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tumble-log » Bourgeois Bohemian like you ...

Back to chickerinodotcom Written on 16-Apr-2008 by chickerino

So after years of trying to work out which label to give myself, going between this that and the other, I've finally settled on a label, suitably pretentious that I'm almost happy with.

I am a bourgeois bohemian, or BoBo for short. I'm not sure whether I should be proud or ashamed but I believe this rather tongue-in-cheek definition was almost made just for me. Ok, so I don't (and vow to never) drive an SUV but most of the other stuff applies.

Alberto and I were even in a documentary a year and a half ago about the 'terrible' BoBos that were participating in the [evil] gentrification of the once-working-class Southwark. It was even made by a lady who admitted to being a Parisian BoBo herself - though I suppose that's almost quite appropriate!

Marcus. Proud yet ashamed.

Are you a BoBo? 10 ways to find out:

Do you:

Believe that shelling out £10,050 on a home media centre is vulgar, but that spending it on a slate shower stall is a sign you are at one with the Zen-like rhythms of nature?
Work for a company as cool, hip and enterprising as you?
GO ON adventure seeking vacations to the remotest parts of the world to X-treme ski, mountain climb or whitewater raft, or do you simply settle for a ride in the sport utility vehicle to the nearest haute-design shops and local purveyors of Third World treasures?
Dress 'geek chic' or hippy chick - and don't forget the titanium Omnitech athletic gear?
Have a newly renovated kitchen which looks like an aircraft hangar with plumbing - even after the feng shui?
Give to Tibet, but not always to the local homeless?
Feel cheated and betrayed if a big supermarket sign that normally says 'Organic Items Today: 130' today counts only 60?
Earn upwards of £67,000 but were never in it for the money?
Buy Third World to save the Third World?

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Tags: london, southwark, life, bobo, bourgeois bohemian

Comments

written on 16-Apr-2008

jamesmawilliams says:

hmmmm, BoBo is a little too specific for me. Im definitely in it for the money, and dont have problems with spending it on slate or electronics. What is key, is not to talk about money, EVER. I gave money to a homeless person yesterday... but only after he told 4 funny jokes - he earned his £1.20!
written on 16-Apr-2008

cedric-errero says:

In France, bobo became an ideologic insult, and bobos are supposed to live in a few Paris districts (7 out of 20).
There would be another question in France : do you wear Che's shirts ?
Close to "gauche caviar".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauche_caviar

Famous variants :
Biobo, for organic bohemian.
Bobobo, for bolchevick bourgeois bohemian ...

What about "cultural creative" ?
written on 16-Apr-2008

chickerino says:

haha, cultural creative! that's even more pretentious!

i'll stick with bobo for now as no one really knows about it yet in the UK.

i do like the urbandictionary definitions. always quite amusing!
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?ter ... =bobo
written on 16-Apr-2008

cedric-errero says:

Cultural creative is hype in France ... Bobo's not anymore (too much used during 2005 European constitution referendum and our 2007 presidential election).

A lot of (funny) definitions ... Good to know what it could mean in Japanese.
written on 16-Apr-2008

albertob says:

I can tell that in spanish "bobo" its a common word for "silly" or "idiot". That's why I cannot even say to my friends that I was interviewed in my own flat in a program about them.

I personally don't feel identify with that as I reject all the "eco" bullshit, the self-help spirituality and the cheap political compromise represented by Banksy graphittis.

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