An Exploration of Why Some Young People Chose to Belong to Punk Sub-Culture - Literature review Example

An Exploration of Why Some Young People Chose to belong to Punk Sub-Culture Student’s name: Institution: Instructor: Subject: An Exploration of Why Some Young People Chose to belong to Punk Sub-Culture In the recent years, many youths have been associating themselves with punk sub culture. Widdicombe, Sue & Rob (1990) observe that the influence of this culture is mainly based on artistic movements, political and philosophical environments. In the world today, the most noticeable forms of punk are seen to be much more related to music, visual art, fashion and image more than the philosophical working class. Some of common punk view points are direct action, not selling out, non-conformity and antiauthoritarianism. It is a kind of style that is based on lack of any social or even political meaning. For the music in particular, the style that is associated with it is mostly offensive and a times demonstrated by the stories involving sex (Moore & Jack, 2007). It is a culture that is able to accommodate all kinds of youths. Those associating with its lifestyle come from all economic classes and walks of life. In terms of ideologies, punk is much closure to gender equalities and antiracism when compared to other cultures. However, as indicated by Moore & Jack (2007) violence is more common in punk subculture compared to other cultures. This essay seeks to explore why young people would choose to belong to the punk subculture. According to Savage (2010) the punk has a variety of origins but its main root is from the cities of the United States. It consisted of small groups of youths who mainly promoted rock music and drugs. It was a way of expressing their freedom from rules of the society. This culture got its way to Britain during the economic recession. At this time the youths were instilling dissatisfaction of the industrial Britain. The punk rock that had its root in the United States then found its way to Britain through the British punk bands. They used it to express their anger for the social alienation. McCracken (2004) observes that there are three major world features that greatly influence the punk lifestyle of the youth. First, there are differences everywhere. The youth are able to observe that some societies are having positive changes, others negative changes while others do not have any changes at all. They believe that the world is hot and changeable which makes them to adapt a culture that is going to favor their lives. They would prefer a life of difference and robust diversity so that this way they can be able to handle their challenges. Secondly, the world is dynamic. In this case “everything is almost inconstant motion.” Nothing seems to give a lasting solution to the youth. The initial culture cannot fit in the current era of technology since everything seems to be changing in a matter of short time, trying to align itself to the changing world. Thirdly, it is a creative world. The youths would believe that since deep within everyone, there in the punk culture that caters for their creativity that would offers fewer boundaries in terms of lifestyle. Urban life for the youths is another factor that contributes to punk culture in them. Youths who have been brought up in these areas tend to have a similar behavioral pattern and world view (Soeffner, 2002). This is because they end up sharing common interests. People living in the urban areas are from different tribes. When the youths are brought up in this environment, they form an urban tribe that accommodates every tribe. The urban tribe offer the youth a chance for them to strengthen their relationships regardless of their tribe. One of the ways that the youths are able to properly relate in the urban tribe is through punk subculture. The ideologies of punk subculture promotes and accommodation of every youth. As a result, many youths engages in this lifestyle to completely be able to socialize with the rest of the youths. Moreover, the interaction among members of the urban tribe is largely informal and built on strong emotions. This is different from the rest of urban members who socialize based on income class. Youths would feel more comfortable living this kind of lifestyle since it offers them more freedom and luxuries than any other culture. Having nothing to do is another thing that leads youths living in cities to punk life. Life in cities is very costly and most people living in here are very busy. Having nothing to do in a costly life would push the city dwellers to do whatever can to change the situation. The victims of this situation are mostly the youths who have may not have any experience of managing money and fitting in this kind of life. The result of this boredom by the youths chose punk subculture as a way of socializing with the rest of the youths and having something to do. The society from which the youths come from is made up of people that just share commonalities (Soeffner, 2002). But, this society does not have a given set of subcultures that it accepts as formal or informal. There is no clear line on what is to be accepted on. On the other hand, the world is full of creative ideas. The individuals who have contributed in punk sees that the system has inspired the way they look into life which encourages creativity and the necessary freedom of making up the mind on something troubling the mind about the social issues. The ideology is based on hate and self-loathing which due to the numerous problems that the youths encounter in their life. New technologies are another major driving factor of the punk subculture. Majority of the youths are aware of the new technologies and how they can use them for fun. Major technologies associated with the