I was thinking about this topic from something mentioned during Tuesday's discussion. Particularly with the punk subculture in mind, must subcultures be separate from business minded agendas? I've decided for myself that it's not so black and white. It seems as subcultures gain some notoriety from the general public in a capitalist society businesses want to profit off of that.
Youth are an especially big target for new clothing and it makes sense in McLaren's case that he wanted a vehicle to promote his style of clothing. I wouldn't say that this choice alone is one that pushed punk into the mainstream though. The mainstream acceptance of punk that would follow was a by-product of McLaren's efforts through the musical success of the Sex Pistols. In other words, the Sex Pistols' success is what brought punk to a larger audience not simply the attempt to sell punk clothing. Therefore it is surely possible for youth cultures and businesses to interact without that subculture losing its integrity however due to the nature of attempts by businesses to promote themselves sometimes it is hard to avoid.
I know I brought this up in class, but again, this reminds me of the skateboard culture and how it literally grew out of surf shops in California. Although store's of this nature are seeking to sell products and make a profit, that doesn't mean they don't have their finger on the pulse of the movement they represent.
ReplyDeleteI also think of old school punk shops like Trash and Vaudville or others in the city where the shops were hubs of activity. Bands stopped by, people came in just to talk to the owners about their interests, bullitin boards were available to post concert or event flyers.
I think that business and subcultures are highly connected, but that as soon as money becomes the focus, that's when it becomes "about" something else.
I agree that it is what the main focus is on that is what matters. It is important to distinguish between whether a business is selling products of a subculture because they primarily want money versus selling those products because they like the subculture and what those items represent in that subculture. It can be about sharing passion or seeking money. One is a part of the subculture, the other is part of the mainstream (in my opinion).
ReplyDelete