解读西方的非主流文化 Hipster’s dilemma
在大学校园里，有这样一群人变得越来越多——他们穿法兰绒衣服，戴厚框眼镜，听独立音乐。可能他们喜欢玩一些冷门乐器，喜欢去二手店购物，或是以特立独行的方式来表达自我。<span word="They">They</span> <span word="call">call</span> <span word="themselves">themselves</span> <span word="hipsters">hipsters</span>. <span word="Being">Being</span> “<span word="hip">hip</span>” <span word="used">used</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="mean">mean</span> <span word="following">following</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="latest">latest</span> <span word="fashion">fashion</span>. <span word="But">But</span> <span word="gradually">gradually</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="word">word</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="evolved">evolved</span> <span word="into">into</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="synonym">synonym</span> <span word="for">for</span> “<span word="cool">cool</span>”, “<span word="edgy">edgy</span>” <span word="and">and</span> “<span word="quirky">quirky</span>”.他们自称“潮人”。“潮”一度意味着紧跟潮流步伐。但是渐渐地，这个词已发展成“酷”、“前卫”以及“另类”的同义词了。<span word="Hipsters">Hipsters</span> <span word="value">value</span> <span word="independent">independent</span> <span word="thinking">thinking</span>, <span word="progressive">progressive</span> <span word="politics">politics</span>, <span word="an">an</span> <span word="appreciation">appreciation</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="creativity">creativity</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="intelligence">intelligence</span>. <span word="Hipsters">Hipsters</span> <span word="take">take</span> <span word="pains">pains</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="pride">pride</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="being">being</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span>. <span word="However">However</span>, <span word="their">their</span> <span word="culture">culture</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="become">become</span> <span word="quite">quite</span> <span word="trendy">trendy</span>. <span word="This">This</span> <span word="irony">irony</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="central">central</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="culture">culture</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="offers">offers</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="interesting">interesting</span> <span word="paradox">paradox</span>.“潮人”看重独立思考，信奉政治革新，崇拜创新与智慧。对于“潮人”来说，成为“非主流”是件痛并快乐着的事情。然而，他们的文化已成为一种时尚。这一令人啼笑皆非的局面对于他们文化却有着至关重要的意义，因而形成了一个有趣的自相矛盾的现象。“<span word="I">I</span> <span word="do">do</span> <span word="take">take</span> <span word="things">things</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="grain">grain</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="salt">salt</span>,” <span word="says">says</span> <span word="Ben">Ben</span> <span word="Polson">Polson</span>, <span word="a">a</span> <span word="college">college</span> <span word="student">student</span> <span word="at">at</span> <span word="Brown">Brown</span> <span word="University">University</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="US">US</span>. <span word="Polson">Polson</span> <span word="describes">describes</span> <span word="himself">himself</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="hipster">hipster</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="says">says</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="often">often</span> <span word="questions">questions</span> <span word="what">what</span> <span word="determines">determines</span> <span word="popularity">popularity</span>, <span word="especially">especially</span> <span word="regarding">regarding</span> <span word="music">music</span>.“我对主流文化持保留意见。”就读于美国布朗大学的本波尔森表示。他自称“潮人”，并表示自己经常质疑是什么左右着流行趋势，尤其是在音乐方面。<span word="When">When</span> <span word="lesser">lesser</span>-<span word="known">known</span> <span word="bands">bands</span> <span word="become">become</span> <span word="popular">popular</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="often">often</span> <span word="lose">lose</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="former">former</span> <span word="fan">fan</span> <span word="base">base</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="exchange">exchange</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="new">new</span> <span word="one">one</span>. <span word="There">There</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="famous">famous</span> <span word="hipster">hipster</span> <span word="clich">clich</span>é <span word="that">that</span> <span word="goes">goes</span>: <span word="I">I</span> <span word="used">used</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="like">like</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="band">band</span> <span word="before">before</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="got">got</span> <span word="popular">popular</span>.当一个小众乐队走红时，他们常常会失去先前的粉丝阵营，而换来新的一批簇拥者。“潮人”们有句著名的老话儿是这样说的：我曾喜欢过那支乐队，在它还没有走红之前。<span word="According">According</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="Polson">Polson</span>, <span word="bands">bands</span>’ <span word="music">music</span> <span word="changes">changes</span> <span word="when">when</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span>. <span word="They">They</span> <span word="become">become</span> “<span word="less">less</span> <span word="experimental">experimental</span>, <span word="doing">doing</span> <span word="things">things</span> <span word="just">just</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="save">save</span> <span word="popularity">popularity</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="fans">fans</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="original">original</span> <span word="elements">elements</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="we">we</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="drawn">drawn</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="slowly">slowly</span> <span word="dwindle">dwindle</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="sake">sake</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="popularity">popularity</span>.”