Hipsters

bobbybrummel wrote: [quote=Obamanut]

Here we go with the ol' "NY natives are reverse rednecks" schtick, a yuppie/hipster favorite. So anyone born and raised in NYC, who doesn't celebrate gentrification, must be a simpleton who's never done anything with their life. And then they wonder why we hate them.

If you want to put it like that, I can assure you that I have almost definitely been to more places and done more things than you. I've been around the world, numerous times, including just about all of the USA (and probably your hometown). I also speak three languages (not European). Not to brag or anything.

Nobody said you had to be impressed by those of us who are profiting from the lemming invasion. All that rent money is gratitude enough. 8)

Hey, nut, let's make a deal. I'm in my mid 20's and I'm from the Philadelphia suburbs. I'll prove to you that I'm an upstanding guy, I pay my own rent from my own salary (and not from any kind of fund or account that I did not originate). I don't live any kind of bohemian, debauched party lifestyle. I do have a few hipsterisms about me though, I wear Sol Moscot glasses and I'm an avid record collector. But I don't look like a nitwit, other than some Phillies apparel (and I should mention, I hate the Mets, but I do appreciate the Yankees). If I can prove that your universal rule is incorrect, would you make me an exception and rent me one of your apartments, but at a reasonable rate. No sense in getting rich off me if I'm not all that hateable.

Whaddya say? My lease is up in September.

To be honest I kind of like Philly (and even the suburbs; used to do business in Doylestown/Willow Grove), so you might get a pass.

Yes! I was hoping this thread wasn't dead yet.

Santa wrote: NYC so was soooooo real and stuff when I moved here!

everyone else is a poseur.

Didn't mean that dude. I have room for everyone in my life. Including my "hipster" friends. ON apparently doesn't.

Jay B wrote: Obamanut how can you hate the hipsters and their effect on your hood but continue renting your apartments to them? It's in your power to bring about small reductions in the hipster population, but you keep letting more hipsters cycle in through the Slope. You must be emotionally torn, and that can't be healthy. How's your blood pressure?

Trying to 'prevent hipsters and yuppies from coming to Park Slope' by not renting to them at this point is like trying to spit back at the rain. I'll let their parents' red state suburban money line my retirement fund instead.

Obamanut wrote: That's funny, because today, thanks to the very yuppies and hipsters whom you defend, you wouldn't even be able to come here the way you did back then. You couldn't pay the equivalent of this rent back then. They've made it practically impossible.

Um, Talk to Carmen. She just moved here a couple years ago. And has a really nice apartment. In the Slope. Though I really wouldn't call her a yuppie - or a hipster, really. I've met her, have you?

Obamanut wrote: They are preventing the real hungry, creative types from being here; everyone real and worthwhile has been priced out. The true artists and talent are heading elsewhere if you haven't noticed--NYC, culturally, is pretty much dead and buried at this point for those who aren't living in a gentrification bubble.

Do you really KNOW any "hungry, creative types"? I do. And no, I haven't noticed that they are moving elsewhere. When was the last time you were at South Paw? Bell House? You need to get out more, dude.

Obamanut wrote: As for "asking" gentrifiers about their parental slush funds, they will rarely admit it, if ever. And as for bush league yuppies like "Anastasia," it's obvious they don't have "millionaire parents," that's why they're forced to trek out to gentrifier outposts like Sunset Park and Kensington to lie and wait for their chance to one day move up the food chain and realize their Park Slope lemming fantasy.

I have so many problems with this that I don't even know where to begin. Suffice to say that you can continue to live in your gentrified, hate filled world and I hope you enjoy your life. I am enjoying mine.

witch-king wrote: Obamanut sounds downwardly mobile. I haven't seen this much status resentment since the last Sarah Palin sighting.

Funny, for someone who's supposed to be so 'resentful' of 'status,' it' looks like I am a member of a more 'elite' profession than your lowly "academia," especially seeing as you are probably something like an adjunct lecturer, administrative assistant, etc. Not to mention, you are a renter; I am an owner. Should I resent myself, then? :?

