I already posted this in my myspace blog...
Being a single man in NYC....
I know this is probably lame or whatever, but I thought i'd address it to those who have no clue, what it is like to be a young male single twenty-something in todays NYC style driven society. I'll start off by stating the quasi obvious...
We live in an image driven sensationalized culture, where artistic perfection and "style" has become godliness. Living in NYC, and being exposed to the "scene" hipster explosion of the past 3 yrs or so, I am just so overwhlemed on how so many women have become so unattainable. The glam, artsy culture has only been propelled by sites like friendster, and myspace. The internet almost acts as a still illusion, where photoshopped, contrast heavy pictures have only done to feed this status quo of, style over sunbstance. I digress. Now this is not a rant on the hipster/scene movement, that is another rant for a whole 'nother day *ahem* It's more of a critique I guess, for now. I just have never seen so many people, posing to be artsy, posing to be well read, and the collective conciousness ACTUALLY BUYING IT. Just because they shop at vintage stores and wear giant aviator glasses, does not mean they aren't the same whack kids you knew in High School, who lacked any remnant of a personality.
It has become hard for single men like myself, to find women of actual subtance, when everywhere you look is hipster non sense. Take a walk east, down 14th street, and find me ONE girl that isn't so scene she has no idea who she really is. It's ridiculous. It's kind of funny, because they listen to all the same music I do, like all the same films, etc. But after five minutes of conversation, you realize it's all just a front. Once again "style over substance". Then of course, there is the pressure for us guys to conform to this look, just to get someone to give you the time of day. I can be at a bar, sitting next to beautiful woman, and I know I've got no chance anymore. The ridiculously less attractive dude with the shag haircut and tweed blazer, would walk through that door, and have her ear for the whole night. It's funny because all those dudes were the same obnoxious asshole drunks that I knew in 1999.
Lets not even take into the effect the stigma that gets attached to us real, sensitive, and honest men, by these pricks. At this point in the game. our lack of worshipping at the feet of faux elitism, and trendy, has left us all but invisible to the opposite sex. I remember when talent, personality, and intelligence could ACTUALLY attract someone. Living in NYC is often times hard enough, getting hit in the face with a huge bat labeled "fake" every corner I turn, does not help.
I've got hair down to my ass, I play a mean guitar, and I can fucking care less if I EXTERNALLY come off as "artsy". I know I am an artist. I dont need oversized glasses, black and white pictures, and an ironic t shirt to tell me so. I am a remnant of a dying breed of musician, of new yorker, and I will not go so quietly.
P.S. its great when the hipsters on the L train stare at me and the guys in my band... its comedy I live for. "WHAT GUYS WITH LONG HAIR WHO ACTUALLY ROCK?! I thought this was the L train I was on?!"
peace, and untill next time my friends...
-Elliot
I know this is probably lame or whatever, but I thought i'd address it to those who have no clue, what it is like to be a young male single twenty-something in todays NYC style driven society. I'll start off by stating the quasi obvious...
We live in an image driven sensationalized culture, where artistic perfection and "style" has become godliness. Living in NYC, and being exposed to the "scene" hipster explosion of the past 3 yrs or so, I am just so overwhlemed on how so many women have become so unattainable. The glam, artsy culture has only been propelled by sites like friendster, and myspace. The internet almost acts as a still illusion, where photoshopped, contrast heavy pictures have only done to feed this status quo of, style over sunbstance. I digress. Now this is not a rant on the hipster/scene movement, that is another rant for a whole 'nother day *ahem* It's more of a critique I guess, for now. I just have never seen so many people, posing to be artsy, posing to be well read, and the collective conciousness ACTUALLY BUYING IT. Just because they shop at vintage stores and wear giant aviator glasses, does not mean they aren't the same whack kids you knew in High School, who lacked any remnant of a personality.
It has become hard for single men like myself, to find women of actual subtance, when everywhere you look is hipster non sense. Take a walk east, down 14th street, and find me ONE girl that isn't so scene she has no idea who she really is. It's ridiculous. It's kind of funny, because they listen to all the same music I do, like all the same films, etc. But after five minutes of conversation, you realize it's all just a front. Once again "style over substance". Then of course, there is the pressure for us guys to conform to this look, just to get someone to give you the time of day. I can be at a bar, sitting next to beautiful woman, and I know I've got no chance anymore. The ridiculously less attractive dude with the shag haircut and tweed blazer, would walk through that door, and have her ear for the whole night. It's funny because all those dudes were the same obnoxious asshole drunks that I knew in 1999.
Lets not even take into the effect the stigma that gets attached to us real, sensitive, and honest men, by these pricks. At this point in the game. our lack of worshipping at the feet of faux elitism, and trendy, has left us all but invisible to the opposite sex. I remember when talent, personality, and intelligence could ACTUALLY attract someone. Living in NYC is often times hard enough, getting hit in the face with a huge bat labeled "fake" every corner I turn, does not help.
I've got hair down to my ass, I play a mean guitar, and I can fucking care less if I EXTERNALLY come off as "artsy". I know I am an artist. I dont need oversized glasses, black and white pictures, and an ironic t shirt to tell me so. I am a remnant of a dying breed of musician, of new yorker, and I will not go so quietly.
P.S. its great when the hipsters on the L train stare at me and the guys in my band... its comedy I live for. "WHAT GUYS WITH LONG HAIR WHO ACTUALLY ROCK?! I thought this was the L train I was on?!"
peace, and untill next time my friends...
-Elliot