L.A. Times Archives Feb. 21, 2000 12 AM PT Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X LinkedIn Threads Reddit WhatsApp Copy Link URL Copied! Print In 30 years, being “hip” has gone from a suspicious counterculture to a consumer-driven mandate. More to Read Always on, always judged: the mentality reshaping Gen Z’s shopping habits Feb. 13, 2026 For Subscribers The Goop-ification of wellness is on the way out (you can thank Gen Z) Aug. 10, 2022 What hip-hop bling reveals about American status anxiety Oct. 20, 2022