youth revolve around entertainment and communication. Internet is one such tool mainly used by the youths for communication. Muggleton and Weinzierl (2006) observe that the majority of the members of online community are as a result of creation and maintenance of regular engagements with certain sets of practices (Epstein, 1998). Formation of online community is majorly through social networks. These networks offer lots of fun to the youth therefore maintains those who are in them and attracting those who have not joined. It is a platform through which people can communicate freely. Most social sites for instant, allows individuals to pass any message upload pictures and videos. Through this, members of such a site can are able to promote the growth of the culture in manner that is appealing to the youths. In effect the youths engage in it. Advancement in technology has also made televisions and videos more fun and easily accessible. Epstein (1998) observes that through these media, the punk culture is promoted. The youths, who are the greatest fun of these types of entertainment, ends up engaging in punk subculture that they have learned in these media. Drugs also contribute significantly to the punk culture. Fox (1992) observes that the use of drugs is a symbol of desire to live outside the norms of the society, the nihilistic attitude of hard cores and a symbol of self destruction. The damage that is caused physically because of drug use does tell a lot about the worry that is there for the youth working class in Britain. Drugs that make someone to feel angst which greatly contributes to the modern punks. Fox attempts to explain the modern punk of why youths may engage in drugs “ It is a kind of like a competition, a show-off thing of seeing who has most guts by seeing who can burn his brain up first. It is like a total lack of care about anything really.” (Fox 2010). Girls and young women have been regarded by most cultures as incapable of competing with the male. Lauraine (1968) observes that in most cultures, the male members have failed to accommodate the participation of girls in grounding social construction. They are made to feel naïve, a feeling they do not like. However, physical and psychological effects take place at this stage. The youths are at a transitional stage of childhood and adulthood. It is at this stage that the identities in sex gains salience and the adult role expectation comes to their fore. Physically, it is at this period that the puberty effects changes in them. This development is accompanied by psychological changes that drive them to seek their sense of responsibility, independence and identity. They start having the feeling of self efficiency and self reliance. It is at the same time that self esteem grows. With punk culture in place, such youths engages in it aligns it is able to cater for their needs. Gender is not a limitation to girls in punk subculture. Muggleton & Weinzierl, (2006) observes that in this culture, they are able to construct strategies that are resistant to both cultural norms and fully exploit their chances. This also makes them have the feeling of doing whatever they want without having to worry about the male dominance. In conclusion, punk sub culture is culture majorly characterized by music, visual art, fashion and image. It is a culture that is able to accommodate youths whose parents were brought up in different background since it does not discriminate on gender or social class. The culture started in United States in 1970s by youths engaging themselves in drugs and rock music. It gained its way to Britain during the economic recession whereby it was used by the youths as a way of showing dissatisfaction of the industrial Britain. Today, the culture is characterized by youths who believe that they need to detach themselves from the previous cultures in order to be competitive in the world. Technological change makes many youths associate themselves with punk subculture since it supports most of their activities. Social media, televisions and videos are of interest to many youths, easily being used to make the youths to want to associate themselves with it. Taking of drugs promote punk subculture in that they make the victim to feel free of living outside the norm of the society. Most girls associate with the subculture because it detaches them from other cultures that do not offer freedom to ladies and girls. References Baron, J. (2008). On the Importance of Sub cultural Origins. The Subcultures Reader Routledge: London. Epstein, J. (1998). Youth Culture: Identity in a postmodern world. Blackwell Publishers: United Kingdom. Fox, A. (1992). Real Punks and Pretenders. Constructions of Deviance. Wadsworth Publishing Co: Belmont. Lauraine, L. (1968). Pretty in Punk: Girls’ gender resistance in a boys’ subculture. British Library: Britain. McCracken, G. (2004). A new approach to Youth subculture theory. Sub cultural formation and Cultural Studies. 5 (2), 4-50. McNeil, L. & McCain, G. (1996). Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk. Grove Press: New York. Moore, Jack, B. (2007). Skinheads Shaved for Battle. Bowling Green State University. PopularPress: Ohio. Muggleton, D & Weinzierl, R (2006). The post-subcultures reader. Wellingborough: Northants. Savage, J (2010). Jon. England’s Dreaming: Anarchy, Sex Pistols, Punk Rock and Beyond. Martin’s Press: New York. Soeffner, H. (2002). Style and Stylization: Punk; or the Super elevation of Everyday Life. Transaction Publishers: New Jersey. Widdicombe, A., Sue, N. & Rob, W. (1990). Being’ versus ‘Doing’ Punk: On AchievingAuthenticity as a Member. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 4 (2), 257-277. Wilson B. The Sociology of Youth Subculture. (2007), Canadian Journal of Sociology Online, 5 (24), 1-13. Read More