Forget ‘Hottest Hipster’ ranking; let’s be U.S.’ best city to make world better

Asheville recently received what some have termed a lowly ranking of No. 32 in a listing of “The Hottest Hipster Markets in America,” while nearby megalopolis Charlotte finished 15th, leaving some Asheville residents concerned that their much-ballyhooed city is, well, getting dissed.

In the interim, we have heard from some Asheville natives, who seemed, at most,  amused by the squirming of local hipsters and area promoters — who have vented their ire about the rating. (The natives — in the spirit of being helpful — have suggested that those who are unhappy with the ranking should move to Charlotte — at once.)

On a more serious note, what is a “hipster?” One dictionary says: “A person who follows the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream.”

We’d rather see trendsetters, rather than mere trend-followers, i.e. hipsters.

For our part, we’d much rather see Asheville set its sights on being America’s best city to make the world a better place. Now that would be a profound ranking.