Punk, as defined by www.dictionary.com, is "a style or movement characterized by the adoption of aggressively unconventional and often bizarre or shocking clothing, hairstyles, makeup, etc., and the defiance of social norms of behavior, usually associated with punk rock musicians and fans". After watching Don Lett's 'Punk: Attitude' and hearing punk legends such as Henry Rollins (previously of Black Flag, now spoken word artist) giving insights into how punk was not the music you were playing or the clothes that you wore, it was your attitude towards others and the world around you lead me to think that over 40 years after the term 'punk' was introduced for the purpose of describing the musical movement, the media are still interpreting 'punk' incorrectly.
Every definition of the term punk that i have read has employed it to describe the fashion, the music and the hair styles or more broadly the aesthetics of the 'movement' rather than the political ideologies associated with members of that particular scene. Today we see stores such as Glassons, Supre and even Hot Topic marketing the punk aesthetic as if all one needs to be 'punk' is an item of tartan clothing and a shirt with a picture of Sid Vicious on it. What they do not understand, that the artists in Punk: Attitude were trying to put across, is that you didn't/don't have to dress radically, come from a poor family (although it helped) or even play 'punk' music. Punk is an attitude, it festered and was born in an era of discontent and is more about ones attitude towards current events and politics than the way you dress.
(Picture: Left: Henry Rollins (punk) Right: Me (not punk) )
Every definition of the term punk that i have read has employed it to describe the fashion, the music and the hair styles or more broadly the aesthetics of the 'movement' rather than the political ideologies associated with members of that particular scene. Today we see stores such as Glassons, Supre and even Hot Topic marketing the punk aesthetic as if all one needs to be 'punk' is an item of tartan clothing and a shirt with a picture of Sid Vicious on it. What they do not understand, that the artists in Punk: Attitude were trying to put across, is that you didn't/don't have to dress radically, come from a poor family (although it helped) or even play 'punk' music. Punk is an attitude, it festered and was born in an era of discontent and is more about ones attitude towards current events and politics than the way you dress.
(Picture: Left: Henry Rollins (punk) Right: Me (not punk) )
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