March 31, 2004
"Meow" Is Not the Message
Posted by nerdling | March 31, 2004 07:38 PM
Q: Why is American beer like having sex in a canoe?
A: It's fucking close to water.
While looking for the wording of this old (and very worn) joke, I found two interesting things:
01. Hipster Bingo: Mocking the scene, one trucker hat at a time.
02. Pabst Blue Ribbon: Another Winner
Retro Chic Suds Hit With Hip Young Adults
["retro chic," a phrase hung on a host of young adults who affect the style and attitude of the mythical good ol' days: real or imagined working-class values clothed in polyester button-downs, Chuck Taylor shoes, Levis and old T-shirts]
The popularity of PBR is a lesson in reverse psychology. Young adults have taken to the beer because it wasn't forced down their throats. Like ugly clothes and extreme sports, Pabst's value lies in its expression of individuality and choice, a rejection of consumer society by those who feel manipulated by it. Pabst's selling point is its distinct unpopularity, its unself-conscious existence among beers that reinvent themselves as regularly as political candidates.
We've come so far that the kids are now out drinking PBR because it is the alternative to having your social status tainted by drinking a more fashionable beer. It's the liquid equivalent of the trucker-cap-and-vintage-T-shirt-look!
This is just more evidence for the theory that hipsters are emotionally stunted, permanently trapped in their teens and desperate to have anyone notice their behavior. "Hey, look at me! I'm drinking a beer that only costs $6 a case! I'm so much more down-to-earth than you, despite the fact that I spent 45 minutes to get my hair this messy, and I bought my vintage jeans at Diesel! Don't I just scream 'hip' and 'retro'?"
Last I checked, drinking beer stopped being rebellious when I turned 18.
