Punk as a lifestyle?

Question

I was just on another question where one person called another a poser for asking about a punk hairstyle.
I thought the punk lifestyle revolved around acceptance (and of course punk rock). When did punk become so selective, and punks so arrogant?
Your opinions?

Answer 1

Punk is about a lifestyle and philosophy, not about the look. Punk is about being yourself, and it's about nonconformity, not about conforming to someone else's idea of punk. If you have it in your heart, than you're a punk, no matter what someone else says. Many punks are very accepting, but the ones that aren't can give punk a bad name. They're the people who are ticked off at mtv and they're fads, for making punk a style instead of a statement, and they have every right to be mad, even if they do make other punks look bad.

A real punk's ideals are are about being yourself, knowing what you believe and holding to it, and Doing It Yourself.

Answer 2

I think punk became so selective when it started being seen more as a style than an outlook, philosophy, and lifestyle. Once it became a trend, as all subcultures eventually do, and the mass media adopted it and repackaged it as a "safe" version of rebellion and self-expression, it lost some of its roots and flavor.

People who consider themselves real punks hate people who haven't been with the underground movement all along, people who have just jumped on the bandwagon, don't know what it really means, or only do it shallowly (i.e. just in a 'punk hairstyle'). Such is the hatred for so-called "posers", who are seen as diluting the real message and essence of punkness. I can't blame them for disliking people who portray a wrong version of what punk is to the masses, although I agree that acceptance should be practiced.

I guess that would be my best explanation.

Answer 3

What I enjoyed about the Philosophy of Punk Rock and what got me through High School, was the GREATNESS of being YOURSELF and NOBODY else and not giving a damn. The TRUE Punk Philosophy is to Be True to yourself, don't let others get you down or try and convert you, you are who you are and that's that!
To take ones Uniquness and to define it or enhance it is something magical, when you have so much of the population trying to fit in and be like everyone else...To find someone who is Unique and truly themselves is GREAT! And you often find this in people who have the "Punk" attitude!

Answer 4

The best thing i EVER saw was on wife swap.

This little dude (he was about 11) and his parents were all punks. He had a mohawk. The new mother that came to their house was talking about the little dude's hair saying like whats with it rah rah rah, i bet you'd never cut it off.

He started cutting it off straight away, he said punks not about the hairstyle its in your heart. THIS came from a 11 year old boy, who knows more about posing than most adults.

He wasn't in it for the look, he was real!!

I agree some people are posers and think a hairstyle makes them cool, some people live it from the heart though!

Answer 5

punk could be a life style,and i dont thinks punks in general are arrogant,i think people are. you can also lead a certain punk lifestyle called straightedge.Straight Edge (also known as sXe, and xXx) refers to a lifestyle, a personal commitment, a philosophy, and a subculture that is closely associated with hardcore punk music. Straight edgers abstain from recreational drugs, including tobacco and alcohol. Some followers of the straight-edge philosophy also abstain from promiscuous sex, the regular use of painkillers, and the intake of caffeine. Some also practice vegetarianism or veganism.

Answer 6

Nothing's changed. There were unaccepting, arrogant, exclusive punks back in the 70's too.

Anyone who invests themselves in any particular identity isn't seeing the whole picture in life and is going to be a little closed-minded.

There are some truly sorry sods out there, punk or not.

Answer 7

ANY group is made up of people who wish to identify *with* similar folk & *against* or *without* others. Punk being such a rebellious group, it's no wonder that they're a little more...insistant about it.

Punk Rock isn't dead; it just smells that way.

How many Punk Rocker's does it take to change a light bulb?
23; one to do it and 22 to say that they did it first.

Answer 8

I KNOW its so stupid i know im punkish even though i dont look like it at all...i wear black and pink(rockish cloths) listen to the music but ya i was on that same question and they were like u are a poser! it dont mean ur a poser a poser is trying to act lik someone ur not

Answer 9

hmmm... acceptance of wearing punk clothes and listening to punk music. people of today are big on stereotyping, like i bet that foreign people think of the US as a fat country. i blame it on TV and the media.

Answer 10

Quite often they will become angry if you do not notice if they are different looking weather it be the hair or the clothing. They will almost be insulted if you do not comment on the way they look. It sort of reminds me of children at Haloween they want everyone to notice their costumes.