Most people my age (23) hate the idea of a label. We want to be our own person as we try to figure out who exactly that person is. However, in the past couple of months I have been confronted by a label for my generation (Millenial) and what I would consider a specific sub set of Christian Millenials (the hipsters). Let's tackle Millenials first.
Millenials are defined as anyone who was born between 1982 and 2002, while this seems like a huge huge age gap there a certainly reasons for it. This is the age group that is culturally defined by 9/11, columbine, the oklahoma city bombing and a variety of other things. We lived in a time where our childhood country was under attack.
We also grew up in a public school system that was obssesed with stroking our little egos. Out with red pens and dodgeball to affect our childhood, bring on purple grading pens, encouraging words, and non contact sports game in gym.
We lived in a generation of building the child up, and we have created our own little monsters. Children with attachment issues to their parents, who have an unrealistic view of themselves both good and bad, and kids that are afraid to walk away by themselves (Think the iconic image of bambi learning how to walk for the first time).
We grew up in the Pop laden music scene of the late 90's and have become obssessed with image. Think about it...a woman who I heard spoke use this analogy (I can't take credit for it, even though I really want to). A group of her girl friends were hanging out together on a friday night and feeling sorry for themselves and their single lives. So what to do they do?
They get a camera out and start taking pictures. No sad faces anymore, silly happy faces showing how much they "love life." Us millenials know what happens next.
The next morning they wake up to an e-mail saying they your friend has tagged you in 16 new pictures on facebook. Not only our we posing among our best friends we are attempting to show the world and that subsection of our friend list (the friends your just friends with to stalk and to have just to be polite) that we are okay.
Hey guess what, were not.
The age range of 22-27 is especially in a weird stage of life. We are after graduation and confronted with the world we have grown up with. The difference between us and our generational predcessors (Generation X) we honestly we believe we can make a difference in our world. Look at the response to such global catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina. They'll also point to a higher involvment in philanthropic causes as well as seeking employment at Non Profit Organizations (guilty on all three causes).
Then there is the new label I was introduced to this week, the Christian Hipster.
An author for Christianity Today was reviewing Donald Miller's new book when he mentioned that his writing fits in with the ever growing Christian Hipster movement. Now, being a huge Donald Miller fan I did a little research and found this guys blog. He goes in to discuss many dislikes and likes of Christian Hipster, here a couple I resonated with.
Christian Hipsters dislike mega churches and alter calls. They don't like overly political evangelical leaders. They dont like the book Wild at Heart (finally someone that agrees with me) and tend to like the works of C.S. Lewis, GK Chesterton, and Henri Nouwen.
Okay, so those things nailed me. Unfortunately, there are some things that I didn't relate too,
They love pushing the boundaries of typical christianity through tattoos, fashion, love of the way catholics do things (smybolism, liturgy, etc.).
Okay, so there are some things I agree with and some things I don't relate too at all (tattoos? really?) but there is some deep seeded irony to both of these things.
I am willing to go out on a limb and say that neither of these groups appreciate being labeled. All of their core beliefs would branch out into the feelings of individuality and I am who I am, and for Christians it would be I am who God created me to be, unique, special, intentionally designed.
However, in an effort to buck the trend I am going to do something I usually don't do. I am going to throw all the labels out there I can think of...here goes nothing.
I am an evangelical millenial (since most millenials don't believe in absolute truth). Myers Briggs would call me an ENFJ, and a spiritual gifts analysis would point to Leadership, Exhortation, and Showing Mercy. I am half hipster, half geek, with a dash of social butterfly thrown in. That my friends is the label God has created for me...so in the words of my dear sister...when you got it...you got it.
