It can be a venomous, reductive slight: hipster. As in " Check out that hipster with the 26-inch waist. " Yet hipness has become the dogma of urban living, and its devotees pursue that elusive it with a wanton, if ironic, zeal.

Robert Lanham, editor of FREEwilliamsburg.com, a lifestyle guide to American hipness, has turned his knowledge of hipster conventions — the negligible body fat, the cowlicks, the blasé detachment — into The Hipster Handbook (Anchor), a hilarious anthropological appraisal of today’s overeducated, underworked dilettantes. Though it’s not clear whether the book’s hipster-speak is street or Lanham, apparently the new Lightning Bolt record is no longer cool, it’s deck, while SUVs are fin, and an ex who hasn’t read anything by Dave Eggers — totally midtown. The Handbook weaves a grand Salvation Army sweater of disaffectedness, documenting, among others, the polits (political-literary hipsters), bipsters (blue-collar hipsters), and WASHs (wait-staff and service-industry hipsters) who collectively spurn the meat-eating mainstream for a life of uniform nonconformity. It’s a perfectly ironic gesture: what true hipster needs a handbook, or a Web site (www.hipsterhandbook.com/quiz.html), for that matter, where you can rate your hipness quotient? Lanham believes his book surpasses its own kitsch. After all, today " hipsters can be found everywhere, " he says. " Except Miami, of course. " He was deck enough to share some of his insights by e-mail.

Q: Can you describe the fieldwork that went into writing the book?

A: First of all, I needed a good costume. Had I worn a Marvin the Martian T-shirt, pleated khakis, and a Virginia Tech baseball cap, hipsters would have singled me out as an outsider. I grew a handlebar mustache, wore a mesh baseball cap, and began drinking PBR [Pasbt Blue Ribbon] out of a can so I could fit in. Once I had the look down, the real research began. I spent countless hours eavesdropping on hipsters and documenting their culture in pubs, dive bars, cafés, clubs, and coffee shops.

Q: Regarding the history and evolution of the hipster, were there Native American hipsters or Victorian hipsters — meaning, is the hipster a necessary ingredient of every culture?

A: The duality of hip and square is part of the Tao and plays a role in every culture. Homer, for instance, was midtown. If he were alive today, he’d probably be writing action scripts for Jerry Bruckheimer. On the other hand, Sitting Bull was very deck. His nickname, Hunkesi, literally means " slow. " Though he loved to take it easy, he always managed to kick some cracker ass when he needed to. During one early battle, he walked into enemy fire, sat down, and casually smoked a phatty. He walked away unharmed. He was one deck wally.

Q: In regard to recent history, how do today’s hipsters stand apart from their predecessors in hipness?

A: Hipsters in 2003 are unique in many ways. They are obsessed with irony and tend to have a love for kitsch. Hipsters today have also learned from the mistakes of elder hipsters. They would never hang out with someone named Wavy Gravy.

Q: What happens to hipsters after hipness? Are there old, self-respecting hipsters?

A: Not getting lazy is the key to staying deck for older hipsters. It’s important to continue listening to current music, seeing indie film, and reading hip authors. If you think Philip Glass, Gipsy Kings, and Tom Robbins are cutting-edge, you may be out of touch. I think subtlety is important too. If you are in your 40s, you shouldn’t be wearing a shirt that says PORN STAR.

Q: What drives one to being a hipster anyway?

A: Social ineptness perhaps? I think the more pertinent question is, why do people listen to jam bands.

Q: Deck or fin: rollerblades.

A: Fin, especially if you wear biker shorts and sing when rollerblading.

Q: Eminem.

A: Fin. Though Dr. Dre (the only reason Eminem has a career) is deck.

Q: Hygiene.

A: Good hygiene is deck. Being stinky is for jerries [a stoner, hippie — HH glossary], though a hint of natural musk (on occasion) is preferred by some breeds of hipsters.

Q: PBR.

A: Deck. Ice beers and light beers should be avoided though.

Q: Is there anything that separates Boston hipsters from their brethren?

A: Boston hipsters seem to be part of a very insular scene and are refreshingly supportive of local artists and musicians. The surplus of fancy schools in Boston leaves the thrift shops barren since upper-class hipsters rush to buy clothing to give themselves the bohemian look. Overall, Boston is deck.