Individualism finds its way into a particular alternative subculture due to the balance required in self-validation and resistance to the perceived conformist conditioning presented by general society. A match must be made not only in self but in the perceptions of those around self. To truly fit in to a particular subculture, those within it must recognise an individual as within it for themselves. And still more, this individual must also recognise themselves as an active member of the same subculture. Often the collective terminology can be fairly loose, and broad terms that incorporate most forms of alternative expression are used to count everyone in.
So, in order to be recognised as a member of a subculture by our peers, a person must to some degree buy into that trend or scene image that reinforces the statement. The majority of alternative scene merchandise comes in the form of clothing and music. As these two types of goods have immediate reward effects, they speak for themselves in an instantaneous manner, and allow a person to express and enjoy without too much work. Books and films are the next two main supplies for scene identification, as they require a little more effort and are more for private enjoyment over time, their purpose is more personal and doesn't necessarily express to the same magnitude as clothing or music, which is visible/audible to anyone nearby, without the need for focused attention. Independent artists and small collectives are able to sell their art and clothing online. When they find a niche market for a particular subcultural theme, they can easily set up a front and retail like any other market and with very little ground costs, their work can become an area of digital interest. With eBay offering store fronts, many people choose to retail from there, as it lets the seller hold full control over their market without having to worry about anything but their service. Specialist alternative scene shops exist in most major cities, and have an ever growing presence online. They will stock a large selection of many items that all relate to a specific theme within alternative sub-culture, often run by and employing members of that particular scene, these specialist shops can become social hubs as much as places of retail. Finding a crowd and forming loyalty by being on the ball with what the scene is doing is for those who enjoy being a part of it themselves. These shops will sell clothing for the majority of the customers, and then often they have art and jewellery sections too. Music of that sub-culture is played, mainly compilations of many artists from small labels, to draw interest into the new sounds and to rekindle some of the older ones. Charity shops are gold-mines for pieces of clothing or jewellery that can be used to fit into alternative style. Often everyday items are used in slightly different ways in order to make something sub-culturally relevant. Many musicians and artists take a style to a new edge and this is repeated by many people after, who see it first hand or see others doing it. Finding garments from previous eras, or from small and unique retailers in among the second hand items in charity shops is not uncommon, and these all contribute towards material capable of being used to express alternative subculture. Also, main high street designers know that affiliation to particular subcultural themes runs further than those who do their shopping in specialist shops and markets. Often department stores offer a varied array of styles of which many draw on the more radical clothing styles society chooses to wear. Maybe they don't have every pointer, but those they have speak volumes to a particular audience, who are able to wear it in a style that fits the subculture they identify with.
The nature of the artistic cycle means that ideas are used by corporate interests and media giants to promote their products. What is represented or expressed by society is gleaned for originality and unique perspectives which are used to peddle certain products, or ideas, which ultimately benefit the larger interest. Finding a balance between art and business is a challenge for all involved in this societal field.
As alternative subculture as a rule tends to avoid large commercial interest in favour of small and voluntary expressive groupings, finding the glue between both edges of the cycle can be difficult. When a group of individuals decide to begin producing media of some description, they find that they at some point need to look to commercial sources for their solutions. A fan-zine needs to be printed, a blog needs to be hosted, an album needs to be recorded. Ultimately, at some point, a product or consumer market is called upon in order to create and then distribute new art. As the production and delivery of art is very difficult to profit from in the first generation of an idea set or philosophy of artistic thought, the passion for expression is usually the currency that pays the way for the pioneers of the day. The social status and artistic pleasure that result from unique and consistent themed expression keeps the fire burning, where as their reliance on software, hardware, and iconic clothing all take precedence, meaning the original outlay for art can be very high -not only in cash for businesses who can find solutions for the adequate delivery of art, but in time spent making, sculpting, and defining an expression and ethos that is worth perpetuating at great personal cost. Eventually, a line is drawn with any artist, where they can simply no longer afford to be so generous with what they are doing, and their work requires the input from business style models that can ensure longevity and relevancy in this outlay of personal energy. Finding the right stencil to draw marketing and commercial interests from is a choice for the artist, however in order to maintain a continual output of material, more than social status needs to be considered. In this way, the big brands who originally benefit from the mostly voluntary outlay of artistic talent become business tools rather than artistic tools, resulting in products with considerably more value. This injection of energy over time is required for art to find cultural value through its own social status, and only by the continual validation of its principles by a growing movement can it become viable for growth into subcultural self-autonomy. Further still, for the energy and work done in the concept of the original contributors, it is the second and third generation artists who find their way into a scene prepared to be maintainable and perhaps even profitable for work. This however removes the element of originality from the equation, meaning that anyone who wishes to be truly creative will always find it difficult to find an opening for their work. This is why the voluntary element of passion for expression is the main currency of this early work and line of original thought. This ultimately grows into an artistic movement, once the correct commercial and artistic interests begin to follow suit, by unifying concepts across their various fields. Because of the exclusivity of alternative scene subculture, it's a challenge to communicate across fields, and artists find it difficult to work in business settings and vice versa. This requires a third kind of specialist who can work in both areas, and the limits to this is the lack of social capital within both realms, as each walk of life has its own set of rules which for the most are fairly dismissive of the ethos of its counterpart. This ironic twist results in a three way partnership in which artists, retailers, and promoters all work together to form the movement of art over time. These three distinct areas of culture and expression all rely on each other for the perpetuation of each theme of subculture, and work together in the provision of the entire experience waiting for those who take part in the scene once it is established.
