Punk ideologies
It is primarily concerned with concepts such as mutual aid,[1] against selling out,[2] hierarchy, white supremacy, authoritarianism,[3] eugenics, class and classism, while supporting anti-consumerism,[3] anti-corporatism, anti-war, anti-imperialism, leftism, anti-globalization, anti-gentrification, anti-racism, anti-sexism, gender equality, anti-homophobia, racial equality, animal rights,[4] free-thought and non-conformity.
It continues to evolve its ideology as the movement spreads throughout North America from its origins in England and New York and embraces a range of anti-racist and anti-sexist belief systems.
Because anti-establishment attitudes are such an important part of the punk subculture, a network of independent record labels, venues and distributors has developed.
The do it yourself (DIY) ideal is common in the punk scene, especially in terms of music recording and distribution, concert promotion, and photocopying magazines, posters and flyers.
These include peaceful protest, squatting, applying legal graffiti, culture jamming, ecotage, freeganism, boycotting, civil disobedience, hacktivism and subvertising.
This manifests itself as rioting, illegal graffiti, vandalism, wire cutting, hunt sabotage, participation in Class War-style activities, melee weapons and in extreme cases, bombings.
[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.
[13][14] Some punks claim to be adherents to apoliticism, such as the band Charged GBH and the singer GG Allin, although some socio-political ideas have appeared in their lyrics.
Allin expressed a vague desire to kill the United States president and destroy the political system in his song "Violence Now".
Notable conservative punks include Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone,[24] Cherie Currie,[25] Forgotten Rebels, John Kezdy,[26] Billy Zoom,[27] Exene Cervenka,[28] Joe Escalante, Bobby Steele, Ross the Boss,[29] Duane Peters, Leonard Graves Phillips,[30] John Knight,[31] Jon Moss,[32] Lee Ving,[30] Klamydia, Dave Smalley,[30] U.S.
[39] Ian Curtis of the post-punk quartet Joy Division was a loyal Conservative voter[40] who not only voted for Margaret Thatcher in 1979 but persuaded the Liberal candidate to give him a lift to the polling station in order to do so.
It is often associated with third-wave feminism, which is sometimes seen as having grown out of the riot grrrl movement, and has recently been seen in current fourth-wave feminist punk music.
Riot grrrl bands often address issues such as rape, domestic abuse, sexuality, racism, patriarchy, classism, anarchism, and often contain themes of female empowerment.
[57] 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.
The song's chorus is a direct call to action, urging punk fans to reject and expel these hateful elements from their community.
[59] Centering on a belief in the abject lack of meaning and value to life, nihilism was a fixture in some early punk rock and protopunk.
[63] 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.
[63] 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'.
[64][65] Clash frontman Joe Strummer said of his socialist views "I believe in socialism because it seems more humanitarian, rather than every man for himself and 'I'm alright jack' and all those asshole businessmen with all the loot.
Notable socialist punks include: Attila the Stockbroker, Billy Bragg, Bruce La Bruce, Garry Bushell (until the late 1980s), Chris Dean, Gary Floyd, Jack Grisham, Stewart Home, Dennis Lyxzén, Thomas Mensforth, Fermin Muguruza, Alberto Pla, Tom Robinson, Seething Wells, Paul Simmonds, Rob Tyner, Joe Strummer, Ian Svenonius, Mark Steel and Paul Weller (guitarist for British powerhouse, new wave band, The Jam).
