Research paper - No Future: Punk's Influence on Societal Identity

While the 20th century saw some of humanity’s most magnificent strides in the fields of medicine, politics, and science, the greatest accomplishment of the last hundred years was the cultivation of widespread societal individualism. The schism between collectivist political ideals and individualistic philosophy is most dramatically evident in the century’s longest military dispute, the Cold War. Communist concepts of social interdependency and devotion to community violently clashed with Western attitudes about the value of free markets, resulting in a period of conflict that fostered the greatest paradigm shift in the history of Western culture. This shift began with the counter culture movement of the 1950s and 60s, but the excesses and drug use associated with that movement prevented its principles from becoming widely appreciated (Wolin 2). In response, a minimalist, do-it-yourself (DIY) attitude began to take root amongst youths who felt disenfranchised in the United States, U.K., and Australia (Poynor 1). This attitude grew into a cultural movement that championed personal discovery and free expression over conformist societal mandates. The movement became known as punk, and through its revolutionary impact on music, film, visual art, dance, and fashion; as well as its promotion of activism and individualism on a grand scale, punk established an appreciation of the individual that still resonates in all aspects of social theory and policy today. The most well known facet of punk culture is undoubtedly its music. Starting in the early 1970s, bands like The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, and Television were rejecting mainstream music ideology in favor of a radically aggressive new sound, based on stripped down song structures and lyrics that reflected disillusionment, resentment of authority, alienation, and nihilistic philosophical ideals (Wolf 4). Punk was a direct reaction to 1960s psychedelic music and early 70s progressive rock, which were known for their obscure subject matter, over the top song lengths, and masturbatory instrumental solos. The new ethos asserted that one doesn’t need to be a world class musician to make quality music; punk celebrated effort and sincerity over professionalism and polish, calling for people to do it now rather than wait to be able to do it perfectly (Wolf 4). The lyrics to the Sex Pistols’ “God Save The Queen” perfectly encapsulate the mistrust of authority common in punk music: “God save the queen/The fascist regime, they made you a moron/Potential H-bomb” (Sex Pistols). In this example the song not only disavows the English monarchy, but indicts it as a “fascist regime” that turns people into dangerous morons. Even more than the shift in musical subject matter, the idea that anyone can make valuable music, even without being a well-trained musician, changed the entire landscape of Western popular music. Suddenly one no longer had to have the virtuosity of Jimi Hendrix to play meaningful music, and in many cases punk bands formed before members had ever picked up instruments (Davies 2). This DIY mindset was common amongst all punk art forms, but its proliferation amongst budding musicians was particularly fruitful, giving a voice to many who had been discouraged by the rigidity of the music scene in the early 1970s. The benefits of youth having a musical voice to speak with are evident, and it has been documented that teenagers feel better when given opportunities for creative expression of their emotions alongside peers (McFerran 22). The liberation of music from the technical hands of progressive, psychedelic, and jazz musicians not only empowered the current generation of burgeoning punk rockers, but every musical movement subsequently. Punk film and visual art go hand in hand, carrying over many of the same ideals as punk music. Visual art based upon political and societal issues highlighted human suffering, with the intent to evoke disdain in the audience and spur movement toward reform (Poynor 5). This art took many forms, but one of the most notable new mediums of this movement was stenciled graffiti, which, in keeping with every-man punk ideals, did not hang in a museum, but on street corners and billboards for all of society to languish in. In this way, punk art was able to reach a wider audience than would be available through the traditional routes of visual art, and thus had an impact that is still felt today in the work of radical graffiti artists around the world (Poynor 5). Album covers for punk records presented another artistic outlet, and often highlighted the satirical side of punk art. The Sex Pistols again provide a great example with their God Save the Queen album cover, which displays Queen Elizabeth II against a vibrant Union Jack backdrop, with “GOD SAVE THE QUEEN” covering her eyes and “SEX PISTOLS” over her mouth. This iconic cover is the definitive example of punk art using collage and appropriated images to make a satirical political statement about the nature of power and society’s relationship to its leaders. The best example of punk ideals in film comes from 1979’s Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, which featured prominent New York punk band, The Ramones. The film is a comedy, but is premised around the band’s take over of a small town high school, and the madness that ensues as a result. While somewhat light-hearted, the film exemplifies punk’s lack of respect for authority and destructive tendencies. These ideas are displayed through the complete ineptitude of the school’s principal, and his eventual irrelevance due to the takeover and destruction of the school. This disrespect for authority leveled the social playing field by squashing established notions of who has the right to power, and asserting that taking power away from the individual is crippling for the entire community. Fashion and dance are two of the most lasting aspects of punk culture, and can still be easily traced in society today. The DIY aesthetic led many early punk kids to experiment with materials and hardware to supplement or mend tattered clothes. Safety pins, tape, and fabric patches became standard punk attire, but it was the leather jacket that ultimately became the most iconic staple of punk fashion. Jackets were often ornately designed with hand painted logos, studs, patches, and chains until each jacket was a piece of artistic expression in and of itself; you could learn a lot about someone simply by looking at their jacket. This creation of personal identity in clothing was unprecedented for the time and has resulted in a continuing DIY atmosphere in clothing, which has been capitalized on by numerous purveyors of pre-worn designer jeans. The dancing at punk concerts is well known for its physicality and aggressive moves, and while it may seem hostile to those unfamiliar with it, this vigorous form of physical expression is one of the most unifying devices of punk culture. Collective head banging gave punks a dance move that echoed their minimalist ideals, while allowing multiple people to sync up to the rhythm and feel connected. Mosh pits, where concertgoers slam into one another and generally go wild, were commonplace during the beginnings of the punk, and are ubiquitous at live performances today. These seemingly antagonistic behaviors brought people together in a completely new way; feeling the music and letting it take you over without worry about how others might react was not only ok, but letting the music move you both personally and physically was expected. Activism in punk culture is key because after establishing deep personal beliefs, one has the duty to defend them so that their voice will not be marginalized (Wolf 23). The result of promoting the development of individualized belief systems is a huge diversity of different causes and ideals that are held dear by many groups of people. This is quite powerful because it ensures that there is no one “face” to the movement, making it almost impossible to generalize or stereotype its ideology. Subcultures within the punk movement are well known to support progressive causes in times where opposition is fierce, such as early in the American gay rights movement. The two movements began around the same time, and naturally some punks championed the cause, writing songs, organizing protests, and fighting against the inequity and state mandated conformism that denied homosexual rights (Wolf 319). More recently, the all female punk rock band Pussy Riot organized a concert outside of a cathedral in Moscow, Russia to protest the treatment of homosexuals in Russia and the reelection of president Vladimir Putin. After playing for a few minutes, the band was violently arrested and its members have since been sentenced to two years in Siberian prison camps for their activism (Loiko). This willingness to fight for what you believe in despite potential consequences is the essence of the punk attitude and reflects the personal integrity that comes from strong individualism. The promotion of personal values is powerful in the context of the localized punk movement, but to leave it within that small scope would be missing most of the picture. Ideas about the cultivation of identity within the punk movement have percolated through Western culture, and while finding allusions and influences from punk is not difficult, the real effects can be seen best in the things that look nothing like punk. While it acted as a powerful tool of discovery and rite of passage for those directly involved in it, the punk movement served a much broader purpose of promoting the value self expression and individual ideas on a massive scale. Without this insight into the power of personal identity, Western culture would have missed its most significant rite of passage, and many of the most important social battles of the last fifty years might not have been fought.