Freedom or Expression or Control?: A Look at Subcultures

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5 word format

document in english

social sciences

presentation

date published 06/06/2008

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level : General public

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Subcultures have always been seen as a form expressing individuality, making distinctions between different groups of people, and often as a form of rebellion. Subcultures are defined by style, location, purpose, music, and attitude. Through my studies and primary research I have found that most members of subcultures believe that they make-up the identity of the subculture. However, I will argue, using text from Louis Althusser, that it is the subculture that defines the members of it. Each subculture is known for a particular attribute. I will describe a few different subcultures to use as examples of the theories. As T.R. Fyvel shows in his essay, “Fashion and Revolt” the Teddy-Boy movement was defined by the style and rebellion of the laborers. Michael Brake wrote a book called Comparative Youth Culture, in which he gives a history of the skinheads and their intense racism. Culture groups can also be defined by class and social status, which Robert E. Park discusses in his essay, “The City.”

In his book Cultural Studies, Chris Barker discusses the difference between self-identity and social-identity
The skinheads seemed to completely contradict everything that was expected of a person of any background.
They want to show that they are better than everyone else and to establish themselves.
There are two different types of identity, self-identity and social identity.
Subculture basically is ideology, and ideology represents an imaginary relationship of the individuals to the subject
The more independence a person thinks they have, the less likely they are to notice if they have none at all.
During my primary research, some of the kids we interviewed had no connection to a subculture, it was simply about the clothes and style.
Subcultures are just another from of manipulation. Most do not even have basic beliefs anymore.