When oppositional forces reach critical mass, countercultures can trigger dramatic cultural changes. The Doors The Doors were an American rock band that arose in the Los Angeles area in the mid-1960s at the emergence of the Counterculture movement. Best known for being a founding acid rock band that was unparalleled, they drew influence from many other genres. Jim Morrison, their lead singer, was one of the most iconic people of the Counterculture movement due to his often rebellious conduct and eccentricity. While historians have examined the intricacy and degree of the 1960s counterculture, their analysis of the popular culture that was closely linked to the persistent focus on “hippie” culture from San Francisco.
From the suffragettes to the campaigners of the ‘60s, women were able to gain the rights to vote, equality under the law, as well as increased educational opportunities. However, this does not mean that all women gained these rights automatically; this change took perseverance and the better part of a century, especially for African American women, who were not seen as equals until over forty years after the 19th Amendment was ratified. It is also important to recognize that while the counterculture movement may not have had many legal footholds, it’s standing effects on modern American life continue to shine through. The counterculture movement’s goals envisioned a peaceful America free of prejudice and injustice, much like its sister movement. The nonconformists of counterculture were the biggest threat to the conservatives of anti-communist America, yet also was the salvation of the equal rights movements to
A truly unique American mass culture saw its creation in the 1920’s where radio shows and movies could be shared all over the country and more Americans were living in cities than ever before. The creation of mass culture in America could be seen as a side effect of all of these new technologies and societal differences that took place in the 20s. Time space compression also had a large effect on mass culture as well. In the 20s because of the creation of new technologies. people could now communicate throughout the country and develop their own similar culture.
Freed from the limits and restraints of dominant culture, one can experiment with new ways of seeing and being and develop tools and resources for resistance. The new ideas and skills, confidence and comrades cultural resistance works as a kind of stepping stone into political activity. Cultural resistance can be part of politics of space. Politics is often considered essentially a cultural discourse, a shared set of symbols and meanings. The practice of the term has extended from processes to organizations, cultural communities and to individuals.
Baofu (2009) further explains the culture industry as, “Popular culture is akin to a factory producing standardized cultural goods to manipulate the masses into passivity; the easy pleasures available through consumption of popular culture make people docile and content, no matter how difficult their economic circumstances.” (p. 184). The homogenized is arrived at through deception, this then is the opposite of what Adrono and Horkheimer wrote about with regards to the Enlightenment. Adrono (1991c:92) as quoted in (Witkin 2003) states, “The effect of the culture industry is one of anti-enlightenment, in which, as Horkheimer and I have noted, enlightenment, that is the progressive technical domination of nature, becomes mass deception and is turned into a means for fettering consciousness.” (p.49). Advertising plays an important role in creating false needs, for example, instance of when the capitalist advertises to buy this perfume and you will smell like Rihanna. The persuasion by the advertisement and images gives a false reality that is the social control.
In the 1960s, an unprecedented social revolution began in which young men and women turned away from the current American society. White middle-class teens transformed their outlook to a hippy counterculture involving experimenting with new ______, peace, new religious beliefs, and political stances, as an act of pursuit towards the idea of liberty, self expression, and pleasure. As the pressures of society increased, so did teens desires to escape it all. This psychedelic age brought people with higher concerns for their community and planet, yet relaxed their social mores. By rejecting their parents views, they had the opportunity to develop into their own person, free of parental and social influence.
Their “deviance” as seen by society is a way of trying to accomplish social justice, anti-racism, having a non-prejudiced environment among other problems they are trying to overcome. In the 1979 book by Dick Hebdige “Subculture: The Meaning of Culture” the book and its content relates more to the Birmingham School, Hebdige argued that a subculture is a way of destroying the normalcy. These subcultures are seen as negative due to the criticism is given to them by media outlets and how they fight against the societal norms, but they are also a way of solace for those standing out, those who feel neglected by the society. Their togetherness with one belief, like-minds makes them get a sense of belongingness and an identity that is theirs. In this essay, the main themes discussed
Although nowadays this lifestyle isn’t quite so common, this part of society set the path for new discoveries for the generation of the youth to come, empowering them to use their young minds to change the world. With the support of the evidence shown, it’s clear the hippies of the 1960’s often rejected the preoccupation of material goods, the average job routine, and mainstream values that identified America as a
Beginning in the 1960’s, a new age of counterculture was on the rise. These radicals believed in fighting the social machine that before, had made the cookie-cutter lifestyle a status-quo. With this came political activism and a new generation
Some even call it a lie since, “no evidence that any subcultural values required or condoned illegal behavior” (Erlanger, 1979). Erlanger’s idea basically discredits the theory in its entirety. Negative connotations are no stranger to this theory and as result, it has decreased in relevance. However, the subcultural theory is still a thing and affecting criminal behavior significantly. Subcultural theory deals with class as its primary vehicle.