Alternative scene media is a niche market, each generation of each genre and its evolutionary siblings and spouse has its own list of cultural labels and associated media, brands, and artists who figurehead the subculture. The cross-overs are very specific, and so particular crowds will be generally more exposed to particular themes, of which their personal identity is represented as a part of it. This validation of self among the whole allows individuals to feel at home and be rewarded for taking part with a particular strain of alternative scene. This inspires them to carry out their own expression of it for themselves.
Specialist media began as fan-zines, which although still exist, are now majorly influenced by online media, and take the form of blogs more than physical magazines. However, the physical media holds the most value in all cases because of its material and cultural worth. A well kept fan-zine from a previous era is always an antiquity of interest, for many academic and cultural reasons. Fan-zines are often started by a group of like-minded individuals who ascribe to a particular edge of subculture and wish to put more energy into the validation of expression of their particular emotional and artistic themes. Perhaps under-represented in the world of media, or in their local area, a 'hole in the market' is found which can be filled by any number of publications. Like the crowds who follow the alternative scene, the specifics are static and stable, with very little shift from season to season. Only the underlying themes brought in by each artist serve to alter the flavour of the fashion, which unlike the main stream trend, does not change rapidly but more or less stays exactly the same. Fan-zines and artists who make music, images, and films, tend to all follow the same suit for the culture they are working within. This is because the crowds themselves are very precise about what works and what does not work for them, with neo-tribalism having unspoken but obvious rules, trying to influence a market with unrelated expression is difficult to achieve. Social status within alternative scene crowds is a matter of ability to conform to not only the mind-set required of it, which relates to dress-sense, conversation topics, music taste, and type of life-style, but it also is a matter of how much a person invests in their social capital. Wardrobes of the right clothes, along with all the correct music, books, and artwork, all tie into how much time a person spends within the scene itself. By going to events, clubs, gigs, and meeting people within the scene, social capital is increased. It must be maintained, and individuals who drift away from a sub-culture will find their social capital fades fast as new faces and different shared experiences replace the previous ones. This dynamic diffusion of people within a scene keeps the turn around high and ensures new ideas and concepts are continually brought into play. It does however mean that friendships and bonds within groups are fairly easily broken, as they are dependent on taste, life choices, and methods of personal expression. If an individual no longer validates the cultural trend as a whole they become disconnected or even the subject of validating conversation about what not to do. This is how the alternative culture fuels itself and remains static, by the nature of comparison to the different, the individual characteristics of each sub-culture are reinforced and solidified in their fixed way of thinking. Making a predictable market for commerce, the alternative scene generally responds by only buying into small name brands and artists, and large corporate interests tend to target the whole in a much more broad sense, with their watered down version appealing to a shifting trend rather than a sub-cultural ethos. Within societal sub-culture, there is an element of aggression towards other sub-cultures. In a primary desire to self-identify, some members can express strong dislikes towards apparently opposing ideologies and tastes. Causing a rift between social groups within the individual distinctions of the local dynamic, opposing trends can be the source of tension between otherwise similar people. According to Bourdieu, "Tastes, (i.e. manifested preferences) are the practical affirmation of an inevitable difference" (Distinction 1984) This perhaps can be most apparent in conversations involving like minded alternative scene members which discuss the flaws and suggested nonsensicalness of a different trend or subcultural theme. This usually amasses to the following of popular culture and the general standard the media suggests that the majority subscribes to. Within the subcultural movement, a purist mentality can emerge which defines strict rules about not only dress sense and music, but general tastes and more importantly, dislikes. Within specific social communities of a particular subculture, the opposing views that define their similarities by means of repulsive validation become almost deemed as sinful and wrong, even if what is suggested is totally normal in the realms of outside society. By openly partaking in the behaviour of an outsider, from within a social community of subcultural similarities, we stand to lose status and credit within those specific