I was listening to NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour’s episode “Live From San Diego Comic-Con” and heard a great description of the difference between a nerd and a hipster. This is important at Comic-Con because Nerd Culture has gained a coolness to it that makes people who are just more concerned with being hip claim to actually be nerds. The whole episode is worth a listen but I would like to share their description of the main difference between a nerd and a hipster.
A NERD is passionate about something and sharing what they are passionate about is part of the enjoyment of the subject they love.
A HIPSTER is passionate about something and they define themselves through the exclusivity and hidden nature of what they are passionate about.
In other words, nerds evangelize concerning what they love and hipsters focus on what the exclusivity of what they “love” defining them as better than others. (i.e. why hipsters move on to something even more exclusive once what they were passionate about becomes mainstream).
I could see how this could relate to lots of things in life, including faith. I think I would rather be a nerd than a hipster.