Redefining adulthood...really?
A few months after moving to Texas, in the fall of 2002, I went to see Sigur Ros in Austin with a friend. It was a great show but even more enthralling than finally seeing music that was very important to me LIVE was how the environment of the show made me feel. There were other kids with messy hair, jeans, too small-too old old t-shirts and fantastic shoes. There they were! They had been hiding there the whole time. I always had my small groups of friends who were pretty similar but in this one place- there were hundreds of them! Of course, this brings up a whole different issue of whether finding your cultural niche is comforting or disturbing as you aren't quite as unique as you might have thought. But that is besides the point for now...
I think about this a episode a lot with where I am fitting in due to a lot of aspects of my every day life. I'm a 25 yr old who technically has never been out of school yet actually teaches college students, owns a house and was never really taken seriously by my realtor, and has to go out of my way to wear anything other than a t-shirt.....but could my currant cultural niche really be 'redifining adulthood'?
In the past week I have stumbled over a few articles that are somewhat defining of my lifestyle. The most interesting is here. It is all about yupsters, or as they call them grups. Living like adults but having the cultural niche of much younger people. Same music, style of dressing, and the breakdown of any sort of generation gap. I don't agree with all of the article such as "the ongoing rock star–ification of America" - my worn in jeans from actually wearing them- not bought that way! It also spends a lot of space addressing the new parenting style for this group of people which isn't really relevant to me right now either. Still, it is a pretty weird experiance to read an article that nails your typical wardrobe, what you listen to, who you would aspire to be and even your secret shame (having Kelly Clarkson's whole album or H&M)
This article has a happy ending and resolves itself as a generation that is retaining passion for the things you love and not compromising as you' grow up'. It sounds like a pretty good place to fit in...
I think about this a episode a lot with where I am fitting in due to a lot of aspects of my every day life. I'm a 25 yr old who technically has never been out of school yet actually teaches college students, owns a house and was never really taken seriously by my realtor, and has to go out of my way to wear anything other than a t-shirt.....but could my currant cultural niche really be 'redifining adulthood'?
In the past week I have stumbled over a few articles that are somewhat defining of my lifestyle. The most interesting is here. It is all about yupsters, or as they call them grups. Living like adults but having the cultural niche of much younger people. Same music, style of dressing, and the breakdown of any sort of generation gap. I don't agree with all of the article such as "the ongoing rock star–ification of America" - my worn in jeans from actually wearing them- not bought that way! It also spends a lot of space addressing the new parenting style for this group of people which isn't really relevant to me right now either. Still, it is a pretty weird experiance to read an article that nails your typical wardrobe, what you listen to, who you would aspire to be and even your secret shame (having Kelly Clarkson's whole album or H&M)
This article has a happy ending and resolves itself as a generation that is retaining passion for the things you love and not compromising as you' grow up'. It sounds like a pretty good place to fit in...
posted by DancingFish at 9:07 PM
2 Comments:
But look where you came from, or who you came from. Your mother hasn't exactly fit the typical 50+ mold. With undyed long hair, real unpainted fingernails, low rider jeans and tiedyed tops, I think you were raised to think for yourself and be independent.
I still remember one day in the car, you were singing along with the radio and I joined in. You questioned why I knew all the words to one of your favorite songs. I explained to you that it originally came out when I was in high school. You got a strange look on your face.........looked at me and said "no wonder you know all the words to the oldies......you are old". I still smile when I think about it.
'redefining adulthood' - an interesting idea. is it an insightful analysis, or a bit of a rationalization? i'll have to read the article and decide what i think :)
and for the record, i never feel like an adult!
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