Punk: Coming to a franchised theme restaurant near you!

[janradder]

This morning as I was sitting in a coffee shop, I ironically happened to be working on my memoir about punk rock when I overheard a conversation.  Behind me, a woman  began talking about the "Punk Rock" wedding she'd been to.  Because the bride and groom were "punk" they would have a similarly themed wedding.  Aside from the typical piercings and tattoos that they both had, all the bridesmaids wore Chucks.  "Oh, that's cute," said the woman she was talking to.  It was at this point that I stopped listening.

I just hate that punk has become this horrible co-opted identity.  I mean, geez, a punk rock wedding?  That is the lamest shit I've ever heard.  And all the bridesmaids wearing Chucks?  Well, I guess they must really be punk, then.

I have no piercings, no tattoos, have never had a "kooky" hair style or worn a motorcycle jacket yet I know with utter certainty that I am more punk than those people will ever be.  Punk is not just some costume that you put on and wear around to make you feel different.  It's not a bunch of cds that you listen to to give yourself street cred.  I'm not going to be stupid and say that it's a way of life but it is a way of thinking and creating and doing.  And it doesn't have to be some pissed off or angry hardcore attitude full of black clothes and piercings and tattoos.  It's a way of just being yourself, not adopting someone else's look or likes or tastes or lifestyle.

I can't stand that punk is now something that your kid dresses up as for Halloween or a shirt you can buy mass marketed at Target or Wal-mart.  It makes me sad to think of what's become of punk rock.  You've got a million crappy "punk" bands running around playing lousy pop songs and a million more people calling themselves punk because they listen to that crap and dress just like the bands.  It's just pathetic.  There was a time when punk actually meant something.  Now it doesn't mean shit.

Comments

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

oooh! Punk manifesto!

I hate to harsh your harsh, but I really think someone could have written this exact same thing 20 years ago and meant it.

Although the woman who had attended the "punk rock" wedding wouldn't have been thrilled; she would have been horrified.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Twenty years ago a punk rock wedding would have been punk because the people involved were punk, not because they had matching shoes and his and hers nose rings from Kay Jewelers.

[silk-noir.livejournal.com]

Dude, I know. I know. God.