PHOTOGRAPHED BY CLAIRE PEPPER.
When we first heard whispers of the term "Muppie" creeping up along the darkest corners of the Internet, we immediately thought some mad Austrian scientist was cross-breeding a mutant army of half-Muppet half-puppy warriors to begin his plan of world domination. Then we decided to read this Huffington Post piece, and discovered that while Muppies are in fact mutants, they're not the kind that will give us nightmares.
According to author Michelle Miller, the Muppie is a Millenial-Yuppie hybrid, a breed of young, highly educated and socially aware go-getter that emerged from the ashes of the financial crisis. Gone is the Yuppie, whose goal it was to climb the corporate ladder and drink a ton of Starbucks while doing it. Though the Muppie shares that same level of ambition, the ladder they're climbing is made of reclaimed wood, and the coffee is fair trade.
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When it comes down to it, a Muppie's life can be defined by one thing: the Internet. Their idea of winning is to successfully launch a web-based start-up. Muppies also take pride in having more Instagram followers than you, and are prone to writing snarky tweets while watching Game of Thrones. Instead of heavy Christmas bonuses, Muppies turn to crowd-funding sites like Kickstarter for some extra loot. They don't call cabs, they call Uber.
Does it sound like anyone you know? Or better yet, everyone you know?
If not, and you're curious to see what Muppies are like in their natural habitat, go to SXSW in Austin next year. The nexus of technology, music, indie film, and locally sourced eats is a true Muppie paradise. Just make sure you Instagram it. (Huffington Post)