Christian Hipsters Say Capitalism Is So Over
Obama beat Romney with an obvious demographic edge, but there is one minority group backing Obama the media isn't mentioning: hipsters.
Via Buzzfeed
There are all sorts of hipsters: anarchist hipsters, libertarian hipsters, apolitical hipsters and maybe even just a few conservative hipsters. But overall, hipsters lean left. Even Christian hipsters.
The hallmark for all hipsters might be summed up with the phrase "that is so over." Allow this "Portlandia" clip to explain:
Today, Christian hipsterdom shouts "Capitalism is so over!"
What are Christian hipsters?
Author of "Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide," Brett McCracken says Christian hipsters are rebelling against the over-spiritualized Christian culture they were raised in, described as:
…the stereotypical evangelical church of the 80s – 90s: The Republican, middle class, abortion-clinic-picketing, anti-gay, anti-welfare, legalistic, not-so-interested-in-art-or-books WASP evangelical.
Most want nothing to do with contemporary Christian music, door-to-door evangelism and the non-denominational megachurches of their childhood. They are drawn to a more intellectual and traditional Christianity. Chances are they read books by C.S. Lewis and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, prefer Sufjan Stevens to Chris Tomlin, drink scotch and smoke cigars at Bible studies, and voted for Barack Obama.
Christian Hipster Economics
Author and social activist Shane Claiborne is the Christian hipster prototype. He is passionate about living an unorthodox lifestyle for Christ by serving the poor, fighting capitalism, being green and opposing the Iraq war. Claiborne's anti-capitalist convictions are representative of most Christian hipsters. McCracken says:
…they hate the societal systems that require working to gain wealth. Particularly in America, where from day one the highest cultural value was a hard, up-from-your-bootstraps work ethic, hipsters have defined themselves in opposition to the industrious ethics of sweat-and-labor capitalism.
Young Protestants today seem to be rebelling against the traditional Protestant work ethic because they associate it with a greedy, selfish, superficial version of the American Dream. Evangelical hipster culture implies that Christians should oppose capitalism and adopt pro-regulation, pro-environmentalism, pro-universal health care political positions to truly live a Christ-like life.
But in true, ironic hipster fashion, they are simultaneously biting the hand that feeds them.
Isn't it Ironic
Here are a few internal inconsistencies at play:
1. They love freedom. Though Christian hipster voting patterns seem to reject the freedom of the market under capitalism, "hip" things can only survive in a free society. McCracken says:
To bestow the individual with the powers of autonomy and self-sovereignty invites self-styled rebellion, subversion, and countercultural behavior.
2. They are proud innovators. Beyond trendsetting in fashion and music, hipsters participate in capitalistic entrepreneurship. Vintage boutiques, microbreweries and community farms are popular hipster ventures made possible by the free market.
3. They promote capitalism. The enemy of Christian hipsterdom isn't capitalism, but an economic system of overreaching regulation that would smother the freedom and innovation of hipster expression. The free market has sustained what culture defines as "cool" for over two hundred years in America. McCracken says:
The marketplace has embraced cool as the primary symbol of consumerism and material desire, and the result is that true and mass-marketed hip are increasingly hard to distinguish from one another.
Even if Christian hipsters reject the "cool" label, their anti-capitalist convictions have nonetheless become very trendy these days. Supporting leftist economic policies isn't original anymore. And after four years of Obama's economic policies and another four on the horizon, we should ready ourselves to hear a new catch-phrase from these Christian hipsters: "Obamanomics is so over."
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It is very interesting. By reading Bonhoeffer if they really read it and understand the times in which he lived they would value life and not want the intrusion of government. They are hung up on the "anti" stance they see but aren't they being anti themselves. From Dietrich Bonheoffer: “Unless we have the courage to fight for a revival of wholesome reserve between man and man, we shall perish in an anarchy of human values… . Socially it means the renunciation of all place-hunting, a break with the cult of the “star,” an open eye both upwards and downwards, especially in the choice of one’s more intimate friends, and pleasure in private life as well as courage to enter public life. Culturally it means a return from the newspaper and the radio to the book, from feverish activity to unhurried leisure, from dispersion to concentration, from sensationalism to reflection, from virtuosity to art, from snobbery to modesty, from extravagance to moderation.” The Hipster "Christian" maybe falling to the same trap as their parents did with the mega evangelical model of: seeking to belong to a cause rather than to Christ.
Unless all Christians move back out of the cause mode of living and into the Ancient Faith again we will lose our voice in the time of evil and our silence in the face of its murderous ways will overwhelm the many and the few left standing will be weeping at the loose of so many.
“We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds; we have been drenched by many storms; we have learnt the arts of equivocation and pretence; experience has made us suspicious of others and kept us from being truthful and open; intolerable conflicts have worn us down and even made us cynical. Are we still of any use? What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, and straightforward men. Will our inward power of resistance be strong enough, and our honesty with ourselves remorseless enough, for us to find our way back to simplicity and straightforwardness?” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison
The main thing for us it to NOT be ashamed of the gospel and stand, speak and act christianly that I think is what reality is in Father it isn’t a label of Hipster, Evangelical or any branding. Ancient faith only saw themselves as people who were called out to go into cultures and be life givers.
Really?
Interesting article with accuracy. It conveys what I'm witnessing in church plants. However, the danger I see with viewing Jesus through the lenses of socialism & communism is that these to systems are highly corrupt and damage the framework of society. It yokes those in poverty to a government that is not equipt - nor does it care - to help them find their God given gifts and use them to better themselves and the community they live. As Believers, we should desire and end to government burdens that hurt its citizens. If you truly believe and have faith in the works of Jesus, then it should be demonstrated by doing what Jesus instructed us to do: "heal the sick, cleanse the leaper, raise the dead." Oh, you don't believe we've been given the Holy Spirit to do these things? Then you don't have anything other than a corrupted human mindset. How is that Jesus?
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