Hipsters

All hipsters look alike.  This was the assertion recently written in one of those magazines that publishes those sort of articles.  Hipsters, as it turns out, don’t like to be pigeonholed like that any more than lawyers, ethnic minorities, or SEC football fans.  One actually wrote a threatening letter, accusing the magazine of using a photograph of him without his permission and disparaging him personally.

Turns out, it wasn’t him in the picture after all.  He just looked like the hipster in question.  Ah, irony.

Everyone should be judged individually; I think we can all agree on that.  But that being said, people all across the sociological spectrum take great pride in using their outward appearance to court a certain image — be it soccer mom, Bob Marley fan, or social justice warrior. 

Those labels often come with baggage in the minds of outsiders.  And when the labels put the label-wearer in a bad light, he or she resents the label.  In simpler terms, when you make every effort to look and quack like a duck, people will think you are a duck. 

My advice: Pick a character that absolutely represents what you are trying to be, and wear that label proudly.  (I wish more Christians would — read Galatians 2:20 on that topic.)  When you whine about negative stereotypes, use it as an opportunity to reevaluate your allegiance.  If reasonable people think poorly of you because of your association, maybe you need to be associating with someone else.

That’s one of the advantages of following Jesus, by the way (1 Peter 2:21-22).  No skeletons in His closet.