Obamanut wrote: Don't worry about me, I am having a blast. I am lucky to be surrounded by friends who are some of the realest, most genuine, hardworking people walking the streets of this city.

Well then, I am not worried about you, ON! I mean that, truly, no sarcasm intended. Everyone in the world deserves to be happy.

Obamanut wrote: It's unfortunate that you see no difference between the creativity that existed in this city in decades past and the dearth of it that exists today, but that's on you, not me. :oops:

Um, this is where I have a problem. I've seen a lot of creativity in the past (the Ramones at CBGBs! Talking Heads at Irving Plaza!) and still see it today (The Shins at South Paw! The Thermals at Bell House!). But that's on me, not you.

VoodooNYC wrote: I've seen a lot of creativity in the past (the Ramones at CBGBs! Talking Heads at Irving Plaza!) and still see it today (The Shins at South Paw! The Thermals at Bell House!).

I don't know--- Ramones > Talking Heads > Shins > Thermals... that statement kinda proves Obamanut's point on declining creativity.

GermanHermann wrote: [quote=VoodooNYC]I've seen a lot of creativity in the past (the Ramones at CBGBs! Talking Heads at Irving Plaza!) and still see it today (The Shins at South Paw! The Thermals at Bell House!).

I don't know--- Ramones > Talking Heads > Shins > Thermals... that statement kinda proves Obamanut's point on declining creativity.

james mercer of the shins is a pretty brilliant lyricist. they may not be defining a new genre but they are certainly creative.

and I know a dozen people who've moved to various parts of nyc in the past year or two with little more than a suitcase to their name and without their parents' continual support. i'm sure there are people arriving in the city today with the same situation.

Obamanut wrote: [quote=VoodooNYC]
I have so many problems with this that I don't even know where to begin. Suffice to say that you can continue to live in your gentrified, hate filled world and I hope you enjoy your life. I am enjoying mine.

Don't worry about me, I am having a blast. I am lucky to be surrounded by friends who are some of the realest, most genuine, hardworking people walking the streets of this city. Everything my friends do and say comes straight from their heart, as opposed to some media-tainted, 'ironic,' fabricated act that was formulated during many lonely suburban nights of watching MTV, "Sex and the City," and "Friends," fueled by resentment toward their small town's captain of the HS football team and homecoming queen--"I'll show them, I'll move to New York and find other misfits just like myself!"

It's unfortunate that you see no difference between the creativity that existed in this city in decades past and the dearth of it that exists today, but that's on you, not me. :oops:


I didn't move to NYC to be creative or cool. I moved here because the job market in my hometown sucked (and I like cold weather so I figured this was as good a place as any to pick up and head towards.) I know quite a few people who have moved here for work...where do they fall on the hipster/gentrification spectrum? For reference sake- I know two people working in visual arts who live in williamsburg and greenpoint, one working in finance who lives in murray hill, one who is a professor and lives in the east village and one who is a merchandiser for american eagle who lives in harlem.

Explain their hipness to me- all of them moved here as a result of obtaining jobs prior to the move (and after looking in various US cities.) I didn't realize a pre-requisite to moving to brooklyn/nyc was a desire to create art in some way...

Carmen wrote: all of them moved here as a result of obtaining jobs prior to the move

+1

Well, basically. It was a little more complicated.

Carmen wrote: Explain their hipness to me- all of them moved here as a result of obtaining jobs prior to the move (and after looking in various US cities.) I didn't realize a pre-requisite to moving to brooklyn/nyc was a desire to create art in some way...

Didn't really intend to imply that you had to be in the arts to move to NYC but maybe it came out that way. The whole discussion has veered a little off topic.

vidro3 wrote: and I know a dozen people who've moved to various parts of nyc in the past year or two with little more than a suitcase to their name and without their parents' continual support. i'm sure there are people arriving in the city today with the same situation.

^^^ This. This was my original point. But said way better than I did.

Just curious Obamanut- did you personally purchase this building you own or were you born into it from your family? Because if you were born into it, that sounds a little trust-fundy to me. FWIW.