Introduction
The punk subculture represents a broad spectrum of sociopolitical and artistic ideologies and forms of expression stretching back to at least the 1950s. Primarily, it has represented itself as a youth culture, with the primary means of expression through style, popular music, and the media. It is notable that punk emerged in a specific socio-economic context soon after the end of World War II. During the post-war period, youth culture developed together with economic growth, while punk flourished during the economic downturn. As a result of that, punk may be perceived less as an aspiration culture and more as a culture of revolt. In the documentary produced by Amplified (2021), “History of Punk: Sound of Rebellion,” the punk subculture is explored from different angles, with the musical aspect given the most attention. In the context of punk, music served as the prominent form of expression and the driving force for the rebellious youth.
The Punk Subculture in the Documentary “History of Punk: Sound of Rebellion”
The documentary traces the development of punk through the history of popular culture. One of the speakers, Legs McNeil from Punk Magazine, states that the core message of the subculture can be traced back to Marlon Brando in the movie The Wild One, which established a defining quote: “Hey, Johnny, what are your rebelling against? – Whaddya got?” (Amplified, 2021). The rebellious part of punk is very important because the youth saw the people around them getting too complacent. The Vietnam War was among the defining sociopolitical events that shaped the rebellious movements of the youth, even though they were called hippies during that time. Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols, the defining band for the punk subculture, stated that hippies were just like punks because they were not afraid to challenge the status quo and tell society that they were against war (Amplified, 2021). Therefore, the traits of punk can be found in the movements and music genres of every decade because the talented and the opinionated pop culture role models have always stood out from the crowd.
In terms of punk’s broader social context, it explicitly challenges the prevailing social and cultural norms. While the extent to which punks engaged with the critical approach to society varied, the subculture’s impact on social commentary can be traced in its music, fashion, visual arts, and social spaces such as clubs. For example, the documentary discusses the impact of Iggy Pop & The Stooges and The Doors as bands that were not afraid to appear different in terms of stage presence, sound different in terms of instrumentalization, and write provocative songs (Amplified, 2021). The main purpose of punk artistic expression is to shock, which facilitates some space for social and political commentary, offering an alternative lifestyle beyond the mainstream.
The punks set boundaries between insiders and outsiders by positioning themselves as anti-capitalist leftists who went against the right-wing, authoritarian, and Christian ideologies. Therefore, it was pretty clear that individuals who did not share mentioned values could not become members of the subculture. The boundaries could be considered quite rigid because the definition of their position is clear, and there is not much room for interpretation, even though within the punk subculture, freedom of expression was welcomed. As new waves of popular youth culture emerged, such as goth and rock, the punk subculture took some of its traits and transformed over time. Of great importance for the punk subculture was the ability of its members to juxtapose themselves with mainstream culture. Bands such as Nirvana got well-accepted by the punks even though they emerged in the 90s because the philosophy of their music was rooted in rebellion.
The emergence and development of punk subculture show that culture is constructed within a specific context that influences the worldview and the set of values that define it. For example, in Great Britain, the punk subculture was the direct response to the growth and flourishing of the upper-middle-class liberalism of the 1960s, while the working class was pushed further to the line of poverty. The punk movement grew out of the dark social environment, ready to stand against the status quo and show contempt for society, the British government, and the traditions that have been embedded into society. Punks, therefore, were in opposition with society and attempted to create a more open environment that did not have a class divide but rather united people on the basis of their common values.
Conclusion
To conclude, subculture development goes along with the cultural trends and boundaries imposed on society. The greater and the more rigid the challenges, the more likely a subculture, such as those as punks, will oppose them and call for rebellion. This means that the changes to social and political structures are likely to be reflected in subcultures. Overall, in “History of Punk: Sound of Rebellion,” one can see the key messages of the punk subculture and understand how they have been transferred through music, which is also a mirror of human culture.
Reference
Amplified. (2021). History of punk: Sound of rebellion. Full documentary [Video]. YouTube. Web.