circles. Within the conversations about what is deemed negative in the opposing trends, names and personalities will be drawn into conversation as a means of example, and then the emotional relevance of these figures will become ascribed to these seemingly negative features. Anyone who then openly enjoys these 'stained' mindsets or methods of expression are treated and thought of with this emotional connection in mind. This however is not always the case, and this mental territorialsm of ideals is only apparent in certain communities and within certain mixes of personality. More often, the behaviour and personalities of those within artistic underground cultures are pleasant, down to earth and more than capable of living peaceful and community conscious lives. Tensions will arise in these groups, and with any tightly knit community there will be the occasional issue and they can arise from these negative associations that validate self by rejecting the specifics of something else. More often than otherwise, this sense of difference and conscious moving away from the main stream cultural trend at the time results in a sense of betterment, perhaps superiority in some cases, or a simple pride in the relevance of their choice to divert from the main path. It allows a person to cope with their perception of the continual pressure to adhere to the things the majority of society gravitate towards.
Due to the projection of definition by media examples and word of mouth, it often arises that those who do not consider themselves affiliated with a particular sub-culture will be labelled as such by their friends and people around them. An individual's choice to wear a certain coat or style of t-shirt can lead to others defining them on a much more acute scale by assigning one of the many alternative scene genres to their personality.
In some cases, those who choose to consciously express themselves in a unique and artistic manner do not wish to be associated with a particular movement of style, and claim total individual authority over their own sense of how they ought to appear. It can be also that one or more of the specific sub-cultural themes becomes more generic slang for anyone who chooses to dress differently, saturating the perception of the community in an unbalanced view of the way each person identifies self. This two way topographical actualisation of identity within groups will perhaps influence each other, in the communication of perception from one to the other via ideas that are counter validating to the opposing view, this will re-balance any false standard that may temporarily arise. New words and new definitions find their way into the main linguistics of the crowd and replace those that fail to mean what they say. Once associated and defined by an outside party, it could be that an individual decides that they like it and would gladly follow that road. Perhaps identifying with the crowd they were previously defined as feels rewarding, or they discover that when researched, they like the scene for themselves and because of this, their flare for independence is given a foundation of community that allows them to self-express within a larger grouping of individuals. Marketing is the key route for the delivery of new ideas within specific sub-cultural groupings, and the new music and media presented within them plus the imagery and ideas used to advertise and describe them will enter the expressive consciousness of the collective scene. Crowds who are exposed to the projection of sub-culture and its associated definitions of taste will express this cultural trend in their perception of those around them, and with themselves. The talking circles will spread the ideas in verbal interpretations and some will then experiment with the artistic concepts for themselves. Having a common interest within a sub-culture is a key element within the reasoning why individuals gravitate towards them. By having a cornerstone conversation topic within groups, bonding and friendships become easier to form. The behaviour of the perceived icons and stereotypes offered by the media will become the virtue for the crowd. Those who identify with particular themes offered by the various bands, artists, and films will find they can appreciate these things within their friendship circles which validates their sense of belonging. On the route to individuality, breaking away from the common desire to match the current trend can leave a person on the edges of their social community and with a sense of isolation within their peer groups. So when a projection of self-identity enters their vocabulary but continues to express their differences in positive ways, and provides them with icons and images that validate the way they feel about themselves and the world around them, it allows a sense of re-connection to an otherwise isolating experience.
In the age of reason, calm and collected thought takes favour over the expression of the emotional and passionate. A sense of nakedness is ascribed to our emotional self and we feel the need to think a cover for it, by having rational explanations for everything we do. In this climate, more basic functions of the human psyche that lead to emotional response can be suppressed by manner of grooming and pressure to conform.
