Blaine+F+-+POSITION+PAPER

During the 80s and into the 90s, a realization took place in the suburbs. Teenagers and those in their early 20s began to question social and governmental rules. They didn't agree or understand why they had to conform to these guide lines, and they began to refuse. The fuel that kept this revolution against conformity running was the punk lifestyle. With the word punk comes an idea that, "To most of the public and mainstream listeners, punks were perceived to be violent and even dangerous individuals with little regard for morals or the law" (Smith). Punks little regard for social etiquette offended many, and their objection to authority scared others. However, when understood at a deeper level, rather than peered at from the outside, punk shifts into a philosophy containing ideas that stray from social norms. They aren't necessarily bad, but they are radical. Unfortunately, what drew more attention than their beliefs was. "...the outrageous use of clothing, hair, jewelry, makeup, and body modifications to challenge mainstream conventions and to shock observers" (DeMello). Although this exterior appearance was a notable aspect of the punk culture, it was not the driving force behind it. The struggle between conformist society and punk subculture raised the question, when is conforming logical and when should we embrace our individuality?

Punk is a subculture that revolves around bold music, jaw dropping clothing, and radical beliefs. Some of the main beliefs include rejection of mainstream conformity that suppresses individuals ability to freely think. There is also a great deal of importance put on equality between sexes, which many punk bands brought attention to with their shocking lyrics. Punks thought that by shocking society with their complete disregard for normality, they could cause a change across the world in how people thought of each other and themselves, as well as what they viewed as important. Although the effects of this revolution were seen around the world, mainstream culture did not view them in a positive light. The anger expressed in punk music along with the intimidating look led others to believe they were violent and caused chaos. This led to any form of breaking away from what was seen as normal associated with acts of violence and defiance. Unfortunately, teens who had this impression used punk as a tool of rebellion against parents, reenforcing the belief that punk was "bad".

This revolution mainly effected teens, seeing as they were at an age where they realized how they wanted to live, yet they were still under the authority of their parents. Young women, ranging from their teens into their late 20s used punk as a way to stand up for themselves. Many girls were subjected to cruel and demeaning treatment by men, and they could relate to the longing lyrics of freedom that punk often offered.With lyrics that stated, "Us girls, We don't need you" (Don't Need You), made many realize how disrespected they were. Underground girl punk bands became popular outlets for women to find their voice.

Gender equality was promoted through out the punk culture,with bands like Bikini Kill. Similar to other bands, "Punk lyrics introduced a prevocational openness of social and political expression that had not been heard in music for decades" (Dagnino). This shock to the mainstream culture made some uncomfortable and upset, but to others it screamed the very thought and feelings they had been suppressing for far too long.

The music industry is notorious for harvesting ground breaking ideologies before the rest of society accepts these new ways. Punk is product of many prior revolutions that evolved over time. There are different beliefs as to how punk came to be, one being, "

Historians of punk, though they are very few, have hitherto suggested that punk as an identifiable form of rock and roll - with a distinct set of ideas - started or came to fruition in Britain" (White). As earlier decades had rallied around the energy and rebellion that rock and roll brought them, not to mention the fear it brought older adults, punk replicated for the youth of the 80s and 90s. Although the direct birth of punk was through rock, musical revolution is an age old happening. For example, in the 1920s there was a revolutionary new kind of music- jazz. Much like the punk revolution, this music was bold and shocking to the people of the time. Initially,"Whites were shocked by its raw emotion and sexuality, and blacks considered it "devil's music" and criticized it for casting a negative light on the black community" (Ogren). New music that crosses previously established boundaries always faces opposition from skeptics, leading to conflict such as the resentment created towards punk.   n society, the only way we may move forward is if there are individuals willing to pave the path. Those are the free thinkers who resist conformity, for conformity only creates a chain of the blind leading the blind. Punk is a great example of those rare few who will put their ideals out there for all to see and draw attention to important issues. Revolutions like this open society's eyes and allow solutions to be discovered, thus expanding the development of society and creating a better place to live.

