level? I mean, yeah, when I first started reading ILM, I was attracted to the social contrarianism (at least within my peer group) of listening to pop music. But as a listener, it also felt incredibly refreshing: I realized I loved all the cool sounds, the beats, the catchy melodies. And why not? Before I was 14, all I listened to was Top 40 and hip-hop radio; this kind of music has always been in my blood somehow.

And maybe some people do get into a genre of music because it seems like the "cool" thing to do, but once they really explore it, they'll find the specific artists that speak to them aesthetically and then it just turns into simple enjoyment. In the end, if I like both Justin Timberlake and Tortoise, it's not because they increase my hipster cred (even if I initially thought they were "cool") -- it's because they're both melodic and jazzy (in other words, essential aesthetic qualities that have always spoken to me).

I wish!

(Thanks to Kish Kash these lyrics can be relevant again.)

I see how all of these aspects of top 40 pop are attractive, but doesn't the music for which which cool sounds/beats/melodies is the icing on the cake have a special appeal? Doesn't it set itself above the overproduced stuff you hear on pop radio?

hating on things is way more fun than talking about how much you like things, cuz when you like something you're just being earnest and there's nothing funny about saying "hey man, this is a great record!" it's much funnier to talk about things that you don't like.

like, i don't like the kinks outside of a few songs. they're no troggs, that's for sure.

the first time i heard gymnopedie was indeed at the end of my dinner w andre

I also do not like the kinks outside of their big hits. I find Village Green unlistenable.

Also, no good music has ever come from the continent of Africa -- all these afro-punk-funk-rock compilers are kidding themselves.*

*j/k

contrarianism /= hipsterism. the satie diss scans hipsterish because of the pretense of worldliness and expertise that it assumes in order to more effectively sneer at arrivistes who heard of satie through a movie or some such. the contemptuous sarcasm of "i hope they play gymnopédie no 1 at your funeral". it's an attack not on the music, but on a certain type of listener.

Chain and the Gang track is so great. love that whole album. Ian is funny!

contrarianism /= hipsterism. the satie diss scans hipsterish because of the pretense of worldliness and expertise

True, but he also writes 'I still claim he invented Muzak,' which reads like an attack on the music.

I didn't know about Chain and the Gang until now. Got inspired to revisit Make-Up and NOU as a result.

i think the attack on the music is where the hipsterism falls down, cuz that's a pretty tired thing to say about satie. ian is making a good go of it, but it still seems a bit challopy rather than the (illusion of) sincere takedown demanded.

so is "the pit of vipers" hipsters or ilx?

accusing someone of contrarianism = "instead of accepting your statement and arguing against it I'm just going to pretend you don't even believe it yourself which is pretty much just an asshole move that will make the argument last longer and get progressively more meaningless"

― some dude, Tuesday, 7 October 2008 18:15 (3 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

quoted for truth