Emotional responses such as anger, apathy, depression, and counter-sexual personality traits all become hidden within the standardisation of societal conformity. Alternative movements offer a way to express these otherwise suppressed human sensations and emotions in artistic ways which do not necessarily lead to the negative effects of this thinking resulting from dis-identification within the whole. By choosing to adhere to a particular theme of style and art taste, the otherwise non-virtuous personality trait becomes an expression of subculture, thus excusing them from having to maintain a facade which hides their true emotional landscape. By expressing ourselves in unique ways, we give ourselves an identity, and by following ideas and fashion from particular artistic themes, we find strength in the validation offered to us from these philosophies. Then by using this validation as motivation towards our other actions, an individual is able to under-go their life's journey within the emotional story of the themes and symbology which rewards them for living life in a way that appeals to an otherwise restricted mind-set. Whether the oppressed emotional story that seeks self validation in the sub-cultural movements that express them are actually unhealthy, or counter-productive to society is always a matter of debate and discussion. It is fair to say that any powerful motivational mind-set in moderation can be good for us, but when used too much and forms habitual and automatic behaviours which do not benefit the individual, these mind-sets will become harmful. There is therefore a tipping point, in which any form of artistic mind-set will eventually inhibit a person rather than benefit them. These oppressed emotional background thoughts which result in sub-cultural trends and behaviour styles will manifest in any number of ways, personal interpretation is always a key stage within the expression of art. By finding our own style within a style, we begin to re-define the ins and outs of what is available in the idea pool of which that particular theme of alternative culture can draw upon. Inventive and new ways of doing similar things to what used to happen will always spark a chain of similar ideas as the conceptual dynamics of thought filter through the mass consciousness of the localised alternative scene. Mostly, it is the clothing and music which portray the emotional story which an individual will identify with. On a personal behaviour level, the person may be quite aptly situated in the middle average of how we ought to behave, but the impression given by the things they like will tell a different story. In this emotional and symbolic manner, individuals in the alternative scene are generally able to inform of their differences and celebrate them comfortably within the given movement, and remain a functioning member of standard society. Logos, depictions, accessories, and old style fashions all combine with body language and lyrical themes within music, plot themes within film, and advertising concepts used by the commercial markets fuelling desire. This alchemy of expression creates a diverse and multifaceted alternative culture that flourishes under many names yet holds the virtues of freedom of expression as paramount no matter how it manifests.
On the journey to individuality, a young person begins to assert their personal tastes as soon as they begin to make their own decisions. This can be at a very young age, however during adolescence, an individual undergoes changes in perspective that redefine the world around them, and themselves as a person. This can be a rocky time for a lot of people, and finding something emotionally relevant and yet external to take part in, or live with in some way, a relationship between an alternative style is formed. This bonding of self to a perception of self will become a strong influence in all decision making and feelings about everything in a general sense.
By consciously rejecting the stereotypical normals offered by society, a path of personal independence from it begins with taking positive steps in the opposite direction. This is often inspired at first by a particular look or feel offered to them from any number of varying art sources, ranging from the media to fashion itself, which is often quite far away from the high street standard that waters everything down to become the everyone's version. People are able to acquire the right look and the back catalogue of things that go with it, like the music and film that mirrors the ethos they feel the most magnetic towards, for example Asian cinema and music. The emotional background noise within the life of people is defined by the thoughts they think, and the circumstances they find themselves in. This is amplified by the reflectivity of the media and the niche subculture society that people spend their time in, by being submerged in a philosophy that revolves around the subject matter of songs, scripts, and stories that are designed to appeal to that particular crowd. The mass commercialisation of these products and principles results in an over-kill effect, in which a generation will not identify the trend with alternative, and as long as the markets are working with a particular look, a general shift in other directions will occur within the alternative subcultures and their social prototypes. Once a strong emotional background is created within a trend, or alternative scene, individuals become attached to it in a way that resembles a relationship. The rewards on a psychological level which stem from fitting in and having a tribe, as well as the bonding between individuals on personal levels because of a common interest, becomes a positive feedback loop which refortifies itself with every positive encounter. It makes sense then, that having a backstory to the style and subculture is a key aspect within it, and this will be told in stages as the artworks and media productions get released in real time. This sharing of an emotional world begins to cause a conformity effect, in which those who respond or act in ways that do not match the standard on offer by the relative crowd will become removed in such a way that makes bonding difficult. When others do not know and cannot determine how an individual will behave, their response is generally to become a little more guarded. This closes up communication significantly, and creates conscious boundaries between us and them. Tying this in with the rewarding feeling of finding someone who also feels the same way about particular things as us and enjoys similar things that we do, the desire to conform becomes strong once more. The major differences between alternative and the societal norm can usually be sufficient, however some crowds often have a more precise clique to fall into. This creates a continual pressure of in and out of the suggested archetypes in a trend or subculture, as alternative society by nature is always striving for a sense of individuality and independence from the main crowd. People themselves act as adverts for the styles and habits associated with their chosen statements, which leads to others doing similar things. This causes a push for individuality once more and new styles will be adopted to push away from the now mirrored effects of uniqueness. Much like a cycle, within subcultures and alternative trends, particular things and sensations go in and out of the line of sight of those who take part.
