Email from reader.

I am not sure why this site keeps going. Does this resonate with ppl? What needs to be explored? Do u want music? Analysis of ContempConform values?

Thank u 4 all of the emails with contemporary conformist locations. I will be using them 4 upcoming posts.

From Kev:

Carles,

I am just a bro trying to be chill. Trying to live an auth life. But more and more I am confused/angry. Everywhere in my neighborhood, brands w/ explicit ‘contemporary conformist’ values/branding pop up. I am angry b/c I am apart of this. I shopped at Am Appy in 2k8. I drank juice from ‘local’ veggies. My ‘lifestyle’, my ‘brand’ has scaled & now all my local grocery brands sell organic baby carrots. Is the only way to be auth by shopping at Sears and embracing ‘shittie’ things for the sake of their unscalability? What kind of life is that? Is life ‘shittie’ anyway, so we should just embrace it (via Nietzsche)? I thought philosophie had ‘moved past this’? Is there no hope for a bro who likes ‘nice’ things to also be ‘auth’?

Plz help.

I have no answers.
I am lost.
Do u have answers 4 this bro?

From Stevhen:

Hi Carles,

Why are cites like NYC/LA/SF immune from contemporary conformity? Isn’t a place like Fette Sau in BK the same BS via people trying to rebrand their #basic interests to reach some elevated culturally identity? i understand that when a city like charlotte adopts a contemporary conformist identity it bites from those larger cities, but it doesn’t feel more authentic to me when people in NYC partake in the same types of behavior.

i am now 28 and have been lacking a strong culturally identity since the skinny jeans/ironic t-shirt strawberry jam wave died out in the late 2000s. i live in portland and have often wondered, “are the ppl with man buns and $200 jeans cool now? why do i find them distasteful? i am too old and out of touch?” i think your interpretation of contemporary conformity is accurate and provides a basis for my distaste of these aspects of portland’s culture.

I miss the simple days.
Back when u could just say it was ‘hipster’ or something.
It is something different now.
It is contemporary conformism.
I h8 people that don’t ‘get’ why contempconformism is different than just ‘whiteys’ being whiteys.

From Nick:

Dear Carles,

First off, I love your show/blog. You definitely insert some good vibes into my day/week, so thanks for that. Secondly, I saw SALES last night in Detroit (where I live) and they were definitely pretty auth. It was in a “dive bar” with about 35 people, so the vibes were strong. SALES were very chill and I briefly spoke to Lauren of SALES and told her that I became a fan thanks to carles.buzz. They sounded pretty good, despite the poor sound system. I hope they continue to pump out some auth sounds and not turn into Best Coast, via your article. Anyway, just thought I’d introduce myself and thank you for turning me on to SALES. Keep fighting the good fight, Carles.

Damn, sweet. Live music is pretty chill.
Seeing a band ‘before they are big’ when they are just idiots in a van ‘taking a risk’ or something. Feels refreshing. Alive. Pure. Connecting

Pre///scalabilitie.

From aiden:

sup Carles bb

I’ve been thinking about the meaning of auth. I feel like its a zen concept, auth is not trying to be scalable, auth is not trying to do anything since that would just be nauth. Auth is for its own sake and for that reason it can’t really be utilized and marketed for the masses (aka scalable)
In the end you can’t try to be auth cause then thats just trying to scale on a meta level and promote a self image of “not trying” which is the paradox of promoting auth ( via people trying too hard to look like they “aren’t trying too hard”)

Auth just is. Auth is the enlightenment that there is no enlightenment. Just riding the vibes of this pointless existence and stop trying to give it a greater meaning is the best and worst thing that can happen in your life.

You can’t try to be auth you just have to stop being nauth.

p.s keep doing you. dont try to do things for an audience just do it for you and people who appreciate it will respond. Its really weird for me since this past year I’ve had a similar epiphany (via dropping social media) and just living life while everyone is stuck living in this validation seeking virtual pseudo world that doesn’t really matter or exist. It’s just really weird when you look from the outside in and realize this ain’t natural.

What is auth?
How is it different than n e thing?
Is it a genre?
Is it a state of being?
Is ‘auth’ over?
Is ‘auth’ 4evr?
Is the pursuit of auth rlly worth it, or is everything effed?

