Punk ideologies

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Punk ideologies are a group of varied social and political beliefs associated with the

An attitude common in the punk subculture is the opposition to selling out, which refers to abandoning of one's values and/or a change in musical style toward pop (e.g. electropop) and embracing mainstream culture or more radio-friendly rock (e.g. pop rock) in exchange for wealth, status, or power. The issue of authenticity is important in the punk subculture—the pejorative term poseur is applied to those who try to associate with punk and adopt its stylistic attributes but are deemed not to share or understand the underlying core values or philosophy.

Because

Specific ideologies and philosophies

The following include some of the most common ideologies and philosophies within the punk subculture (in alphabetical order).

Anarchism

There is a complex and worldwide underground of punks committed to anarchism as a serious political ideology, sometimes termed "peace punks" or "

In the 1980s, both straight edge hardcore punk in the United States^[7][8] and anarcho-punk in the United Kingdom^[9] started to become associated with animal rights. This association was made possible through activism by bands such as Napalm Death, Icons of Filth, Conflict, and Electro Hippies. Some musicians in these bands were vegans and vegetarians themselves and publicly advocated for these ideologies. In addition to this, bands at the forefront of this movement included lyrical themes pertaining to animal rights, vegetarianism and veganism.^[10] Consequently, these ideas became a feature of the punk subculture and this association continues on into the 21st century.^[9][11] A notable example is Jack McGarry of the band SX-70 citing messages of animal rights in lyrics of music he listened to as an influence in becoming vegan.^[12] It is additionally evidenced by the prominence of vegan punk events such as Fluff Fest in Europe.^[13][14]

Apoliticism

Some punks claim to be adherents to

Christianity

Christian punk is a subgenre of punk rock with some degree of Christian lyrical content. Some Christian punk bands are associated with the Christian music industry,^[16] while others reject that association. Ideologies within Christian punk vary, though a number of bands lean towards traditional left-wing politics, most prominently Crashdog, Showbread (band), Ballydowse and The Psalters, the latter three of whom identified as Christian anarchists.^[17][18] Further examples of notable Christian punk bands include Altar Boys,^[19] The Crucified,^[20] Five Iron Frenzy,^[21] Flatfoot 56,^[22] Side Walk Slam, and pop-punk band MxPx, who earned a gold record in 1998.^[23]

Conservatism

A small number of punk bands and artists are conservative, rejecting liberalism, communism and socialism in favor of conservatism. Notable conservative punks include Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone,^[24] Forgotten Rebels, Billy Zoom,^[25] Joe Escalante, Bobby Steele, Duane Peters, Klamydia, Dave Smalley, and Agnostic Front.^[26] John Lydon of the Sex Pistols has also expressed some conservative views.^[27]

Some Christian punk and hardcore bands have conservative political stances, in particular some of the NYHC bands.^[28]

Environmentalism

Riot grrrl is an underground subcultural

The Filipino punk band the Wuds which was formed in the early 1980s is the first known punk band who composed songs dedicated to Hare Krishna movement.^[37] In the 1990s, some notable members of the New York hardcore scene, including Ray Cappo (Youth of Today, Shelter and other bands), John Joseph (Cro-Mags) and Harley Flanagan (Cro-Mags) converted to Hare Krishna.^[38] This led to trend within the western hardcore scene that became known as Krishnacore.

Islam

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Taqwacore is a punk subgenre, many of whose members are Muslim artists who live in the West.

Liberalism

Liberal punks were in the punk subculture from the beginning, and are mostly on the liberal left. Notable liberal punks (second wave, mid-1990s to 2000s) include: Fat Mike of NOFX, Ted Leo, Green Day, Crashdog, Dropkick Murphys, Hoxton Tom McCourt, Jared Gomes of Hed PE,^{[39][40][41][42]} Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Tim McIlrath of Rise Against. Liberal ideologies in punk music are most notably found in the lyrical content of these songs.^[43] While viewpoints typically associated with liberals (such as being anti-war) can be seen within the lyrical content of some punk songs, they are also sometimes endorsed by musicians in public statements and interviews as well.^[44] Some liberal punks also participated in the Rock Against Bush movement in the mid-2000s, in support of the Democratic Party candidate John Kerry.

Neo-Nazism

The Situationist International (SI) was an early influence on punk subculture in the United Kingdom.^[49] Started in continental Europe in the 1950s, the SI was an avant-garde political movement that sought to recapture the ideals of surrealist art and use them to construct new and radical social situations. Malcolm McLaren introduced situationist ideas to punk through his management of the band Sex Pistols.^[49] Vivienne Westwood, McLaren's partner and the band's designer/stylist, expressed situationist ideals through fashion that was intended to provoke a specific social response. 15% Pus and DUST, subversive 1990s Manchester bands, staged psycho-geographic walks around Hulme and created human collages from road signs as part of what became known as 'psycho-spectre'. Jamie Reid's distinctive album cover artwork was openly situationist.

Socialism

Straight edge originated in the Washington, D.C. hardcore punk scene with the Minor Threat song "Straight Edge" written by frontman Ian MacKaye and guitarist Brian Baker. Straight edge involves abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drug use. Some who claim the title straight edge also abstain from caffeine, casual sex and meat. Those more strict individuals may be considered part of the hardline subculture. Unlike the shunning of meat and caffeine, refraining from casual sex was without question a practice in the original straight edge lifestyle, but it has been overlooked in many of the later reincarnations of straight edge. For some, straight edge is a simple lifestyle preference, but for others it is a political stance. In many cases, it is a rejection of the perceived self-destructive qualities of punk and hardcore culture. MacKaye has often spoken out against others labeling themselves as being Straight edge, which was never his intentions for it being a label but it became a movement one which he became annoyed with. Notable straight edgers: Tim McIlrath, CM Punk and Davey Havok.

See also

• Anarchism and animal rights
• Anarchism and the arts
• CrimethInc.
• List of political punk songs
• Music and politics
• Protest art
• Rock and roll and the fall of communism
• Rock Against Bush
• Rock Against Communism
• Rock Against Racism
• Rock Against Sexism
• Solarpunk
• Youth politics
• Youth subcultures

References