Ideology: The Punk Movement and its Political Standing

     Ideology can be defined as a set of beliefs, values and ideas that usually refer to a political social and cultural system. A few examples of Ideology are communism, capitalism, and socialism. These are all different sets of beliefs on how a society should function.     Punk Ideology varies significantly on a wide spectrum, but the ideology I'll be focusing on consists of particular themes such as anti- establishment, individualism, non-conformity, and DIY ethics. The punk subculture is mostly known for its anarchist beliefs, but it's also well known for its political and social activism. The Sex Pistols in the 70's were largely renowned for their anti-establishment and politically based music, further influencing political activism within the punk subculture. This influence continued into the 80's, well into the 90's.    Kathleen Hanna, Bikini Kill Riot Grrrl was an underground feminist punk movement that started in the early 90s. Anti...

The 1970’s was marked by social and political upheaval across the globe. Anti- war movements were prominent in countries around the world, as well as environmentalism, civil rights activism, and economic hardship. This page will explore some of the political movements and events throughout the decades that were important in the punk subculture.

The commodification of any subculture or movement that is threatening or different than the mainstream culture, is almost always inevitable, ultimately dulling their social resistance. They are turned inside out and exploited for a profit as they grow in popularity and become marketable. The defining look of punk DIY fashion has often been incorporated into luxury designer brands. The punk style can now be bought at retail stores like Hot Topic or Dolls Kill, a style that specifically advocated against corporate consumerism and for individualism and the ability to make your own clothing. The music industry has exploited the movement for profit, furthermore helping to commercialize punk and strip it of its root values. Essentially everything that the punk ideology was (DIY, individualism, anti-capitalism, anti-establishment and non-conformity), has now been reduced down to nothing but a product of popular consumption.  But is this entirely true? There's an argument that the domest...

Negative Approach, 1982 Throughout time, punk has evolved into a mass movement ultimately becoming mainstream. A big part of the punk ideology is that it's against mainstream culture, and some have argued that by becoming a commercialized success, punk has lost its purpose. Would you say you agree with this argument, why or why not? Green Day, 2009 In what ways do the core values of punk culture influence political activism?

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