88 BoaDrum at East River State Park (08/08/08)

They may be divided over bike lanes, but when it comes to the census, both Hipsters and Hasids are apparently sticking to the road not taken.

Many New York City residents aren’t returning their census forms. The return rate is only around 50 percent, but the lowest rate of return (around 30 percent) is the hipster enclave of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. These young, recent graduates with ironic mustaches and plaid shirts are apparently too busy tweeting to fill out a simple census form. [NPR.org]

Sure this statistic is disturbing, but certainly your every day hipster must have a good explanation for their collective apathy:

Mr. STARK: I guess it’s laziness and like, what’s the point? When it comes down to it, nobody wants to fill out like another form that’s just like getting sent to your house that really relatively has nothing to do with your life.

SMITH: He thinks the young people just haven’t been given a good enough reason to fill out the census.

Mr. STARK: I mean people would do if they got like five bucks.

SMITH: Five bucks?

Mr. STARK: Yeah. Or if there was like more than just like a piece of paper that’s like you have to do this or you could get in trouble, which no one will get in trouble; that’s why they dont do it. [NPR.org]

Ladies and gentleman, may I present the future leaders of this country.