The idea that any identifiable subculture could be composed of nonconformists seems obviously false. The subculture as a whole could represent a break from the

The idea that any identifiable subculture could be composed of nonconformists seems obviously false. The subculture as a whole could represent a break from the mainstream, but it could only be identified as a subculture once its members have conformed to a set of common traits. It's interesting that the article was written in 2008, at which point hipsters were already ripe for critique, but we're still talking about them. There may be more microbrews and less PBR, more thick-rimmed glasses and fewer keffiyehs, more discussion of Kanye West than indie rock -- but it still is distinctly "hipster." Maybe a subculture based on cooption and ironic detachment is particularly well suited to evolve with changing environmental conditions. Another possible reason for its staying power is that other subcultures have typically made a person look increasingly ridiculous / marginalized / unemployable as they aged (goth, punk, gangster rap, rave), whereas hipster style trends play it relatively safe.