So you call yourself a punk, eh?
I've gotten into this discussion far too many times than is probably healthy (I should train myself to just walk away when I see the words "punk" and "dead" in the same sentence together, as it is never a good sign), but I am genuinely interested in the opinions of people here.
It has become accepted by kids my age that the only way to be punk is to never, ever say call yourself punk, and to vehemently deny that you are if someone else does. Saying that you're punk is automatic evidence that you're a poseur.
I, personally, think this philosophy is bull. If you love punk music, go to punk shows, enjoy the punk "lifestyle", what's wrong with calling yourself a punk? Why avoid saying that you're punk, if that's what you're into? Because you're afraid other people will call you the (other) p-word?
People also run around saying that punk is dead, without any real reason. Sure, people have capitalized on the whole rebellious appeal of it, and there are always your Avril Lavignes and your Ashlee Simpsons, but there's still a thriving scene and, in my opinion, the punk spirit is something that will never completely disappear.
Opinions?
It has become accepted by kids my age that the only way to be punk is to never, ever say call yourself punk, and to vehemently deny that you are if someone else does. Saying that you're punk is automatic evidence that you're a poseur.
I, personally, think this philosophy is bull. If you love punk music, go to punk shows, enjoy the punk "lifestyle", what's wrong with calling yourself a punk? Why avoid saying that you're punk, if that's what you're into? Because you're afraid other people will call you the (other) p-word?
People also run around saying that punk is dead, without any real reason. Sure, people have capitalized on the whole rebellious appeal of it, and there are always your Avril Lavignes and your Ashlee Simpsons, but there's still a thriving scene and, in my opinion, the punk spirit is something that will never completely disappear.
Opinions?
Views: 270
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kobalos on
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It's labels - people love to focus on labels and what they mean to them, we all do, I suppose.
Take a label, then others often think you must fufill every idea/whim they think is true of it. It's hard not to, in fact. But I'm sure unless the label is very simple (unlike 'Punk') then if you spend enough time you'll find some aspect you don't match and then you'll be claimed to not be it.
On the reverse, say you aren't a label - when someone thinks you are. You're just fighting against their preconceptions and most folk won't change those. Label's are useful shorthand - but they're only an introduction not a catch-all, IMHO.
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Permalink Reply by Ezekielpoop on
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it's not a label, it's a fucking sub-culture. it's just the same as saying you're a Christian.
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Permalink Reply by Khaos on
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At the same time, it is a label.
Everything is part of a culture. How can you have a (sub)culture without having some sort of a label for it? Labels don't automatically make something bad. That's how we (as humans) look at things. We have little boxes where we put things (mentally), labels, judgements we make everyday, about our surroundings and the people we encounter. It's a part of how we understand and interpret things. Humans are labelers. To a degree it is a survival thing. If you weren't able to look at something and be like "Oh, that's a threat to my well being" ... you'd become part of natural selection.
It's the connotation that we give the labels that give things a bad or good reputation.
Pez's question was if you live the lifestyle, why not call yourself punk? Where is the harm in that? So many kids in the scene are afraid of having their punk points taken away and being called posers.
If your heart and soul is in punk, then you should be able to call yourself a punk. Fuck what everyone else thinks.
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i wasn't talking about Pez's post, but to what Kobalos said
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I know, that's how the reply functions work.
But his post does link back to the OP, and it doesn't hurt to bring it full circle.
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Permalink Reply by Eric on
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..as long as you do what you do because you want to without outsiders affecting your decisions, you can call yourself whatever you want. Be authentic! Just make sure you believe in what you do and not hide from yourself when the time comes.
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Permalink Reply by Torchure on
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I totally agree, i mean i dont necessarily call myself a punk, because im more of a metal head who looks like a punk...but i dont really care what people call me. i mean i listen to shitloads of punk, but metal is my one true love, so i really dont have a label for myself, and most people cant label me either...although the typical bypasser may call me a punk
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Permalink Reply by Devin Deathstreak on
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totally agree...i dont call myself a punk...i dont call myself hardcore...or scene...or emo...or anything...everyone asks me so what are you? and im like well im a girl...obviously...my names devin...and im british, irish, and american...they say no like whats your label? and i say...ME! haha...
but seriously i very much so dislike labels and stereotypes and all that shit...
i dont think punk is dead....like Amanda said...just look at this site
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Permalink Reply by Baccy on
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i call myself a punk becuase it doesnt matter what anyone else thinks
thats a part of punk isnt it? not caring what others think
and if you lined up a group of people who called themselves punks for whatever reason
im not going to say 'your punk, and your not' because thats not my say.
ive never quite grasped what a poseur is. but from what ive gathered its someone who looks the part and doesnt understand it..is that correct?
i love my music, gigs, DIY and the whole thing of it. to be completly honest im proud to call myself a punk because before i was nothing. noone and noone noticed me. i like walking down the street and people staring and whispering about me. not necessarily if its bad(which most of it is) but its their opinion and i respect that.
the whole punk is dead thing is bollocks
its not dead. nowhere near dead. its just not as seen as it was back then.
in my eyes punk will only be dead if all the music is never ever heard again. if the DIY aspects left, and if people all followed each others ideas and were all the same.
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Permalink Reply by Ace on
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I don't remember where I heard it,probably on here, but Punk's not dead because it's back in the underground where it belongs
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Permalink Reply by k.p on
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"so are you a punk?"
"Yeah," generally followed by discussing both our definitions of punk. Simply put, I think punk is just living by your own code, a celebration of freedom. I'm a firm believer that if you don't exercise your freedom it might atrophy and won't be there the next time you want it. If it comes down to it, you go down fighting like a rabid kangaroo.
If they're using a tone I don't like, I'll tell them to check my tag and find out, then grab my dick. ha
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