波尔森表示，乐队在走向主流后，音乐发生了变化。他们会变得“缺乏实验精神，做事只是为了留住粉丝和人气。为保持人气，过去吸引我们的那种原创元素会慢慢减少。”<span word="Many">Many</span> <span word="young">young</span> <span word="adults">adults</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="started">started</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="view">view</span> <span word="hipsters">hipsters</span>’ <span word="outlook">outlook</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="cool">cool</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="adopting">adopting</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="counterculture">counterculture</span> <span word="mindset">mindset</span> <span word="themselves">themselves</span>. <span word="This">This</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="led">led</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="specialized">specialized</span> <span word="brands">brands</span>, <span word="stores">stores</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="music">music</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="hipster">hipster</span> <span word="niche">niche</span>. <span word="Ironically">Ironically</span>, <span word="some">some</span> <span word="such">such</span> <span word="stores">stores</span>, <span word="including">including</span> <span word="clothing">clothing</span> <span word="labels">labels</span> <span word="Urban">Urban</span> <span word="Outfitters">Outfitters</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="American">American</span> <span word="Apparel">Apparel</span>, <span word="have">have</span> <span word="gained">gained</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span> <span word="popularity">popularity</span>. <span word="This">This</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="seemingly">seemingly</span> <span word="diluted">diluted</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="anti">anti</span>-<span word="mainstream">mainstream</span> <span word="culture">culture</span>.许多年轻人开始觉得“潮人”的外形很酷，并自发接受他们的反主流文化心态。这产生了一批“潮人”专属的小众品牌、商店以及音乐。然而出乎意料的是，包括服装品牌<span word="Urban">Urban</span> <span word="Outfitters">Outfitters</span>和<span word="American">American</span> <span word="Apparel">Apparel</span>在内的一些商店都受到了主流文化的欢迎。似乎这也冲淡了反主流文化。“<span word="A">A</span> <span word="lot">lot</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="people">people</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="self">self</span>-<span word="defined">defined</span> <span word="hipsters">hipsters</span> <span word="aren">aren</span>’<span word="t">t</span> <span word="really">really</span> <span word="hipsters">hipsters</span>, <span word="they">they</span>’<span word="re">re</span> <span word="just">just</span> <span word="trying">trying</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="conform">conform</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="non">non</span>-<span word="conformist">conformist</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="seem">seem</span> <span word="cooler">cooler</span>,” <span word="says">says</span> <span word="Amanda">Amanda</span> <span word="Leopold">Leopold</span>, <span word="a">a</span> <span word="college">college</span> <span word="student">student</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="Oberlin">Oberlin</span> <span word="College">College</span>, <span word="US">US</span>. <span word="Although">Although</span> <span word="Leopold">Leopold</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="many">many</span> <span word="unconventional">unconventional</span> <span word="tastes">tastes</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="seems">seems</span> <span word="quite">quite</span> <span word="individualist">individualist</span>, <span word="she">she</span> <span word="refuses">refuses</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="classify">classify</span> <span word="herself">herself</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="hipster">hipster</span>.就读于美国欧柏林学院的阿曼达利奥波德认为：“许多自称‘潮人’的人其实名不副实。他们只是试图通过追随那些非主流人士，来让自己看起来更酷。”尽管利奥波德的品味独树一帜，似乎是个十足的个人主义者，但她并不认为自己是个“潮人”。<span word="There">There</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="conflict">conflict</span> <span word="among">among</span> <span word="hipsters">hipsters</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="very">very</span> <span word="definition">definition</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="label">label</span>. <span word="To">To</span> <span word="some">some</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="hipster">hipster</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="free">free</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="cultural">cultural</span> <span word="constraints">constraints</span>. <span word="To">To</span> <span word="others">others</span>, <span word="it">it</span> <span word="means">means</span> <span word="wearing">wearing</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="certain">certain</span> <span word="style">style</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="listening">listening</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="specific">specific</span> <span word="genre">genre</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="music">music</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="former">former</span> <span word="constantly">constantly</span> <span word="strives">strives</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="uniqueness">uniqueness</span>, <span word="while">while</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="latter">latter</span> <span word="strives">strives</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span>.