At some point after the term “hipster” became a popular put-down among nerds, the phrase “I enjoyed this…ironically” became a running gag designed to emphasize everything that is perceived to be wrong with hipsters, highlighting that, at least for the stereotypical image of the hipster, that the enjoyment of kitsch is all an act. Because of this, I now sometimes see nerds who are afraid to enjoy things ironically for fear of being associated with that crowd.

To you, I want to say, it is okay to enjoy things “ironically.” The idea that something is “so bad it’s good” is a valid one, and being entertained on that level does not necessarily have anything to do with being “hipster.” There is a caveat though.

The key to enjoying something in an ironic fashion and not having it make you seem like less pleasant of an individual is that enjoyment of the product at hand, t-shirts, beer, anime, should be top priority or close to it. If the “ironic” products are consumed in service of enhancing or giving flourish to your image in the eyes of others, that’s when it starts to cross over into “hipster” territory. It is pretty unappealing when someone looks like they’re doing something just to make themselves seem better than others.

Certainly, some things will inevitably be part of personal presentation, such as clothes. Wearing clothes that make you look good is not a “hipster” thing. If you’re not sure about the distinction, here’s a simple test: If no one was around to see you, would you still be enjoying things ironically?