# Do the British really use the word "dickhead" to describe what Americans would call a "hipster"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2010, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687 "2010-11-06T08:15:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/21 "2010-11-06T18:04:04Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > For what it’s worth, the term “Hipster” as a description that combines elements of “Twentysomething University Student-type”, “Poseur”, and “Smug/Pretentious Wanker” really seems to be a uniquely American one; I’ve never heard anyone in Australia use the term in that sense, for example. It looks like it is coming in. See this [Aussie ad](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5dIzY7yvRA). ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/22 "2010-11-06T18:10:34Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Hipster is definitely derogatory in NYC. No, only in certain circles. [Here’s a _Times_ reference](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/nyregion/05bowling.html) which is clearly positive (this was plucked at random from dozens of similar recent references). You might find the people described to be the very embodiment of what you mean by the word–but there’s still not a _general_ consensus that _that’s_ a bad thing to be. > [@N. R. Kleinfield / New York Times](#): > > These are not the beer-belly bowling alleys of yesteryear, but souped-up, **hipster** alleys often interwoven with restaurants, V.I.P. lounges, clubs, sports bars. Dark lighting. D.J.’s and thundering music. Videos dancing over flat-screen televisions above the pins. Waiter service. Dress codes. Coolness. Frankly, I would have said that hipsterism is more generally _approved of_, and more prevalent, in New York than anywhere else on the continent. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/23 "2010-11-06T18:41:27Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > No, only in certain circles. > > [Here’s a _Times_ reference](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/nyregion/05bowling.html) which is clearly positive (this was plucked at random from dozens of similar recent references)t. I wouldn’t call that clearly positive, merely discriptive. It goes with the picture of the very ironically dressed individuals inside the bowling alley, the high prices, and the fact that the hipsters don’t actually care about bowling. Aggressively not caring about something while paying a lot to do it is very hipster. “Hip” can be a positive or a negative. “[Hipster](http://1thought2many.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/hipster/)” is virtually always an insult along the lines of “trust fund baby.” ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/24 "2010-11-06T18:52:56Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > For what it’s worth, the term “Hipster” as a description that combines elements of “Twentysomething University Student-type”, “Poseur”, and “Smug/Pretentious Wanker” really seems to be a uniquely American one; I’ve never heard anyone in Australia use the term in that sense, for example. I’ve heard it, though probably not as much as I might hear it if I was in the US. I agree Australians are much more likely to use “wanker”, as you said, but I’ve certainly heard “hipster” used by people around my age (late teens/early twenties). “Hipster doofus” is my personal favourite variation, but I did take that straight from Seinfeld, an American show. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/25 "2010-11-06T19:00:51Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Hipster is definitely derogatory in NYC. It particularly has shades of being excessively wealthy while pretending to be poor, and caring a lot that you never enjoy anything popular. > > Let the mockery commence: [Live From Williamsburg Brooklyn, It’s the Hipster Olympics](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAO4EVMlpwM) QFT in Austin, Texas, hipster capital of the U.S. Outside of hipster circles they are universally hated, especially when they invade the city for SXSW, ACL Fest, or any other hipsteresque activity. Often seen riding ironic bicycles, smoking Lucky Strikes, and wearing skinny jeans with big Ronnie Corbett-style specs. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/26 "2010-11-06T19:28:56Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > I wouldn’t call that clearly positive, merely discriptive. The description of the hipster bowling place wraps up with the one-word sentence, “Coolness.” A proponent of same describes old-style bowling alleys as “Stalinist,” and the writer’s own perfunctory look-in calls them “tired.” True, the article points out that the hipster bowling places are more expensive, and that the bowlers don’t always know how to bowl–but that last could itself be seen as a positive for neophytes. In any case, it’s hard to read the usage of “hipster” as “definitely derogatory.” ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/27 "2010-11-06T21:28:35Z")
Hipster obviously is near universally derogatory, as evidenced by the fact that no hipster ever admits to being one! Anyways, it is a really, really bad idea to use an out of touch medium like a newspaper as your cite for the young person mainstream pulse. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/28 "2010-11-06T21:56:22Z")
