Punk's Not Dead

[2kull]

On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk’s Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, and yes, shopping malls and stadium shows where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive.

Meanwhile, “punk” has become a marketing concept to sell everything from cars to vodka, and dyed hair and piercings mark a rite of passage for thousands of kids.

Can the true, nonconformist punk spirit still exist in today’s corporatized culture?



http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8604735876295892891&ei=hn9uSbrIBIbCwgPrmLC6BQ&q=Punk%E2%80%99s+Not+Dead

[dk]

Are you asking, "Are there any nonconformists left in the entire world?" Because there's a lot of people on this rock (Earth, not Okinawa).

[Asshat]

Can the true, nonconformist punk spirit still exist in today’s corporatized culture?

LMAO! We have the rap culture, so anything is possible.

[2kull]

True nonconformism is not reacting to the mainstream, but ignoring it. It is a person doing what they wish regardless of what the rest of society thinks of it. A man in a business suit and another wearing a shirt knitted from Goodwill rejects are both equally nonconformist, if they wear those things because they want to rather than because of social acceptance (or in the case of the latter, shock value). A true nonconformist can unabashedly listen to Mariah Carey one moment and Rage Against The Machine the next, and the Brandenburg Concertos after that, for no other reason than that they like all three. A true nonconformist does a thing (or believes a thing), not because it is mainstream, nor because it is not, but because that is simply what he wants to do (or simply what seems correct to him).

[dk]

Well, I know at least one true non-conformist then. Played in a teenage punk band one year and a country band the next. To this day, I could give two shiz what MOST people think about me. I say most because I do take seriously those I respect, and if they've got qualms with me, then it'd be stupid to not self-analyze.

Anyway, there's no such thing as true non-conformism I doubt. Or if there are, then it's probably in the Christian punk scene that stresses no sex outside of marriage, no drugs, no alcohol, no judgementalism, no legalism, etc. Somehow, I can imagine people in pretty much any music scene bragging to their friends about the chick they banged. Is that for acceptance? Why do most people of a given genre of music look the same? That's conformity. It's all a front, and it's all overrated. Just live, play music, listen to music, do whatever you want to do, and don't put a label on it. Originality is so much more important than non-conformity.

[2kull]

Nonconformists, in English history, those who declined to conform their worship to that by law established. They were of two kinds: First, those who, being religious, worshiped nowhere; second, those who attended the services of some other religious denomination than the Established Church. It was more frequently used of the latter class. The name was first applied to those who declined to conform to the enactment of the Act of Uniformity of Edward VI., passed in 1549. It was revived and applied to the 2,000 clergymen, who had to surrender their livings on account of their inability to conform to the more celebrated Act of Uniformity of Charles II., first enforced on Aug. 24, 1662. Etymologically viewed, a Dissenter and Nonconformist somewhat differ. The former word denotes that he feels differently from Churchmen, that his sympathies go in a different direction; the latter word refers, not to his feelings, but to his action with respect to public worship. The laws formerly existing required him to conform to that of the Established Church by attending the services and partaking of the Communion. The two words, dissenter and non-conformist, as generally referring to the same individual, became interchangeable.

[retributionnk]

No real non-conformist would ever be so poser-ish as to label himself a non-conformist! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

So by punk, did you mean non-conformist? Punk, as I see it, is used to label a genre of music whose lyrics indicate views against the mainstream in the areas of politics and/or religion. If that's what you meant, then punk is still very much alive. Heck, many of the bands that were making that type of music back in the 70s and 80s still make it today (Bad Religion and NoFx have both made the Billboard charts, and without changing their message one bit).

As far as non-conformity in general goes, it doesn't exist. At least not in the way you're putting it. For someone to go unaffected by mainstream media, they'd have to be blind, deaf, and dumb. A little experiment: Try to live a day of your life completely unaffected by all forms of mainstream persuasion, to include, but not limited to: news media in all forms, advertising in all forms, military propaganda and sloganeering, peer pressure, etc. Even if all you do is take notice of these things, and are insulted by how blatantly ridiculous they are, you are conforming to the mindset that many other people have to those same things. The only way you can truly not conform is to not exist. That not withstanding, the best way to not conform is merely to be yourself. Don't change your views based on anything except your own inquiry, and don't think you're better than everyone else because of your methods. Just live your life and be happy. IMHO, happy is the punkest shit ever.