Within young society, the pressure to adhere to the current trend is quite strong. When the new clothes of the season come with a price-tag that matches consumer desire, the prices tend to be higher. For this reason, many people find themselves unable to stick with the moving trends. More stable trends in societal subculture therefore become a more realistic goal for a person to set themselves in order to feel like they fit in. Separating from the main crowd for lack of interest or as a rebellion against the seemingly shallowness of the fast pace of change, or lack of ability to keep up with the pace of change all give rise to the need for something else to gravitate towards. This is in order to satisfy the human desire to feel like a part of something bigger.
Identity and style go hand in hand in many cases, and new fashions and ways of dressing, behaving, and expressing ourselves usually emerge in areas where there is a lack of money, poorer communities who cannot keep up with the fashionable trends in society will settle for a stable subculture that works well for them. Here the younger generation, who are naturally inquisitive and inventive, will come up with ways of expressing themselves to counter-act this dry element of their neighbourhood. Once a walk of life in this way begins to spread, and the ideas pass from one to another over time, and are expressed in a varying array of interpretations, the media will begin to reflect this in their products. Once the image is given a spot-light, the iconic version of the style is created by the continual repetition and boosting of the famous individuals who are using it for their own identity. Clubs then form niche movements around their music styles that are designed to appeal to particular subcultures, the imagery in advertising and furnishings used by the local institutions in this way reflect ideas into the crowds they populate, so a mix of the media chosen and the aesthetic of the whole infuses into the consciousness of the following that congregate there. Due to the nature of trend movements, the spotlight only lasts for a short while, and within a few years at most, the imagery and style of the subculture that was reflected becomes old, and artists look to other things to model their works on. However, once the fire has been fuelled, so to speak, and the crowd within the subculture has reached a certain number 'n', self-autonomy begins to take hold, and the principles and styling become ingrained in the consciousness of the community. This allows the ideas to pass on via influence and inspiration from different generations, where those who have firmly established themselves within a trend become the role models of the young. Usually when a subculture is established, it follows with niche art labels in music, clothing, and film, in which concepts and ideals from that alternative mind-set are reflected and celebrated in order to appeal to those who identify with them. A small cell of interest can grow into a global neo-tribe much in the way as older styles and subcultures have done before, once a network of media, commerce, and personal attachment has taken place.
Before the internet allowed global communication with email, forums, and social media, niche alternative cultures existed in local communities and the individual influences that fuelled them were limited to the talking circles of those who participated in them. The deeper meanings, and emotional reasoning therefore, were isolated within the individual proto-subcultures within specific communities and these often tied in to like-minded daily influence, such as a common workplace or school, a common place of recreation or nightlife, or even a local legend or story which residents in the area are proud of and feel an affiliation to.
