Carles of Hipster Runoff Gets More Authentic

Hipster Runoff is one of the more curious anomalies of the internet at the moment. It started off as an MP3 blog and has evolved into a strange admixture of seemingly banal textspeak and hipster cultural criticism. Carles, the anonymous blogger behind the site recently talked with the Village Voice, and cryptically sheds some light on what’s the real meaning and purpose behind HRO.

The Village Voice reports:

You’d told me you’re not in New York, right? Do you get out here at all? Do you interact regularly, or at all, with “altbros” and “altbags”? Or is your study of them mostly confined to the Internet?

I am in a relatively “alt” area, but I think the whole concept of the site is “being able to justify your alternative existence” by monitoring websites that are theoretically on the bleeding edge of culture. So while a tween may be disconnected from “fitting in” at his local high school with kids who shop at the local mall, he can find acceptance on the Internet through alternative websites, blogs, social networks, and e-commerce shops. That’s sort of why I feel like the “Carles” part of HRO is insignificant, and it probably makes the site easier to digest without “some dude” attached to it. It’s more of a naive, bro-like, third-person omniscient tone.

What percentage of what you do is completely sarcastic, as opposed to mostly sarcastic? Are you basically “playing a character”? Are you “in character” now?

I think that right now, I am “out of character, but guarded, but also feel pressure to perform and not alienate potential new readers who might not be interested in this anonymous asshole.” I am not sure if I would describe HRO as “sarcastic”—probably more like “too real.” I just like the fact that different types of people can come to the site with very different expectations. People who read too many blogs will enjoy its place in the blogosphere as “something different,” while I can imagine some teen coming to it as a bible/justification for their alternative lifestyle and attitude problems.

Village Voice: “Hipster Runoff Explained (Maybe)”