[Fairlady]

Funny thing is most people who are "non conformist" are in turn being hypocritical because as was mentioned earlier they are following the pattern labeling themselves as " non conformist". Rather a true PUNK ROCKER is not really any more of a non conformist as a "prep" or "gangsta" or w/e else you can come up with. They are just following the trends of the "group" that is the easiest for them to follow in the footsteps of. A person that truly does not conform to society would be someone who not only wears what they like because they like it but also could fit into any of the unescapable groups that society has formed simply because they want to. Wearing ripped jeans, chucks and a t-shirt one day followed by a button up shirt high heels (if you are a girl) and a dainty purse the next SIMPLY because it is something that you as a person want.

PS: Not following a trend because everyone else is going it is STILL "trendy"

[Fairlady]

Funny thing is most people who are "non conformist" are in turn being hypocritical because as was mentioned earlier they are following the pattern labeling themselves as " non conformist". Rather a true PUNK ROCKER is not really any more of a non conformist as a "prep" or "gangsta" or w/e else you can come up with. They are just following the trends of the "group" that is the easiest for them to follow in the footsteps of. A person that truly does not conform to society would be someone who not only wears what they like because they like it but also could fit into any of the unescapable groups that society has formed simply because they want to. Wearing ripped jeans, chucks and a t-shirt one day followed by a button up shirt high heels (if you are a girl) and a dainty purse the next SIMPLY because it is something that you as a person want.

PS: Not following a trend because everyone else is going it is STILL "trendy"

[2kull]

The issue has surfaced in you nonconformists are all alike etc, but it's worth noting that conformist is a relative term; that is you can conform to a particular trend or you can be a nonconformist relative to said trend. Thus, while a person who lives under a bridge, is twelve feet tall, smells funny, and is known for killing yuppies and feasting on their flesh may be a conformist to someone inclined to say"oh, look! An ogre!", such a person would be considered a non-conformist by the rest of consumer culture.

[Tanimaga]

hmmmm..

i think the phrase to each his own pretty much sums this whole conformist/non-conformist thing up...

seriously though.. does it matter..?

Exactly. There's nothing new under the sun.

[Asshat]

Exactly. There's nothing new under the sun.

Yes there is, you just don't know about it. That is what makes it unique and non-conforming. If you know about it, it's already compromised. :)

[dk]

*sings* Just live your life.

[retributionnk]

I just got a phone call from Chuck Norris. Punk is dead, and it was he who killed it. Apparently, punk was guilty of writing a bad review of Walker, Texas Ranger. The movement that might seem like the empty shell of punk is just rigor mortis.

[Fire4Effect]

There is only one true non-conformist. Anyone who agrees with, or takes up the cause has just.... conformed

[Fire4Effect]

On the issue of Punk. About 4 years ago There was A Green Day song playing on my radio. One of my younger Marines made the comment, " Oh! Green Day. Now that is some old school punk." I almost fell out of my chair laughing. He condidered himself a punk rocker, yet he had never heard of The Ramones, Black Flag, Social Distortion, The Sex Pistols, The Plasmatics or any of them. I let him borrow a bunch of my cd's to see what old school punk really was and that Green Day was actually more of a third generation punk band. And I felt sooo old. The last time I tried to pogo I swear I must have slipped a disk. People must have thought I was having a siezure or something.

[dk]

On the issue of Punk. About 4 years ago There was A Green Day song playing on my radio. One of my younger Marines made the comment, " Oh! Green Day. Now that is some old school punk." I almost fell out of my chair laughing. He condidered himself a punk rocker, yet he had never heard of The Ramones, Black Flag, Social Distortion, The Sex Pistols, The Plasmatics or any of them. I let him borrow a bunch of my cd's to see what old school punk really was and that Green Day was actually more of a third generation punk band. And I felt sooo old. The last time I tried to pogo I swear I must have slipped a disk. People must have thought I was having a siezure or something.
Who cares? I'm sure you have a predecessor that feels the same way about you.

[Sex Wax]

Punk is dead. I killed it when I got rid of my mohawk, and grew my hair long.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o169/AshMiller1972/deadpunk.jpg

[-Rudel-]

Is this nonconformist enough? Me and my wife keep it alive! :D

http://a624.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/96/l_7dd6fbff8386360aaa596200da25fc77.jpg

http://a370.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/110/l_204bfd21615d1748ae5be798ce7fdfb9.jpg

Excuse my horrible playing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLToamaB9zo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciH90RyGmDQ

And then I go and do this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDlDoHW-Ii0&

:thumbup:

[dk]

Cool T-shirt! (Bottom pic) :D

[-Rudel-]

Thank you!