I've always liked the look of punk and understood the values of the movement in a shallow way. But this has inspired me to do more research of my own 'cause this movement seems exactly like my cup of tea. Thank you so much for the insight! I hope your shoes are comfortable and your spirit well-fed.
There's something about wearing something super girly, and repairing all the holes with visible thread. Making patches by hand, writing out the slogan and sewing it onto a seperate piece of fabric and sharing it with a friend. Really taking the time to interact, create, build a world for yourself and your friends.
I think being alternative is just doing your own thing, not letting outside influences influence you. So maybe now when people see spiked hair in public, they'll think damn that person probably really loves punk aesthetics/tiktoks...poser! but maybe the real ones can clock a real one, because they are marching to the beat of their own drum.
I would consider myself goth because I love goth music! But I don't look goth, not the 80's version and not the current version either. l once dated this guy who was a long time basketball player, always wore a plain shirt and basketball shorts. But the literature he read, and the music he listened to was so goth!! I was like wow there are so many of us out there, a lesson to never judge a book by it's cover.
As someone who only started fully identifying with the punk subculture and listening to the music a few years ago, the “snob punks” you mentioned have really prevented me from getting into my local scene. Everyone I’ve met in it is usually an asshole or judges me for buying the occasional thing from Hot Topic (which I wear for years) when all of their clothes are from Temu and are worn once. This article made me feel validated in my identity as a punk so thank you.
I wanted to write this exact essay, but I'm not that knowledgeable on the culture, so thank you for this.
I've been wanting to get into the punk subculture because I really agree with the 'philosophy' and I like the music, but it seems so charged. Being a beginner, I feel like calling myself punk or even interested would be met with ridicule because I don't know the all history or the right bands. And this is helping me understand the landscape a bit more.
Loved this — have been thinking a lot about convenience culture and the whole idea of convenience being a hyper-individualist illusion, more often than not discussing convenience in a late capitalist context really presents a paradox: convenience for one means inconvenience (massive understatement) for another. We destroy the world and the lives of so many in the name of ‘convenience’ — I really appreciated how you brought these ideas together with the discussion of subcultures and signifying belonging to a community and what that means, I’m gonna be mulling over this for a long long time
true ! but the internet has unfortunately exacerbated the speed and reach of its distortion, which has evidently taken on and will continue to take on new dimensions .
The most brutal irony is that punk's anti-commercial DNA makes it especially vulnerable to commercial digestion. Once rebellion becomes a lifestyle brand, the actual rebellion must mutate into something unmarketable. What happens when the underground stops being a place and becomes a process that constantly sheds its own skin?
Excellent. I wrote a novel called NextGen that also touches on themes of corporate appropriation of art and culture. It follows a young punk band trying to survive in a world where all jobs have been automated (including “punk band”). Here’s an excerpt, hope you’ll take a look!
Hey all, I grew up in the punk scene and it very much informs the world of my novel. It’s about a young punk rock band trying to make it in a dystopian world where every job has been automated (including that of “punk rock band”).
Honored by your subscribe and check out my site if you’re interested in picking up a copy!
Punk rock, you say? Have I got a book for you! It’s called NextGen, and it’s about a group of kids who start a punk rock band in a collapsed society where all jobs have been automated (including that of “punk rock band”). It’s a deep dive into the types of politics and economics (how will displaced workers be provided for?); art and music (is true artistic expression the last vestige of humanity?), and philosophy and spirituality (what the heck do you mean you “exist”??) that may be awaiting us, maybe just around the corner. It will be available in print and digital very soon, but in the meantime, please read chapter 1 here and throw me a subscribe, and I’m happy to return the favor!
sad that this is how i realized the revolutionary potential of ”girl power” had it not been turned into a hm shirt print
I've always liked the look of punk and understood the values of the movement in a shallow way. But this has inspired me to do more research of my own 'cause this movement seems exactly like my cup of tea. Thank you so much for the insight! I hope your shoes are comfortable and your spirit well-fed.