To accomplish the task of creating more accepting people, we will target what effects people most in their daily lives- media and government. As opposed to how media currently pressures conformity with band wagon tactics and slanted view points, it could be used to create a positive feel towards individualists. Movies, shows, and ads could demonstrate why it's dignified to be different.The government comes into play when they design school curriculum's. They could make a major goal of public schools to teach children at an early age about acceptance and expose them to different cultures. This same idea could be implemented in community settings by celebrating how others live and learning about different beliefs of the people you're surrounded by everyday. With these continual daily reminders, people would begin to exemplify their beliefs and unique traits.

These tactics will reduce the tension between those living on the outskirts of society and those blending in by allowing them to understand each other. Most anger begins as confusion and fear of the unknown, but with out the negative connotation put on abnormal cultures, it will be easy to become familiar with them. People can see that there are no "bad" or "wrong" ways of living; they all have aspects that can be appreciated and learned.

The beneficiaries of this solution span from families and generations, to everyone in between. Now that labels such as the "rebellious teen" and the "outcast" will be obliterated, there will be less family troubles. Parents won't fear that their child is living in a bad way; they will take the time to understand what the advantages are of their child's chosen lifestyle. Similarly, older generations and younger generations won't butt heads as much seeing as they will be willing to learn from each other. Overall, this will benefit everyone. By creating an environment where people can demonstrate their beliefs freely, we will discover the best way to function as a society and progress far beyond what we believe is possible at the moment.

Punk falls under scrutiny due to its bold music, look, and beliefs. Those unfamiliar to this culture get the impression that punk is a damnation, leading to negative effects on society. Police have been part of this group with a belief that, "...punk rockers urge their audience to tear down and destroy everything of authority..." (Fleiner). This sort of outlook has rubbed off onto those unfamiliar with punk, creating a domino effect of negative opinions towards punk. There is often an association between punk and violence, stemming from the angry music, intimidating appearance, and radicals who have, at times, turned to violence.

Accusations of punks being violent and wanting nothing but chaos have resulted from misconceptions that get blown out of proportion. The belief that punk is violent comes from several different aspects of punk that aren't full understood. A main issue is that, "...Punk is often misrepresented because it’s use of offensive imagery for satire or shock value" (Smith). Older generations tend to take punk too literally when the real goal of the look and sound of punk is to grab your attention by any means, then discover what their true beliefs are. Another reason punk has been pinned to violence are the few radicals who //are//violent and create a bad reputation for punk as a whole. However, this is no different than radicals in other groups, there's always those few people who stir fear and paranoia in onlookers. For example, the witch trials in Salem, at the time, seemed reasonable. Not long afterwards it was admitted that,"...the trials were a mistake and compensated the families of those convicted. Since then, the story of the trials has become synonymous with paranoia and injustice, and it continues to beguile the popular imagination more than 300 years later" (Blumberg). People can easily become blinded with fear and paranoia when dealing with an unknown lifestyle. In the future, punk will be seen as harmless and the reputation it has right now will be dismissed a built up myth.

The punk lifestyle has strong ties to drugs, causing parents to fear their child having any associations with punk. These fears stem out of the famous punks, like David Bowie and Sid Vicious who were well known for their drug use as well as the idols of punks. Parents didn't want these out of control vulgar lifestyles to make an impression on their children. This also became a source to blame if a child did become involved with drugs. Older generations wanted to keep kids away from these kind of dangerous influences and make sure they stayed on track.

There's no denying, drugs are prevalent in the punk culture and the super stars of punk, many who died from overdoses, only emphasized this. What's forgotten is that drugs are not exclusively found in the punk culture, it's a problem in a variety of lifestyles. Kids are more susceptible to these influences because, "Young people may take drugs as they struggle to establish their independence in a society where alcohol and other drugs are associated with being an adult"(Drug Info). Youth is motivated by several different factors to use drugs, it has been a problem long before punk was around and punk should not be blamed for it.