对于自身的定义，“潮人”族中间也存在争论。对于一些人而言，成为“潮人”意味着摆脱文化的束缚。对于其他人来说，这意味着要穿上特定款式的服装，听特定类型的音乐。前者一直努力争取独特性，后者则努力成为非主流。<span word="And">And</span> <span word="yet">yet</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="movement">movement</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="gaining">gaining</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span> <span word="popularity">popularity</span>. “<span word="It">It</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="kind">kind</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="trend">trend</span> <span word="these">these</span> <span word="days">days</span>; <span word="everyone">everyone</span> <span word="wants">wants</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="hip">hip</span> <span word="so">so</span> <span word="no">no</span> <span word="one">one</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="hip">hip</span>,” <span word="laments">laments</span> <span word="Leopold">Leopold</span>. “<span word="There">There</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="been">been</span> <span word="hipsters">hipsters</span> <span word="since">since</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="seventies">seventies</span>, <span word="it">it</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="only">only</span> <span word="become">become</span> <span word="popular">popular</span> <span word="recently">recently</span>.”然而，这种趋势正在主流群体中普及。利奥波德对此感到遗憾：“这是当下的一种潮流，每个人都想‘潮’，所以每个人都不‘潮’。自70年代以来，‘潮人’便不断涌现出来，只是最近才大行其道而已。”<span word="Hipsters">Hipsters</span> <span word="reject">reject</span> <span word="materialism">materialism</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="mock">mock</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span> <span word="culture">culture</span>. <span word="But">But</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="really">really</span> <span word="beyond">beyond</span> <span word="material">material</span> <span word="comforts">comforts</span>? <span word="Do">Do</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="any">any</span> <span word="ideas">ideas</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="own">own</span> <span word="if">if</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="despise">despise</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span> <span word="so">so</span> <span word="much">much</span>?“潮人”抗拒物质主义，嘲笑主流文化。然而他们真的超越了物质享受吗？如果他们如此鄙视主流文化，那他们对自身又有什么看法呢？<span word="Christy">Christy</span> <span word="Wampole">Wampole</span>, <span word="an">an</span> <span word="associate">associate</span> <span word="professor">professor</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="literature">literature</span> <span word="at">at</span> <span word="Princeton">Princeton</span> <span word="University">University</span>, <span word="US">US</span>, <span word="is">is</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="so">so</span> <span word="sure">sure</span>. <span word="She">She</span> <span word="says">says</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="hipster">hipster</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="contradiction">contradiction</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="himself">himself</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="easy">easy</span> <span word="target">target</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="mockery">mockery</span>. <span word="Writing">Writing</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="The">The</span> <span word="New">New</span> <span word="York">York</span> <span word="Times">Times</span>, <span word="Wampole">Wampole</span> <span word="paints">paints</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="less">less</span> <span word="appreciative">appreciative</span> <span word="picture">picture</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="typical">typical</span> <span word="hipster">hipster</span>:美国普林斯顿大学文学系副教授克里斯蒂维姆珀对此并不确定。她认为，“潮人”本身就是个矛盾体，因此很容易成为嘲笑的对象。维姆珀在写给《纽约时报》的文章中，将典型的“潮人”描绘成一种并不受外界赞赏的形象。“<span word="The">The</span> <span word="hipster">hipster</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="scholar">scholar</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="social">social</span> <span word="forms">forms</span>, <span word="a">a</span> <span word="student">student</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="cool">cool</span>. <span word="He">He</span> <span word="studies">studies</span> <span word="relentlessly">relentlessly</span>, <span word="foraging">foraging</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="what">what</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="yet">yet</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="found">found</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="mainstream">mainstream</span>. <span word="He">He</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="walking">walking</span> <span word="citation">citation</span>; <span word="his">his</span> <span word="clothes">clothes</span> <span word="refer">refer</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="much">much</span> <span word="more">more</span> <span word="than">than</span> <span word="themselves">themselves</span>. <span word="He">He</span> <span word="tries">tries</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="negotiate">negotiate</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="age">age</span>-<span word="old">old</span> <span word="problem">problem</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="individuality">individuality</span>, <span word="not">not</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="concepts">concepts</span>, <span word="but">but</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="material">material</span> <span word="things">things</span>.”“‘潮人’是研究社会形态的知识分子，是酷炫的学生。他孜孜不倦地学习，搜寻那些主流文化还未发现的角落。他是一个鲜活的例证，衣着并能体现他们的全部说明。他不是用概念，而是用实实在在的东西试图探索由来已久的个性化问题。”</p>
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