I’ve loved Sex and the City my whole life. Obvi, I’m prone to exaggeration. I wear leggings as pants while I sip on my Dunkin’ peppermint mocha coffee. (Halloween has passed and with it Pumpkin Spice has been replaced.) I have a Pinterest board with little tidbits of my future wedding; yes, the groom has yet to be discovered. I love Breakfast at Tiffany’s and I have uttered the words “I can’t even” on several occasions.
I’ve asked many – close friends and new acquaintances – if they think of me as a basic white girl. “No.”
They say I’m too “edgy.” I wear too much black and have an air of creativity about me. (I’d like to think that doesn’t mean airheadedness although, I’m not entirely sure what they’re getting at.) But I wonder how I’m not a basic white girl when I meet so much of the criteria. I love leggings, but as for the rest of the uniform – not so much. I don’t own a Northface, instead sticking with sale items from Kohl’s Department Store. Nor do I own a pair of Uggs opting for discounted combat boots. Further negations: I wasn’t bred to be basic. I’m not exactly middle class, a little lower on the economic level than that and I grew up in the country instead of the suburbs.
So am I not a basic white girl because you can’t see it, a uniform, out in the open? Is it just because the basic parts about me hidden attributes?
Suffice to say – no, I’m not a basic white girl. I don’t consider myself one, nor do those who know me.
But, I don’t feel the need to critical of the basic white girl.
I’ve asked many – close friends and new acquaintances – if they think of me as a basic white girl. “No.”
They say I’m too “edgy.” I wear too much black and have an air of creativity about me. (I’d like to think that doesn’t mean airheadedness although, I’m not entirely sure what they’re getting at.) But I wonder how I’m not a basic white girl when I meet so much of the criteria. I love leggings, but as for the rest of the uniform – not so much. I don’t own a Northface, instead sticking with sale items from Kohl’s Department Store. Nor do I own a pair of Uggs opting for discounted combat boots. Further negations: I wasn’t bred to be basic. I’m not exactly middle class, a little lower on the economic level than that and I grew up in the country instead of the suburbs.
So am I not a basic white girl because you can’t see it, a uniform, out in the open? Is it just because the basic parts about me hidden attributes?
Suffice to say – no, I’m not a basic white girl. I don’t consider myself one, nor do those who know me.
But, I don’t feel the need to critical of the basic white girl.
Meeting the criteria just means I’m so basic on the inside. So when others identify me as edgy my value as a “non-basic” is actually a lot less than people would perceive. Just goes to show you can’t judge a girl by her flavored caffeinated beverage. The armor of the basic is comfort. (Dammit, Uggs/leggings/sorority t-shirts are comfortable as heck, okay?) It really doesn’t have commentary towards the substance of the mind and the personality of the basic.
Still, if someone in the basic uniform professed to love something outside the realm of basic people would say that they were “fake.” There’s no way a basic white girl could have interest in football. Then again, there’s a lingering hint of misogyny and sexism that surround the idea of the basic white girl and the thought a girl could ever possibly be interested in sports. Enough speculation of sincere intentions around both to strike down the idea of authenticity…
Interestingly enough, as the world turns, the most basic thing a person can do is be offended by being called basic. Instead, you break the spell by liking what you like regardless of what others social commentary has to say about it. So essentially the best way to not be basic is not care if you are.
Honestly, I agree with people when they say it’s ridiculous to get offended by being called basic. If only because those who truly believe in the “basic white girl criteria” are so totally ridiculous. Toasters. Loving toasters is an attribute to being a white girl… I…. what? It’s exhausting to concern yourself with calculating the criteria.
Even though I’m prone to social commentary, there’s something about knit-picking the basic white girl that I find – well frankly, annoying. Those people commenting on how this girl is supposedly “vapid” and ignoring the discourse on greater current events – well aren’t you concerning yourself with something so minute, so irrelevant that you yourself are belittling your own intelligence? Concern for the well-being, the curing, of the basic white girl is an attempt to label yourself as “unique,” which in this case is synonymous with “better.”
Just makes me want to sigh: “OMG. Like, get over yourself.”
Still, if someone in the basic uniform professed to love something outside the realm of basic people would say that they were “fake.” There’s no way a basic white girl could have interest in football. Then again, there’s a lingering hint of misogyny and sexism that surround the idea of the basic white girl and the thought a girl could ever possibly be interested in sports. Enough speculation of sincere intentions around both to strike down the idea of authenticity…
Interestingly enough, as the world turns, the most basic thing a person can do is be offended by being called basic. Instead, you break the spell by liking what you like regardless of what others social commentary has to say about it. So essentially the best way to not be basic is not care if you are.
Honestly, I agree with people when they say it’s ridiculous to get offended by being called basic. If only because those who truly believe in the “basic white girl criteria” are so totally ridiculous. Toasters. Loving toasters is an attribute to being a white girl… I…. what? It’s exhausting to concern yourself with calculating the criteria.
Even though I’m prone to social commentary, there’s something about knit-picking the basic white girl that I find – well frankly, annoying. Those people commenting on how this girl is supposedly “vapid” and ignoring the discourse on greater current events – well aren’t you concerning yourself with something so minute, so irrelevant that you yourself are belittling your own intelligence? Concern for the well-being, the curing, of the basic white girl is an attempt to label yourself as “unique,” which in this case is synonymous with “better.”
Just makes me want to sigh: “OMG. Like, get over yourself.”