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Beardom Two
Apr. 18th, 2007 11:26 amSubcultures do not exist in a vacuum.
Most things, particularly such high-minded concepts as sub-cultures, are affected simply by people's perception of them. The individual fits his understanding of a sub-culture within the contextual framework he's already got scotch-taped up on the walls of his head. In fact, to say there is some Platonic ideal out there of ANY subculture is somewhat crazed as each person perceives things uniquely.
When you "mainstream" any subculture, and by that I mean mainstream media or general society at large notices it, it becomes changed by the perception of outsiders and begins to change as people with cultural values that deviate from the original dive into the subculture.
Do you think that after 1969 there weren't hippies grousing about people joining them just to do LSD & get laid?
I'm sure the Black Panthers never thought that the Civil Rights Movement kowtowed a bit, right?
Nobody in Hip Hop gets into gun battles over real street cred, right?
The point is this: the moment general awareness of a sub-culture within larger cultures is reached, that sub-culture is partially perceived through the eyes of folks who have no direct interaction with or understanding of that culture. If new members of a sub-culture are drawn from more mainstream populations, the ideals of the sub-culture they adopt are going to morph from the original firebrand ideals that the sub-culture was founded on.
Spun quick for Beardom, here it is: I choose to enjoy the Bear subculture because it appeals to me as a source of potential camaraderie and attraction. I remember the halcyon days of early beardom, but rather than let some exclusionist asshats redefine Beardom as a clique I choose to embrace the inclusive beliefs that brought me so much comfort when I came out. It's easy to reject a group or sub-culture you want to be in based on a few bad interactions, especially in the current "Me: First, Last and Always" age we're in. Personally I don't mind practicing the ideals of a sub-culture I enjoy & value; it's more work, but I get far more in return than I would if I merely heckled my little group of hairy homos from afar.
So fine. Be post-post-post Bear. Start up a Prog Rock band to talk about how badly you were treated. Focus on not expending any energy or will to correct what you perceive as a wrong & get LOTS of wood for that cross you'll want everyone to admire from a distance. Personally I'd rather discount the obviously foolish and create a supportive & nurturing atmosphere like the one I desire around myself. Or I could just bitch because I expected a whole wonderland of fuzzy acceptance delivered in a neat flannel package at my doorstep, free of charge.
Most things, particularly such high-minded concepts as sub-cultures, are affected simply by people's perception of them. The individual fits his understanding of a sub-culture within the contextual framework he's already got scotch-taped up on the walls of his head. In fact, to say there is some Platonic ideal out there of ANY subculture is somewhat crazed as each person perceives things uniquely.
When you "mainstream" any subculture, and by that I mean mainstream media or general society at large notices it, it becomes changed by the perception of outsiders and begins to change as people with cultural values that deviate from the original dive into the subculture.
Do you think that after 1969 there weren't hippies grousing about people joining them just to do LSD & get laid?
I'm sure the Black Panthers never thought that the Civil Rights Movement kowtowed a bit, right?
Nobody in Hip Hop gets into gun battles over real street cred, right?
The point is this: the moment general awareness of a sub-culture within larger cultures is reached, that sub-culture is partially perceived through the eyes of folks who have no direct interaction with or understanding of that culture. If new members of a sub-culture are drawn from more mainstream populations, the ideals of the sub-culture they adopt are going to morph from the original firebrand ideals that the sub-culture was founded on.
Spun quick for Beardom, here it is: I choose to enjoy the Bear subculture because it appeals to me as a source of potential camaraderie and attraction. I remember the halcyon days of early beardom, but rather than let some exclusionist asshats redefine Beardom as a clique I choose to embrace the inclusive beliefs that brought me so much comfort when I came out. It's easy to reject a group or sub-culture you want to be in based on a few bad interactions, especially in the current "Me: First, Last and Always" age we're in. Personally I don't mind practicing the ideals of a sub-culture I enjoy & value; it's more work, but I get far more in return than I would if I merely heckled my little group of hairy homos from afar.
So fine. Be post-post-post Bear. Start up a Prog Rock band to talk about how badly you were treated. Focus on not expending any energy or will to correct what you perceive as a wrong & get LOTS of wood for that cross you'll want everyone to admire from a distance. Personally I'd rather discount the obviously foolish and create a supportive & nurturing atmosphere like the one I desire around myself. Or I could just bitch because I expected a whole wonderland of fuzzy acceptance delivered in a neat flannel package at my doorstep, free of charge.