Also the writing on this piece is immaculate ✨
There's something about wearing something super girly, and repairing all the holes with visible thread. Making patches by hand, writing out the slogan and sewing it onto a seperate piece of fabric and sharing it with a friend. Really taking the time to interact, create, build a world for yourself and your friends.
I think being alternative is just doing your own thing, not letting outside influences influence you. So maybe now when people see spiked hair in public, they'll think damn that person probably really loves punk aesthetics/tiktoks...poser! but maybe the real ones can clock a real one, because they are marching to the beat of their own drum.
I would consider myself goth because I love goth music! But I don't look goth, not the 80's version and not the current version either. l once dated this guy who was a long time basketball player, always wore a plain shirt and basketball shorts. But the literature he read, and the music he listened to was so goth!! I was like wow there are so many of us out there, a lesson to never judge a book by it's cover.
As someone who only started fully identifying with the punk subculture and listening to the music a few years ago, the “snob punks” you mentioned have really prevented me from getting into my local scene. Everyone I’ve met in it is usually an asshole or judges me for buying the occasional thing from Hot Topic (which I wear for years) when all of their clothes are from Temu and are worn once. This article made me feel validated in my identity as a punk so thank you.
I wanted to write this exact essay, but I'm not that knowledgeable on the culture, so thank you for this.
I've been wanting to get into the punk subculture because I really agree with the 'philosophy' and I like the music, but it seems so charged. Being a beginner, I feel like calling myself punk or even interested would be met with ridicule because I don't know the all history or the right bands. And this is helping me understand the landscape a bit more.
If you're interested in recommendations (music, documentaries, books), just say so.
Love this!
Loved this — have been thinking a lot about convenience culture and the whole idea of convenience being a hyper-individualist illusion, more often than not discussing convenience in a late capitalist context really presents a paradox: convenience for one means inconvenience (massive understatement) for another. We destroy the world and the lives of so many in the name of ‘convenience’ — I really appreciated how you brought these ideas together with the discussion of subcultures and signifying belonging to a community and what that means, I’m gonna be mulling over this for a long long time
great read! all stands true.
you're like 40 years late
true ! but the internet has unfortunately exacerbated the speed and reach of its distortion, which has evidently taken on and will continue to take on new dimensions .
Nazi punks fuck off 🙏🏻
the coolest!
The most brutal irony is that punk's anti-commercial DNA makes it especially vulnerable to commercial digestion. Once rebellion becomes a lifestyle brand, the actual rebellion must mutate into something unmarketable. What happens when the underground stops being a place and becomes a process that constantly sheds its own skin?
https://substack.com/@stevenberger/note/c-204262854?r=1nm0v2&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web
Excellent. I wrote a novel called NextGen that also touches on themes of corporate appropriation of art and culture. It follows a young punk band trying to survive in a world where all jobs have been automated (including “punk band”). Here’s an excerpt, hope you’ll take a look!
https://open.substack.com/pub/stevencary/p/aging-punk-laments-the-rise-and-fall?r=l0jlw&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
Hey all, I grew up in the punk scene and it very much informs the world of my novel. It’s about a young punk rock band trying to make it in a dystopian world where every job has been automated (including that of “punk rock band”).
Honored by your subscribe and check out my site if you’re interested in picking up a copy!
stevencarybooks.com
Punk rock, you say? Have I got a book for you! It’s called NextGen, and it’s about a group of kids who start a punk rock band in a collapsed society where all jobs have been automated (including that of “punk rock band”). It’s a deep dive into the types of politics and economics (how will displaced workers be provided for?); art and music (is true artistic expression the last vestige of humanity?), and philosophy and spirituality (what the heck do you mean you “exist”??) that may be awaiting us, maybe just around the corner. It will be available in print and digital very soon, but in the meantime, please read chapter 1 here and throw me a subscribe, and I’m happy to return the favor!
https://stevencary.substack.com/p/nextgen-chapter-1