As the media was the only source for new ideas for the collectives of like-minded alternative scene people before the internet, it was typically music and film that allowed the growth of new concepts within the movements. Music T.V. during the 1980s revolutionised the amount of exposure we had on artistic dress-codes, novel mind-sets and sounds of music that inspire particular emotional ambience. Before this, magazines were the most able to deliver a continual influence of ideas. Now, as well as magazines and music television, the internet has become a main source of inspiration for evolution within style. As each separate community would work on a given set of ideas and principles in their dress-sense and style, with the internet, these people were now free to openly discuss their ideas and reasoning within a global community. Forums quickly became available for like-minded alternative scene people and the individual sub-cultures began to flourish with a lot more vigour once this happened. Dedicated sites to various neo-tribes became established and allowed participants to fully engage with their passions, and the validation from international communities solidified the rules, regulation, and schemes that fit in with the movements. Due to the large numbers on a global scale, and the continual push of commerce, the standardisation of themes became a large factor, which made it easier to fit in but also stripped away much of the individuality members craved. This was responded to by a further splitting down of culture, from the neo-tribes of large numbers sprouted variants and fusions of the old with the new, once again establishing personal uniqueness. Identity is important, finding it in a crowd is difficult, and social bonding is also hard to find when we are uniquely expressing ourselves, so a happy medium is found between the two where like minded sub-trends fit together in their similar need to express particular elements of themselves which don't conform to the general stereotypical normals of society. As individuals change and evolve within their own personalities, the movements they took part in continue on, as if a separate entity to the person who once identified, and in this way, the label or sub-culture classification is a stable mental destination within a larger community but the units of people within this destination are unstable, and diffusion occurs regularly as each person moves in and out of various themes of dress-sense and lifestyle. The internet has made this more possible as defining ourselves into subcultural classes according to art and media is very easy with so much of it around. There is a hard-core element to these fashion styles, and there are certain members who take the model very seriously. By emulating music and film stars, alternative scene members can become fixed in their mindset for their entire life. The emotional attachment to the label and style, the lifestyle portrayed by it and the experiences enjoyed in the spirit of the artistic expression make it worth while holding on to. The further and more available validation offered by the web makes this more sustainable, and with the planning of events and joint ventures via this mode of communication, many more roots are able to be laid in order to establish a personal sense of belonging. It is this strength within the scene that perhaps allows us to think of it as a sub-culture in the more distinguishable way, as the religious elements of ritualistic dress-sense and mind-set along with particular behaviour types and archetypes do not appear in other forms of trend. Online study: A Whole New Way: Leadership for a Global World Join students worldwide and utilize your strengths, enhance your EQ, and practice effective leadership styles.
The chicken and egg situation of reflectivity means that consumerism drives desire, and cultural tradition drives consumerism, thus fixing a trend in its narrow margins and giving designers an open yet niche platform to show their talent with. The music scene is a main influence to subcultural society, as well as popular fiction in the form of books and film. Album art and wardrobe choices matched with the emotional theme of the product serve to underpin what causes others to buy into that particular image. However the individual interpretations of each symbol and reference are unique to particular crowds who openly share their ideas. Even still, many people do not share their deepest ideas about what goes on in their minds in terms of what things mean to them, it perhaps is a subconscious relevance more than a conscious one in many cases.
So as art portrays society in a mixture of abstract and realistic ways, often reaching into the realms of hyper-realism, individuals personally relate to the emotional qualities within the production. The art then becomes symbolic to them in such a way that encourages them to emulate the sensation of the art with their own code of conduct, from dress sense to external behaviour. Perhaps internally too, thoughts can be amplified which correlate to the mindset perceived from the art. This union of universally acceptable concepts into personal circumstances creates the desire to reflect back what the work has inspired them to project. The internal tapestry of thought which correlates to the symbols in the piece are ultimately reflected back somehow into society. In this way, a 'proto-subculture' can grow into a 'neo-tribe' via the use of art and marketing of materials which tap into the feeling it inspires. By watching how society reacts to particular themes, it is therefore accessible for retailers to know which things will sell best in their shops. This continual mirroring back and forth, via the perspective shifting lens of the media and the consumer, movements of style are kept in niche bubbles of art production, figure-headed by the giants in that creative field. This postmodern idea of neo-tribalism stems from the fact that the alternative scene in general is all inclusive to all who identify with it personally. The rules of entry are slack, but the rules of personal identification are in fact very strict. With a forever growing array of genres, styles to match grow in equalling numbers. These styles each carry distinct characteristics in clothing and taste in art, and the behaviour could be categorised according to the manner in which the artists are portrayed to behave, at least to some degree. As a mode of expression which involves particular behaviours of which some can become ritualistic in some individuals, participation in the alternative scene is majorly related to the emotional landscape of the person and the current style of available art which portrays their chosen outlook on their situation. What they identify with is their choice, but in the presentation of art, especially music and film, particular iconography is called upon in order to culturally relate to particular feelings we know. Dramatic frontages and album sleeves mean we get a sense of the music or the film before we even press play. This correlates to the way people choose to dress also, in that they perhaps want to give the impression that they will behave in ways culturally related to their chosen style culture. Art being a reinforcing mechanism that validates individual consumers by echoing like to like feelings, perhaps serves as a positive influence to the young adults especially, however the consumer edge which capitalises on the natural desire to feel part of something and express it somehow is perhaps causing the infusion of style to become a little too homogeneous, and the split-off sections that people fall into are becoming ever more mental, with no real visible distinction between them until we go into the dark corners of the greasy clubs. |
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