From Catherine:

Greetings,

Your Contemporary Conformist articles speak to me. I have lived in Chicago for 4 years now, and I feel I have a lot to contribute to the cause. Here is what I’ve noticed about the ‘Contemporary Conformist Cool Girl’:

-also wears chambray shirts
-wears HUGE STATEMENT necklaces from J.Crew
-FLATS. Tory Burch preferred, but if you’re poor, you can buy some at an Urban Outfitters sale
-A-LINE DRESSES. In BOLD colors. Or delightful pastoral patterns. Be extra original and add a slim (vegan) leather belt to your ensemble.
-vintage.
-LATEST IPHONE. Throw away your current iPhone the SECOND an upgrade is mentioned
-talks about emojis
-quirky iPhone cases.
-cats: on mugs, on t-shirts, on iPhone cases, on iPad cases, and whatever else you can slap a cat image on
-listens to Sam Smith
-loves Beyonce (particularly truthful for white girls)
-identifies as a feminist but doesn’t know what feminism is
-thinks going to a Britney Spears/Backstreet Boys concert is totally cool (“no shame”) and also totally silly (“ironic selfie!”), but also super nostalgic and therefore valid (“omg remember when we liked them?”)
-watches Girls, Scandal
-also drinks excessively but never does drugs because OMG HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR BODY?
-silky sleeveless blouses
-big menswear-style watches (gold preferred)
-cross-body bags
-UBER
-nails done frequently- usually a ‘fun’ ‘pastel’ color
-does yoga. Never stops talking about yoga and how beneficial it is
-eats “clean”
-hates “toxins”
-extols the virtues of voting (on FB or IRL)
-posts running routes post-run (look how far I ran! Look how many calories I burned!)
-loves and participates in marathons (shares pics excessively on every social media platform)
-doesn’t actually know how to do her own hair or makeup
-has at least 5 very close ‘girlfriends’
-MIMOSAS!!!! BRUNCH!!!!

Okay, that’s all I can think of for now. I hope this is helpful in further defining the a href=”https://carles.buzz/the-contemporary-conformist/” title=”The Contemporary Conformist.”>contemporary conformistcontemporary conformist: girl version.

There are some nuggets in there, but then maybe also describing some1 u h8. That’s chill though. I h8 every1/myself.

Ppl keep saying my writing seems ‘angry’. Does it seem angry 2 u? I feel pure and certain.

From James:

Carles,

Thank you for continuing to write amazing posts. I’ve been following your posts from HRO to your latest medium over the years. Your unique personality is refreshing and reminds me a lot of another Internet voice that goes by Maddox. Lots of cynicism, very raw and revealing. How you dissect everything and put it in a satirical tone is simply beautiful.

If you ever need any technical work done for your website or want to build something that needs programming knowledge, I am at your disposal to help out freely as much as I can.

Please live on forever.

Does carles.buzz need some technical work, yall? Do I need 2 be more than a blog?
Do I need ‘innovation’?
Am I ‘just another Maddox’?
Did u know Maddox has a youtube channel where he is scaling [via Youtube advertising dollars]?

From Malcbro:

Carles –

Hey bro, just wanted to say – don’t pull any punches on this a href=”https://carles.buzz/the-contemporary-conformist/” title=”The Contemporary Conformist.”>contemporary conformistContemporary Conformism.

You seem 100% spot on about it – but then you say stuff like,

“ContempConforms didn’t go to college” – when the truth is that contemp conformity is driven by almost 100% college graduates

“NYC / LAX / SFO are places with Legit Culture” – when the truth is your example of the ultimate contempconform coffee shop is in LA. The truth is that NYC/LAX/SFO have elevated ContempConform to the highest level & spread it’s worldview throughout all other tier cities

“ContempConform is not NormCore” – when the truth is that the difference between contemp conform & normcore is the difference between a server at a contempconform craft cocktail bar & a patron. The server wears normcore and works there for money. The patron wears contempconform and goes there to spend money.

I would venture that 100% of your readership is contempconform.

Don’t pull any punches. Don’t try to isolate alvvays from your withering criticism. Don’t try to separate auth from contempconform. Because right now contempconform places are playing auth. They are trying to scale auth. Hold this mirror up to your readership and mock them.

That’s my advice but of course –
Nothing matters.

Is every1 who is reading carles.buzz an effing contemporary conformist?
Do u h8 urself?
Do I h8 u?
Do u h8 me?
Is <3 even possible n e more on the internet? R u connecting with this content? What kind of content do u even want? Can internet content even be fulfilling? I'm probs just going to listen to Palmbonen II this weekend. They always have a way of authing my vibes when I feel overwhelmed by the lameness of the world that we can’t escape.

What r u up 2?
How do u pursue auth vibes on the weekend? [via work week ‘release’]

Please send me emails.

• ← Contemporary Conformist Values: COFFEE
• JADE TV makes us feel alive. →