Mathematician develops equation for 'hipster paradox'

Nicole Einbinder | KING 5 News-Seattle

Show Caption Hide Caption Mathematician develops equation for 'hipster paradox' French mathematician Jonathan Touboul has created an equation that analyzes the 'hipster' phenomenon.

SEATTLE -- Seattle is known for many things – rain, coffee, technology and a thriving "hipster" culture.

French mathematician Jonathan Touboul has created an equation that analyzes the 'hipster' phenomenon, claiming that in actuality all hipsters – known for their funky fashion sense – appear to look the same.

According to the "hipster paradox," based on a mathematical formula, when nonconformists try and stray from mainstream trends, they oftentimes end up making the same choices because they are too slow to spot trends that are no longer popular.

As a result, hipsters so bent on being unique that they tend to adopt similar styles and ironically become uniform.

"You need people who want to be different," said Touboul in an interview with Reuters. "In the end, because they are too slow to detect the trend, they synchronize and they all do, and all these people that want to be different they all do the same thing at the same time."

Touboul published his findings in a scientific paper titled "The hipster effect: when anticonformists all look the same."

He said the mathematical model is interchangeable with other social groups.

For a city that prides itself on its hipster culture — not to mention Portland, Ore., Brooklyn, NYC, or San Francisco — Touboul's findings suggest that we may not be as unique as we think.