I was told by the white, 50 year old? San Franciscan born male cab driver in Portland, Oregon that I should read the newspaper because hipsters are ruining Portland and that I should have moved to Manhattan to be an artist. He also mentioned that I should know that Portland is 90% white and the theme around here is passive aggressiveness. In all my life, living all over the world - I have never had someone speak to me with such ignorance and bigotry. As I sat quiet in my shocking anger, the only words that could come out were I dont understand the word hipster, I believe it is a derogatory word. I dont understand what you mean when you say it and I dont understand the problem youre speaking of, a city that is growing and progressive does not look like a problem to me and he replied well you should read the newspaper, it says it everywhere hipsters are ruining Portland - all these artist people think they can move here and make the world a better place. I left the cab with my mouth on the floor and even forgot my favorite umbrella I was so shaken and uncomfortable. In all, this man provided a perspective, although hurtful, to him - this problem is real. And that problem sounds like me. I have taken the time to try to understand and no longer feel the hurt from this, because I am very new to breaking the walls of normal society and career building techniques. I am out on my world, creating something out of nothing. His words were purely a reflection of his small mind and dark heart, a reflection of his worries and self-hate - to just unleash all of what he did on me, a complete stranger who shared openly that I moved to Portland a few months ago in pursuit of running my own business as an artist (on the way to see my life coach), to live closer to my family, to enjoy such a unique new city - proves his fragility. I never saw his eyes, they may have as well been black gaping holes. I have nothing to prove to someone like him, his thinking is shallow and he didnt grow up in my generation. My generation forever changed by technology, that lives in a world that is completely new in ways we are still learning and figuring out. We are the generation creating a new standard, a new platform for those who may have never made it this far in any other time. Just because I didnt and never will stay in a system for ten years, does not mean I lack work ethic, a value system, motivation. If there are true divisions of perspectives and lifestyles and we cant live all together in peace and harmony - I am proud of the side I stand on. The side that is misunderstood and growing, the side of being an ethnic woman who is running her own business. The side of true freedom of thought. I wasnt able to complain to his supervisor, who probably in some way would agree with his employee. But, I did develop an understanding from this hurtful situation. It put fuel in my fire and I am thankful for that. Now, I just hope he enjoys my clear vinyl umbrella in the Portland rain, he can see as he walks around that there are far more problems in the world than hipsters ruining Portland and oh yeah and did I tip him because I got it like that, even for the haters.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 16:53:20 +0000
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