Recently The Guardian and Observer have been making a lot noise about "The end of the Hipster". In a never ending cycle of irony "The end of the Hipster" occurred as soon as they were labelled; "Hipsters" but then we all knew that.
Like that annoying school friend who always claimed to have heard a song first; Hipsters annoy "mainstream society" by claiming to have been there and done that.
"I heard of Emeli Sande when she was a bit part on a Chipmunk song and now people buzz off her because of the Olympics" said no one ever.
But that's the point. Why does it matter enough for a broadsheet to give it so much coverage?
Personal experiences of hipsters are a far cry from Williamsburg, New York but instead it was like watching pockets of East London being swallowed up by a swarm of skinny jean wearing, flat white drinking locusts. As preened men were dubbed "Metrosexuals" and "scallies" evolved into "Chavs"; in my circle "Indie" became "Hipster".
The greatest criticism of the "Hipster" is that they stand for nothing and as the adage goes "if you stand for nothing then you'll fall for anything". (See: Hipster Fashion)
However what if this alternative lifestyle actually did mean something?
"Mipsterz" aka Muslim Hipsters found their way into mainstream society after a video of some Muslim Women expressing themselves creatively to the Jay Z song "Somewhereinamerica" went viral. It sparked a massive debate as to what it meant to be a Muslim in the West.
We're currently in the middle of Ramadan 2014 and for me it's been a very different Ramadan than previous years. Religion isn't about picking and choosing but as I grow older I'm beginning to accept the role that my faith plays in my life. As a British Muslim I believe what we're seeing now is very different from generations that came before. I'd like to think that were Muslim Mods or Rockers; movements that were so strong that they have found a place in Sociology textbooks but I doubt that the Hipster will be given the same importance.
Why does this affect me?
Well I'm a writer. I work in the Media. I'm Muslim. I am slave to fashion and I enjoy going to galleries.
Ladies and Gentlemen by all accounts - I am a Mipster:
In some aspects being a British Muslim has never been easier. Halal food is more accessible. I can now eat Marshmallows and Haribo without the guilt of not having read the back of the packet.
Don't judge me.
I love the fact this is now more readily available and in a silly way makes me proud to be part of multicultural Britain. In much more serious ways though I worry that something like Halal chicken on my Pizza Express Pizza could incite racial hatred.
Islamaphobia is still rife. The Birmingham City University report entitled 'Online Hate Against Muslims on Social Media' said the three most common phrases used to attack Twitter users were 'Muslim paedos', Muslim terrorists' and 'Muslim scum'.
Hipsters had a huge part in Twitter's early success and if Muslims are able to engage in a subculture that gives them access to quashing those stereotypes then I'm all for it. Even if it means adopting qualities from a subculture that is widely derided because those derisions pale in comparison to actual hate.
Personally being a Mipster (which ironically is a phrase I never use) means that I am no longer just the Asian guy. Your "markers" become different from the outset which is often a difficult thing to achieve.
So what does "The End of Hipster" mean for the Mipster? How will Society look upon a minority religion that's affiliated with subculture? Well a minority of a minority is never going to be the easiest place to be. Will prayer caps be replaced by snapbacks? I doubt it.
However in the way the Hipster will develop into something else. I hope that the Mipster will too because the fact that a video of some ladies in the Hijab skateboarding has been deemed controversial in 2014 is quite frankly ridiculous. If Muslims in the West can affiliate themselves with a part of society in order to (for want of a better word) adapt well in my opinion that can only be a good thing.
So maybe the Hipster will stand for something but to paraphrase Jay Z there's one thing we can be certain of #somewhereinamerica Miley Cyrus is still Twerking.