Another fear caused by punk is unsafe sex. There is a belief among parents and other concerned individuals that STDs are spread rapidly due to this careless culture. Parents obviously don't want their kids near such dangerous, life threatening diseases, thus they demonize punk. If their kids do end up contracting an STD or they become involved with the punk culture, their fear morphs into anger and hate towards punks. On a larger scale, punk's association with STDs creates a scapegoat for the rest of society to turn to since STDs have become such an epidemic. Punk is seen as the root of the problem, and if it's eliminated, people's fears can subside.

Punk culture, like many, doesn't object to casual sex. This is due to their over all view of letting people live how they please with out imposing judgement on them. Unfortunately, in this case, there can be negative consequences. However, it shouldn't be punks getting blamed for this. Punks, like many others who contract STDs, need to be more informed so they know how to be safe sexually. They are not the root of the problem, for it's spread vastly from older generations, to punks, to celebrities, and everyone in between. This is a tough problem to solve, and instead of pointing fingers and condemning others, we should work towards a solution.

The punk movement has changed history and how society has evolved, it has opened a new door for those who don't agree with mainstream society. It has also opened a larger door for all alternative lifestyles. We must carry on this acceptance in order to have a diverse, ever changing and improving society. If we are forced to live our lives in pre-established boundaries, new ideas will never be recognized and our society will not be as happy and peaceful as it possibly can be. Let's look past the assumptions made of punk, such as being violent or promoting drugs. These are not credible and they have simply been said out of fear of how different punk is. Our world has many problems, let's not create more for ourselves by trying to control how others live. As Martin Luther King Jr. said,"We must learn to live together as brothers, or we are going to perish together as fools".

Annotated Bibliography

 Blumberg, Jess. "A Brief History Of the Salem Witch Trials." Smithsonian.com.Smithsonian, 24 Oct. 2007. Web. 3 May 2012.<[]>.

DeMello, Margo. "Punk: Body Adornment." // Daily Life through History // .ABC-CLIO,2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2012.

DeMello has her Ph.D in cultural anthropology from U.C Davis. She lectures in sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies. Along with this, she has written several books related to abnormal cultures and many on animal rights advocacy. Her education along with her active contribution to teaching and writing on the subject of cultures makes her a great source.

Fleiner, Carey. "Rebellion or Transformation: Dave Davie's Spiritual Journey from the 1960s to the Present: A Contextual Analysis." // Popular Music and Society. // 01 May. 2006: // eLibrary. // Web. 23 Apr. 2012.

Fleiner graduation from the University of Virginia, and she also received a postdoctoral certification in museum studies at the University of Delaware. She now teaches Latin at the University of Delaware.

Michelle Dagnino. "Punk and Grunge Culture." // Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas //. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.

Michelle Dagnino is well known for her work with the youth to promote social change. She achieves this through public speaking, workshops, advocacy, and outreach. She works internationally with groups like World Urban Forum, the Global Partnership International Forum, the Internation Association for Public Participation, the UN General Assembly Special Session on the Child, and the UNESCO Youth Forum. She has received several awards and international recognition for her work.

Ogren, Kathy.The Jazz Revolution Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <[|http://www.oup.com]>. Kathy Ogren is a Professor of History at the University of Redlands. She specializes in jazz and American culture, African American, women and the family, and the North American West. Her expertise has granted her several awards, including the Deems Tayler Award for this very book, // The Jazz Revolution //. In the same year she also won the Outstanding Research Award, strengthening the credibility of this book.

Smith, Chloe. "Confused? It's Punk!" //Communication Breakdown//. N.p., 26 Sept. 2011. Web. 2 May 2012. <[] punk-music-subculture-misconceptions/>.

Chloe Smith speaks from a punks perspective, giving a good idea of punk values and beliefs. Having a punk describe their beliefs and what they stand for is the most direct and credible source, rather than others who may or may not be putting words in their mouth. Though she doesn't have impressive credentials, her first hand experiences with punk prove enriching for my paper.

Smith, Kerry L. "Riot Grrrl Movement." // Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas //. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2012.