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'A subculture is a minority group that stands apart from the prevailing mainstream culture.' The term subculture can be traced as far back as the 1800s. Then, they were referred to as 'deviant groups' or 'urban underclasses'. Nowadays, the term subculture largely refers to post-1945 youth groups. Note the prefix 'sub', as in subordinate or subterranean, to signify a lower position - subcultures are groups that have split from or rebelled against a pre-existing parent culture. MAINSTREAM CULTURE'Mainstream culture is the organisation of society into hierarchical structures, shaped by prominent ideology and social views.' Mainstream culture itself, as mentioned, can also be referred to as 'parent', 'official' or 'dominant' culture. It is the cultural normalising and promotion of popular and socially-acceptable texts ("cultural norms"), and can therefore only function via broad consensus. Though mostly widespread in media, mainstream culture is essentially everywhere - institutions and workplaces, consumer culture, economics and bureaucracy, even authorities and the government. It is easily accessible, and easily spread (one could argue subculture must be 'sought out', whereas the mainstream is readily visible and available). It is from the mainstream that subculture splits, forging its own path as a stream of minority. That being said, the lifespan of said stream is not guaranteed; subculture tends to follow a cyclical pattern. THE SUBCULTURE CYCLE'A subculture signals a breakdown of consensus.' - Dick Hebdige, 'Subculture: The Meaning of Style', 1979 Thinking of culture as a matter of consensus, subculture can be seen as a rebellion against mainstream ideas. Followers may disagree or refuse to go along with them, instead choosing to subvert, disrupt or parody. This 'rebel group' splitting from its parent culture is the birth of a subculture. BIRTH OF SUBCULTURE (split from mainstream) GROWTH & SIGNIFICANCE (self-promotion by the creators) POPULARITY (gaining traction with a certain audience) ATTRACTION OF EXTERNAL AUDIENCES (gaining attention of society) VILIFICATION / ABSORPTION (reassertion by mainstream; critical reframing, media distortion, caricaturing, condemnation) DEATH (loss of traction/decline) RE-EMERGENCE (re-adoption/revamping at a later date) CASE STUDY 1: 'THE BEATS'In 1950s America, The Beats were a literary subculture; a group of writers who could be considered as subcultural 'elite' (mostly young, white males from moneyed, middle class backgrounds). The subculture's name, as in 'beaten', signifies its estrangement from the mainstream. They were iconoclastic; challenging the dominant cultural values of the 1950s (which they referred to as "square values") including deferred gratification, planned future, the '9-5 job' and 'family unit' ideals, fatalism, materialism and consumerism.
Below are some of The Beats' main themes and values:
Eventually, vilification of the subculture (eg. the 'Beatnik' caricature - Lipton, 1959), led to mockery of The Beats. They were reframed by the mainstream as dangerous and morally suspect. Despite this, they were later to re-emerge in hipster culture. CASE STUDY 2: PUNK SUBCULTURE'No subculture has sought with more grim determination to detach itself from the taken-for-granted landscapes of normalised forms.' - Dick Hebdige, 'Subculture: The Meaning of Style', 1979 Although the music genre rooted shortly before in 1960s America, the punk subculture of the 1970s was largely established in Britain. Nowadays some of us may only associate the term 'punk' with the music genre or the subculture itself, but official definitions include: - "a worthless person" - "a criminal or troublemaker" - "a prostitute" - "a homosexual" - "an inexperienced young person" - "in poor condition". It is interesting to keep these definitions in mind when thinking of the relationship between punk and mainstream. As another non-conforming, countercultural group against elitism and establishment, it is most certain they were met with disapproving eyes in the parent culture. PUNK VALUES & ATTRIBUTES Some of the main ideologies of punk subculture include:
The subculture voiced its views through a distinctive DIY ethic and the development of a visual lexicon.
The punk movement used detournement; a technique adapted by the situationist SI, it sought to subvert and 'ape' mainstream culture via alteration and appropriation. As noted by Hebdige, following the rise and peak of a subculture, there comes a point when it begins to be absorbed into the mainstream. The subcultural elite loses the upper hand as it becomes common mainstream knowledge - it is either popularised and commercialised, co-opted and copied, vilified and parodied... Until possible re-emergence at a later date, the subculture is re-asserted by the mainstream. BLOG TASK: CHOSEN CASE STUDY - THE 'BEAR' SUBCULTURE the official flag of the International Bear Brotherhood The International Bear Brotherhood is a subculture within LGBTQ+, characterised mainly by its community; gay men of a typically larger, hairier stature. The subculture emerged in the mid 1980s, when many homosexual men felt invalidated by the effeminate stereotype both in and outwith their community. In response to this, bear culture emerged as an identity term and affiliation for gay men who presented 'rugged masculinity'. Now recognised worldwide, it has developed a specific visual culture of its own. PRESENTATION & FASHION  Bear culture has a specific visual identity and dress code. Gay men who identify as bears typically present with:
Bear culture presentation and fashion is seen and celebrated at community gatherings and events. Examples include local 'bear club' meetings, 'Bear Hug' parties, marches and festivals, Prides, and international competitions such as International Mr Bear. The inclusivity of bear culture is hotly debated. Some bears exclude or even actively shun effeminate gay men, whereas other members of the community are accepting of all presentations. In many cases, bear culture has evolved to be inclusive of trans men and butch-presenting lesbians. GRAPHICS
Arguably the most iconic visual of bear culture is its flag. Now recognised as the subculture's official symbol within the LGBTQ+ community, it is comprised of a bear paw silhouette atop seven strips of colour (black, grey, white, beige, yellow, red and brown - representing the fur colours of different bear species). The flag and the bear paw symbol are widely used in Bear Pride merchandise, such as t-shirts, badges and sashes. The subculture also holds its own genre in media; the community produces a range of magazines (such as those shown below), music, and adult content.
LECTURE NOTES
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