Hipster is one of those words where the meaning is obvious as long as you are familiar with “hip” which most people in the western world would be. ---
**Author:** ![Skyscrapers\_Are\_Gravestones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Skyscrapers\_Are\_Gravestones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skyscrapers_Are_Gravestones)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/29 "2010-11-06T23:33:08Z")
“Hipster” used to be “scenester”\* until the hipsters found out and appropriated it for themselves. They were called such because they invaded scenes over night and completely ruined them. Whatever they were into, it became “scene;” and if it happened to be _your_ social clique or scene that got invaded, you were screwed. They were subcultural locusts always looking for the next cool thing to use up and leave, decimated, in their wake. When ambivalence and pretend-disinterest became their MO, they stopped referring to themselves as ‘scene’ (as in, “I am SOOO much more scene than her”) and the mainstream, which they had now garnered the attention of, gave them the label of hipster. Most of them are probably completely unaware of the history of their… movement? and that makes it even more amusing. Long answer short; for a LOT of people, hipster has always meant “dickhead.” - Look back upon and laugh at the goofy origins of the modern hipster from a position of lofty superiority. Ironic disinterest is SO last year. [Photo and Video Storage | Photobucket](http://media.photobucket.com/image/scenester/D3liciousMami/scenesters.jpg#!oZZ1QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fmedia.photobucket.com%2Fimage%2Fscenester%2FD3liciousMami%2Fscenesters.jpg%3Fo%3D18) ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/30 "2010-11-06T23:42:28Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > Anyways, it is a really, really bad idea to use an out of touch medium like a newspaper as your cite for the young person mainstream pulse. I was trying to illustrate a general view, not a “young person pulse.” That was sort of the point, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/31 "2010-11-07T00:04:09Z")
On the general theme… [Spray On Pants by Kisschasy](http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=18937192) ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/32 "2010-11-07T01:38:21Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > I was trying to illustrate a general view, not a “young person pulse.” That was sort of the point, actually. But basically it boils down to you trusting a mainstream journalist’s understanding of the connotation of a word for a youth subculture he might’ve covered for a total of four hours before deadlines. I will trust myself and everyone I know who is within the appropriate age range of hipsterism to know that NO ONE self identifies as a hipster. Example: [examples of hipsters deny being hipsters](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeORsL_EKrM), because it has ONLY a negative connotation by people who know what they’re talking about. (I would say a few of these people aren’t hipsters IMO) ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/33 "2010-11-07T01:47:28Z")
Flatrate Movers in NYC recently had an ad campaign that consisted solely of mocking hipsters, their own customer base. [So hilarious.](http://www.divinecaroline.com/50616/67240-checklist-hipsters-move) As noted, no one would call themselves a hipster. Acting like being cool is important is the least cool thing in the whole universe. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/34 "2010-11-07T02:42:42Z")
Dickhead is a generic insult, along the same lines as wanker, tosser, twat, douchebag, etc. Hipster is something specific. One might call hipsters dickheads in the same way that one might call them douchebags if one holds the opinion that all hipsters are dickheads. Ot that all bankers are dickheads. Or that all cyclists are dickheads. And so on. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687/35 "2010-11-07T03:14:28Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > I will trust myself and everyone I know who is within the appropriate age range of hipsterism to know that NO ONE self identifies as a hipster. I would go so far as to say that one of the key elements of being a hipster is denial of one’s own hipsterism and hatred of other “hipsters” My favorite song about hipsters (since we are sharing) is MC Frontalot’s “[Indier than Thou](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxAk-m8_qPo)”. The key lyric “hipster-ism is a religion to which you’ve got to be devout. You must be seen as in between unpopular and hated or else be excommunicated”. As a recovering hipster, I should say that hipsters aren’t all dickheads…but you will be hard pressed to find the few that aren’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-british-really-use-the-word-dickhead-to-describe-what-americans-would-call-a-hipster/559687.md?page=1)