Hipster, hipster, hooray

Hipsters: those much maligned, mocked and mistrusted creatures. But also - according to a new book written by a former adviser to George Osborne - bearded superheroes cycling on their Penny Farthings to the rescue of the economy. The author of The Flat White Economy, Douglas McWilliams, may now be embroiled in scandal, but the book's argument that "hipsters, and the ecosystem surrounding them, represent the future of British prosperity" ("Not only are they greener and more ethical than the rest of us, but the industries in which they work are driving our economy") does seem to have some merit.

However, despite the occasional hipster enclave dotted in other cities around the country, McWilliams' "flat white economy" remains largely London-centric, with little indication that it could truly be replicated elsewhere. And the fact that hipsters in East London may be generating an economic boom is unlikely to come as much consolation to those who find themselves economically marginalised and displaced as a result.

(Thanks to Dave for the first link.)