Impact Youth Subcultural Lifestyles and Values - Essay Example

Music and Fashion: Impact Youth Subcultural Lifestyles and Values Table of Contents Introduction 3 Fashion and Music: A Postmodern Construct 4 Fashion in Popular Culture: A Gendered View (The Japanese Experience) 7 Conclusion 9 Bibliography 10 Introduction The postmodern construct of popular culture had been observed to be steep in consumerism. Mostly value was placed on the images projected on the media rather than on substance or content. Strinati (2004) observed that in a postmodern milieu, the surface and shallow content take precedence over meaning, purpose and utility. As a consequence, "qualities such as artistic merit, integrity, seriousness, authenticity, realism, intellectual depth and strong narratives tend to be undermined" (p.207). Both fashion and music suffered similar fate. Fashion seemed inclined to consider designer labels more important to wearability of the clothes. In music, post-modernism allowed the "collage, pastiche and quotation," a hodgepodge way of creating music erasing the distinction between music genres (Strinati 2004, p.215). But superficial or not, music and fashion would definitely affect the cultural language and dynamics of contemporary youth. Mcrobbie (1994) wrote about the power and influence of music on fashion of youth but the result was contrary to what many would perceive as sexist. Shabba Ranks, a raggae / pop music crossover musician created a rage called Ragga girls (p.183). This created a sensation in the 1990's when Ragga girls would be taken up not only by black girls but Asians and Caucasians. Along with the music was a distinct fashion sense that separated Ragga girls from the mainstream. The Ragga girls wore the hair "scraped back tightly into buns, wearing gold jewellery, trainers, leggings and fake-fur winter coats" (Mcrobbie 1994, pp.183-184). Examining the content of the song, many observed that the lyrics include sexist and homophobic contexts. The cultural interpretation of the Ragga girls, however did not conform to what was observed. Instead, an alternative value on the power of the female sex and pleasure emerged. The dance routines that go with the Shabba Ranks music was also considered sexually explicit and bordering on the obscene. However, Mcrobbie (1994) would provide another explanation for the behaviour. The girls were merely expressing "the rhetoric of a proud young female sexuality. " It is "combined with the sheer physical enjoyment of dance, working together to produce a euphoria of pleasure and of power" (p.184). The above example presented evidence that subculture of fashion and music was a departure from the frame of cultural contexts and values. Fashion and Music: A Postmodern Construct The youth category on cultural and sociological research lacks appropriate definition and orientation. The classification of youth can differ from culture to culture. For example, preadolescent individuals and people in their 30's and 40's may comprise the youth sector of a given cultural context. The distinction may also be derived from chronology or cultural position (Bucholtz 2002,p.526). The youth represents a segment of society that many sociologists and anthropologists consider as innovative. The youth may work inside or outside the system depending on the situation. Traditional views consider the youth subculture were consequences of the working-class consciousness where emergent subculture was "authentic and in the first instance at least uncontaminated by an avaricious commercial culture" (Mcrobbie 1994, p.179). The presumption is no longer applicable as today's complex social systems of mass media, commercial culture and the state (p.179). The proliferation of fashion and music purported to be rebellious expression of the youth against control and authority would in fact be more congruent with Michle Barrett's observation that youth subculture is a product of "turn[ing] to culture and the 'processes of symbolization'" (p.179). Craik (1994) forwarded the idea that the purpose of clothing (fashion) is not merely utilitarian in nature. The way people dress is an attempt to communicate within a given social strata or community. It is also a way of allowing individuals to operate within acceptable norms. With this view, the youth could be surmised to use fashion as a communication tool that does not necessarily reflect their personal values. If fashion is used as a device to communicate dissent, it would be reflective of their desire to be heard. In postmodernist thoughts, fashion would be "a combination of fragmentation and identity in which dress either glues 'the false identity together on the surface' or lends 'a theatrical and play-acting aspect to the hallucinatory experience of the contemporary world'" (Craik 1994, p.8). This argument would justify the assumption that fashion does not reflect the real values of the youth. Instead, it masks the authentic value system because postmodernism approach the discourse of fashion in that manner. Consumerism is central to the development of style and music and not youth subcultures and values. Christopher (1999) cited an example. The development of the Vespa and Lambretta scooters provided the emerging youth culture he referred to as 'mods' mobility. It provided the means for London mods to reach Brighton to confront 'rockers' (p. 140). It was fashionable to own one not because it was dictated by inherent youth values but the need was simply fuelled by commercialism. Music, particularly popular music in the postmodern era denies any attempt at placing distinction of genres. The popular music has become a hybrid of musical traditions, styles and influences (Shuker 1994, p.10). The purpose of the production of popular music is again attributed to the consumerism orientation in the postmodern era. Moreover, the production of popular music is intended "a mass, predominantly youth, market. At the same time, of course, it is an economic product which is invested with ideological significance by many of its consumers" (p.10). In the postmodern milieu, music is no longer viewed as an expression of youth rebellion. Instead, it had evolved to support a postmodern capitalist agenda. The driving factor for the proliferation of popular music among the youth is hardly value based because to understand the complexities of the music industry, one must not neglect the" drive to commodify rock and maximise profits" (Shuker 1994, p.30). In the present context of music and fashion as consequences of consumer culture advocated by global capitalist movements, the view that there is a youth subculture involved in the formation or emergence of trends is abandoned. It is now replaced with the terms "taste culture","scene" or "tribe" to allow inclusivity and heterogeneity in identified groups