Colombian Culture: Adopt a Hipster.

What do you get when you take a hobo, add some emo, a touch of metro? A hipster. I’m not one, though. 

I’m going to come right out and say it. Hipster-bashing can be a fairly enjoyable pastime. Hell, I’ve been known to dabble in the art myself, from time to time. Back in Sydney, I found plenty to hate about this sub-culture: the pretention, the air of superiority, the rich parents, the poor hygiene – c’mon, what’s not to hate?

However, then I moved to Bogotá. Basically expecting to encounter a country full of people after my wallet, the last thing I expected to discover was a thriving community of vintage-clothed, thick-rim-bespectacled, fixie-riding individuals. And it was even more of a surprise that I would actually feel love for these kids, instead of disdain.

Here are a quick few reasons for these shocking developments:

1.  The places they hang out are the best joints in town. The hipster bars, cafes, and clubs around Chapinero are seriously good. Hilarious decor, great drinks, edgy tunes, and smart, friendly crowds. Who cares if everything is gluten free?

2. The Bogotano version of the hipster is, generally speaking, pretty switched on. As we all know, Colombia is a country with a troubled past, a past in which conservatism could be viewed as something of a survival mechanism. This is what is so exciting about this bright explosion of young, upwardly mobile men and women who actually care about things like reducing waste, sustainability, and alternative lifestyles. The rise of the hipster here is a signal that Colombia is a country on the move – vibrant, diverse, and confident. This aspect of the Colombian hipster almost makes up for all that terrible 80s synth-pop and self-conscious posturing.

3. I can’t help but say it. They are just so cute! I don’t know why I still feel such animosity towards my own country’s version of the hipster, but get this warm rush of paternal affection whenever I see Chapinero hipsters strutting around a design fair with their bow-ties, glasses and coiffed hair. Are they more genuine? Friendlier? Do they sneer at the world less? Do they shower more often? I don’t know, babez. I just seem to find them fairly amazeballs.

 

So there you go. I’ve made it official. I want to adopt a Colombian hipster. I’ll take good care of it, feed it nothing but the best organic produce, and make sure it gets to that Bikram yoga class on time. Now, where’s the best place to get some almond milk? Totes awks – I’ve run out!

 

Paul G.