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Going back to my original post, there was nothing in the question posed that indicates hatred. My question is simple: Why do so many of the uptown hipsters treat the people in the neighborhood with such rudeness and disdain? I have lived in places where different groups moved in over time--both in NYC and elsewhere--and never have I seen or experienced such tension. Diversity is the spice of life. Imo, there is no need for this. I am trying to understand it. My question would apply to the "thuggish" types as well. But my original post has to do with the newest throng of neighborhood "immigrants." It is not an indictment; it is an honest question.
Can you provide some examples of this "disdain" and "rudeness" ? I don't disbelieve you; I merely want to know because you made a general statement without giving any examples to support it.
And to the forumer who laments (and I say laments because you said "sigh" when you made this comment) that Williamsburg has gone from a neighborhood where you dodged bullets to one where dodgeball is played in the streets, your priorities are severely messed up in my opinion. Trash is trash is trash and I don't care of the trash is white, lives in a trailer, and does meth or is black, lives in the projects, and participates in drive-by shootings. I would much rather have hipsters playing dodgeball and thinking they are cool in my neighborhood than a bunch of thugs who shoot bullets that I would need to dodge.
I am not particularly fond of hipsters but I would welcome them WITH OPEN ARMS if I lived in a poor and amenity-deprived neighborhood of little diversity.
I think they know not to get disrespectful and say something off the wall.Especially to some native NY's. Probably get smacked up a bit, poppin off to the wrong Dominican or Rican out there. LOL!!! I'm just sayin.
No. I see plenty of black, Asian, and "Hispanic" (both white and "of color") hipsters.
The OP is posting about uptown which I take to mean Harlem/Washington Heights. I don't think an Asian, Black or Latin hipster would stand out. We are used to seeing hipster Asians that are usually the children of the business owners walking around, driving expensive cars etc. Same thing with Black and Latin Hipsters. The OP can correct if I am wrong.
Going back to my original post, there was nothing in the question posed that indicates hatred. My question is simple: Why do so many of the uptown hipsters treat the people in the neighborhood with such rudeness and disdain? I have lived in places where different groups moved in over time--both in NYC and elsewhere--and never have I seen or experienced such tension. Diversity is the spice of life. Imo, there is no need for this. I am trying to understand it. My question would apply to the "thuggish" types as well. But my original post has to do with the newest throng of neighborhood "immigrants." It is not an indictment; it is an honest question.
I am sure you are generalizing somewhat. Same has happened in other neighborhoods that not necessary fall on the 'hood' category. I live in the Upper West Side. Yeah I am a new transplant. Been here since 2003. I have talk to old timers (usually older folk) and they usually hate these new changes and all these new people that has come to their neighborhood ('and taken over'). I am a friendly guy, or so I think, and I am also an immigrant from another country (although I came to the USA at a very young age). Anyway, I try not to be rude, I open the door for people, I talk to someone if they seem to need help with directions or something. Still they don't seem to like me because I am new in the neighborhood? What else am I suppose to do to make the old timers happy with my presence? Invite them for dinner? I am sure old timers in Harlem are feeling the same. Some newer people just don't act or like what old timers are used to. So they must be rude and disdain? Is that it? Same can be said about older folk and younger people in the neighborhood. They don't like the same things they each enjoy.
I am sure you are generalizing somewhat. Same has happened in other neighborhoods that not necessary fall on the 'hood' category. I live in the Upper West Side. Yeah I am a new transplant. Been here since 2003. I have talk to old timers (usually older folk) and they usually hate these new changes and all these new people that has come to their neighborhood ('and taken over'). I am a friendly guy, or so I think, and I am also an immigrant from another country (although I came to the USA at a very young age). Anyway, I try not to be rude, I open the door for people, I talk to someone if they seem to need help with directions or something. Still they don't seem to like me because I am new in the neighborhood? What else am I suppose to do to make the old timers happy with my presence? Invite them for dinner? I am sure old timers in Harlem are feeling the same. Some newer people just don't act or like what old timers are used to. So they must be rude and disdain? Is that it? Same can be said about older folk and younger people in the neighborhood. They don't like the same things they each enjoy.
Cyrusjul: I think your neighbors like you just fine. They don't know you that well even if they have known you for a few years. Every in NY is kind of suspicious of everyone else. I was on the bus the day and a neighbor of mine that I hadn't seen in a while saw me and get on. I hadn't seen her so long I kind of forgot about her. We were never that friendly. But she was really happy to see me and concerned about my welfare because she didn't see me for so long. I think we just all take each other for granted when we see each other regularly. You didn't post for a long time on the NYC forum, and I wondered what happened to you. It is nice to see you posting again.
The OP is posting about uptown which I take to mean Harlem/Washington Heights. I don't think an Asian, Black or Latin hipster would stand out. We are used to seeing hipster Asians that are usually the children of the business owners walking around, driving expensive cars etc. Same thing with Black and Latin Hipsters. The OP can correct if I am wrong.
The OP isn't talking about race or ethnicity. She's talking about the attitude of hipsters, and the only reason I wrote about race/ethnicity is because TunaBoy asked if hipsters could only be "white". If people aren't accustomed to seeing white hipsters uptown, that's their problem. We can't place any blame on white hipsters until they actually DO have a nasty attitude to non-hipsters.
Indie9, around what area are you experiencing this rudeness and disdain? I gave examples of some tensions that have been worked out. Where is this still happening? Please give examples of the types of rudeness displayed.
Hi DAS. I live on Sugar Hill, ar. Edgecombe Ave. and 145th Street. I have noticed the tension when I am on my way to work, on my way home from work, or in the stores. It is most intense on the trains, of course.
The kind of behavior I have noticed from many of the hipsters is, imo, very "high schoolish," e.g. sitting around in cliques on the A train judging the people around them, staring, glaring, pushing their way through the streets as if they do not see people or are afraid to see them, not moving aside when people enter the tight entrance of a store, etc. Just a kind of youthful arrogance, self-centeredness, self-consciousness, or us-and-them-ness--i.e. "I'm too sexy for this place." lol
If I think of more or see more I will add to it.
This is petty stuff, but it makes for a somewhat unnecessarily negative or tense atmosphere. Although many people ignore them or the behavior, I have seen some of the train passengers or shoppers (esp. the older folks) exchange subtle, knowing glances with each other as if to silently say, "Here we go again," or "What're ya gonna do?" lol
Much of the behavior I have seen is accompanied by an air of privilege, feigned superiority, nervousness, or a sense of claiming or staking territory, when, imho, what is called for is a sense of community or, hopefully, remembering that we are all in this together, no matter how we all got here.
For the poster who asked if all hipsters are white. I would say of course not. I teach at a technical college near Columbus Circle, and at my school hipsters come from many different cultural or racial backgrounds. The same kind of behaviors and attitudes apply, to a lesser degree, but thankfully in a learning environment there can be a sense of community that inspires or allows for these kinds of behaviors and attitudes to gradually fall away as the students get to know each other via classroom discussions, projects, etc.
Thank you for sharing what is developing in other areas. Gives me hope that, as they say, "This too shall pass." Maybe the folks in my neighborhood just need some time.
I am just trying to understand. It is easier, I find, to tolerate a situation and be patient enough to let it pass or develop when I understand it.
Thank you, everyone, for your posts.
Btw, I am definitely not saying all hipsters do this. I would never over-generalize like that. Throughout this thread I have used the word "many," in reference to the hipsters in Harlem, specifically. This will more than likely change in time.
Last edited by Indi9; 11-15-2008 at 01:06 PM..
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