separated by style or music (Bennett 2002, p.462). Fashion in Popular Culture: A Gendered View (The Japanese Experience) Despite the technological and economic progress that Japan had achieved over the years, the country is still wanting in rectifying archaic gender constructs that marginalize Japanese women in a male-dominated society. The media and popular culture have direct influences on whether standard norms stay or redirected towards a more equitable perception. In Japanese television advertisements, Arima (2003) found that "women (56.7%) outnumbered men (43.3%), the advertisements for female audiences (26.9%) exceeded those for male audiences (15.0%), and women appeared in "household chores related product," "cosmetics," and "service" more often than men, whereas men appeared in "electronic appliances" more often than women"(Arima 2003, p.81+). In Manga/Anime popular culture, "theme of 'men ought to be stronger than women'" is insidious (Izawa n.d.). The Manga/Anime popular culture has retained the historical concepts of gender in Japanese society. The popular medium (comic book fiction, animation) has contributed to reinforcing the traditional views on gender or changing them depending on their creators. With some exceptions, the rise of Shouju (girl) manga also offers an alternative view. Historically, the Japanese culture had treated genders differently. It tends to emphasize "male dominance and female submissiveness" (Izawa n.d.). It was not always the case as some of the most popular literary and historical figures in Japan were women. One notable figure was novelist Lady Murasaki. The earliest rulers were empresses. However, everything changed when Japan became feudal and war oriented (Izawa n.d.). With some exceptions, there were women who were trained to become "samurai" In Manga/Anime popular culture, there is a varied presentation regarding gender and gender relations. It usually depends on the point of view of their creators and can span both extreme on gender discourse. On one hand, the Manga/Anime may tend to overemphasized traditional Japanese views on gender while the other end of the spectrum may show some writers and artists introducing alternative ideas on gender and gender relations. Fashion was also dictated by the Manga/Anime Japanese popular culture. There is an imbalanced emphasis on "'women's' physical assets (breast/hips) were drawn according to male sexual fantasies. Often, the female physique was drawn in impossible proportions (like Barbie dolls)" (Izawa n.d.) Japanese street fashion could trace its beginning in 1995 known as Kogal (Kawamura 2006, p.788). The young Japanese teens following Kogal trends often wear short skirts similar to their school uniform, knee high white socks and generous makeup (p.788). Japanese street fashion is dictated by the need of Japanese to innovate in contrast to the compartmentalization that the Anime/manga culture tried to impose on women. In this case fashion serves no political or ideological leanings. It is simply an expression of Japanese teenagers on group affiliation (Kawamura 2006, p.785). In the postmodern construct of consumerism, emphasis is placed on "consumer fashion rather than class fashion" (p.785). For Crane, the consumption of consumer goods such as fashion articles inadvertently establishes identity for the Japanese teenagers (p.785). The Japanese youth culture likewise exhibited the departure of fashion from youth subcultures and values because fashion is a consequence of postmodern consumerism culture. For a young teenage girl to establish identity with a peer group, she must be wearing the right clothing and fashion accessories to be accepted. When a trend or fashion craze hits the Japanese communities, the fashion spreads like wildfire and every Japanese youngster take up to follow the trend. This phenomena is unique to Japan where homogeneity in society is the norm (p.790). Conclusion In the previous discussion, several instances debunked the theory that the trends in fashion and were largely influenced by the youth's subculture and value system. It was apparent that the postmodern bent on consumerism to support their capitalist strategies to propagate wealth. Music and fashion in the postmodern era had consumerism underpinnings that are why it was difficult to associate them with the youth's subcultural context and values. Moreover, the dictates of the trend, the way the youth should dress and act are influenced by the necessity to sustain consumerism. Otherwise, the youth risks being ostracized from society where they belong. The Japanese youth culture was cited because it further emphasized the underpinnings of consumerism despite it being a homogenous society and quite different from western ones. The previous claim that the youth's music and fashion was an expression of their dissent to acceptable norms is no longer plausible in the postmodern era. Music and fashion are closely interrelated because they operate under the same consumer culture and the youth has no choice but to abide to the prevailing constructs. As illustrated in the Ragga girl example, fashion and music served as a faade to the deeper contextual meaning of music and fashion to the girls that follow the trend. Although, on the exterior, there was explicit sexual connotation to being a Ragga girl, it does not conform to the girls' value of recognizing their sexuality and the power that comes along with it. It would be a great disservice to consider the contemporary trend in fashion and music as a consequence of the youth culture's value. A deeper study should be conducted to ascertain that the above assumptions were correct. The youth has a huge influence over trends because of their recognition as one of the powerful voices that could determine the direction of music and fashion. Bibliography Arima, A.N. 2003. Gender Stereotypes in Japanese Television Advertisements. Sex Roles. Volume 49, Issue 1/2; pp. 81+ Bennett, A. 2002. Researching Youth Culture and Popular Music: A Methodological Critique. British Journal of Sociology Vol. No. 53 Issue No. 3: pp. 451-466. Buckholtz, M. 2002. Youth and Cultural Practice. Annual Review of Anthropology. Volume 31:pp.525-552. Izawa, E. n.d. Gender and Gender Relations in Manga and Anime [Online]: available at: http://web.mit.edu/rei/www/manga-gender.html [Accessed February 21, 2007]. Christopher, D. 1999. British Culture: An Introduction. London. Routledge. Craik, J. 1994. The Face of Fashion: Cultural Studies in Fashion. New York. Routledge. Kawamura, Y. 2006. Japanese Teens as Producers of Street Fashion. Current Sociology. Volume 54, Issue no.5: pp.784-801. McRobbie, A. 1994. Postmodernism and Popular Culture. New York. Routledge. Strinati, D. 2004. An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture. New York. Routledge. Read More