A cultural identity represents a crucial component of one’s personality, defining one’s life and choices. Though subcultures are typically seen as the elements of culture that have a lesser meaning than full-fledged cultures, the role that subculture play in the shaping of one’s identity is still undeniably large. Due to constant exposure to culturally diverse media and propensity to engage in multicultural dialogue, I have been shaped by a range of subcultures, including the Generation Z one, the indie one, and the LGBTQ subculture. Though I have only been participating in the latter as an ally, I have been an active contributor to the former two, therefore, having reciprocal relationships with the specified subcultures.
Admittedly, some of the subcultures in question are far form being new; specifically, the indie subculture has been quite prominent under different names for decades. Similarly, the LGBTQ subculture has a massive history of fighting for social justice for and acceptance of LGBT people (Siverskog & Bromseth, 2019). However, I still feel that the subcultures in question have become an important part of my being and identity, shaping my values and tastes, as well as determining my perspective on the world, people around me, and relationships with community members. Ranking the subcultures in question in accordance to their significance for me, I would place the Generation Z as the most influential one, with the indie culture landing on the second spot, and the LGBTQ one taking the third place.
Remarkably, each of the subcultures listed above has a set of artifacts strongly linked to its very essence. Personally, I have a rather strong spiritual and emotional connection to some of these artifacts. For instance, I relate extensively to the concept of ethical consumption and the promotion of cost-efficiency, which has become one of the staples of the new indie culture (Cochoy et al., 2021). In turn, my attachment to the core components of the Gen Z culture can be illustrated by an artifact as basic as a smart phone. Symbolizing the immediate connection via social networks and, therefore, constant multicultural communication, the specified artifact captures the spirit and the essence of my identity as a Gen Z member. Finally, when considering the artifacts associated with the LGBTQ subculture, I must point to the symbol as simple as the famous rainbow flag. Though the specified choice might seem unimaginative, the rainbow flag has a crucial cultural and personal meaning for me, representing the concepts of inclusivity, compassion, and friendship.
Furthermore, the artifacts in question reflect their respective cultures quite accurately and thoroughly. Fr instance, the rainbow flag encapsulates the very essence of inclusivity, with the rainbow incor5poratign literally every color into its palette. As for the smartphone, it is linked to the Gen Z culture as a crucial tool for continuous communication, which members of the specified culture prioritize (Dupont, 2021). Finally, the notion of ethical consumption represents a crucial part of modern indie culture, which has been affected significantly by the trends associated with environmentalism (Cochoy et al., 2021). Thus, each of the objects or concepts in question is tied directly and quite straightforwardly to the respective culture that it represents.
While in the LGBTQ subculture, I have only played the role of an ally, I have been an active participant and representative of the Generation Z culture and the one of the indie philosophy. As a result, while having been shaped to a significant extent by the trends prevalent in the two subcultures in question, I have also made a certain impact on their development and the course that they take. The observed relationships prove that subcultures as niche environments contribute to the development and evolution of the zeitgeist, as well as the enhancement of connections within a community.
References
Cochoy, F., Licoppe, C., McIntyre, M. P., & Sörum, N. (2020). Digitalizing consumer society: equipment and devices of digital consumption. Journal of Cultural Economy, 13(1), 1-11. Web.
Dupont, T. (2020). Authentic subcultural identities and social media: American skateboarders and Instagram. Deviant behavior, 41(5), 649-664. Web.
Siverskog, A., & Bromseth, J. (2019). Subcultural spaces: LGBTQ aging in a Swedish context. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 88(4), 325-340. Web.