MGP+AngieK

How does youth culture reflect social and political issues of the time?


 * Preface:**


 * Genre 1: Research Paper **

Youth culture reflects social and political issues of the time by demonstrating various modes; its fashion, music, and lifestyle. Youth culture is generally referred to lifestyle of youngsters who distinguish themselves from the culture of other generations of their community to reflect on their perspectives of the issues of that time. Around the mid-20th century, after World war II, due to the economic, political, and educational changes, many teenagers in the western part of the world have found out various methods to express themselves (Joshua). Today’s youth culture can be characterized by unique style of garments and dictions, and symbolization of distinctive behaviors to show that they are “different”. Among various youth subcultures in modern days, which frequently deal with their own trend and political perspectives, the most interesting and noteworthy movements were the Hippies and the Skinheads (Andrea).

Introduced in the early 1960s in the United States as a youth movement, the hippie subculture reflected the ideas of the youth toward their society. They prefer to grow their hair long and wear vintage clothes rather than new and formal ones. This style came from their hopes of being independent from all the modern artificial materials and bringing peace around the world. Not only does their style of clothes vary from other subcultures, but even the songs they listen to are unique such as, psychedelic rock (Joshua).

Liberal style and ideas of the hippies show their predilection for pacifism. Hippies were often participating in non-violence demonstrations, such as civil rights marches and anti-Vietnam war demonstrations (Andrea). They participated widely in political issues to stand up for peace. The Hippies influenced the issues of the World War II, during and also after the war. Hippie-influenced fashions began to influence the mainstream, especially for the youths and the young adults, many of whom were against the lifestyles of the time. This was noticed not only in terms of clothes, but also in music, film, art and literature. Not just in the United States but around the world Joshua).

Skinhead subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s is generally characterized by aggressive and rebellious behaviors and styles of young people. Their signature music style is rocksteady, punk as well as hardcore heavy metal. Their distinctive fashion styles include shaven heads, tattoos often on their faces and foreheads, black leather boots, and camouflage trousers, which all represent the group’s confrontational characteristics (Andrea).

Nowadays, however, skinheads subculture in the United States mostly reflects contemporary American political and racial issues. The general image of skinheads in the United States is mostly considered as racially-motivated youths in working class blaming non-white immigrants, especially blacks and Asians, for economic and social problems.

media type="youtube" key="GsC0BCAwkb4" width="425" height="350"

This clip is from a movie, //American History X//, which tells the story of Skinheads. Listening to the lyrics you can see how they are extremely racist.

"My eyes have seen the glory of the trampling at the zoo We've washed ourselves in niggers blood and all the mongrels too We've taken down the zog machine Jew by Jew by Jew !! The white man marches on!"


 * Genre 2: Interview **

** Interviewer: Hello, there! Hippie: uhh... me? Interviewer: Yes! YOU! Hippie: oh... why, hello! haha... Interviewer: Can I ask you some questions? Hippie: Sure! what would you like to know? Interviewer: Well, I'm actually here to interview about your style! Hippie: My style? Interviewer: Yes, I'm from the streetsearchers.com. Hippie: What is exactly streetsearchers.com? Interviewer: It's where we uploads pictures that we took from the streets to show people around the world people's style in the streets. And I think your outfits today is very unique! Hippie: Oh! I heard about your website, some of my friends were interviewed also! Interviewer: I guess your friends are very stylish and unique! Hippie: I think it's because we all wear vintage clothes that you don't see anymore in the streets. Today, many people are just shopping for the expensive, high-quality, and famous designer clothes, not like us. Interviewer: Why is that? Hippie: We want to go back to the nature! Our world is getting disturbed by all the new technology and machines. It wasn't like this before, we've gone too far... So many of us are trying to stop this from happening. We would protest against the government to stop the war and we also symbolize ourselves by our looks. However, we are not a great help to our earth. No one would listen to us. We need PEACE! Interview: Well, now hearing your story... Do you call yourself a hippie? Because from what I know peace is what all hippies want? Hippie: Yes, I do actually call myself and my friends the hippies. And you know what? Someday everyone will call themselves a hippie. We would all go back to the nature and live peacefully! Interview: I think that will be awesome! Well, for now can yoeu explain me about your outfit? Hippie: I am wearing....uh....it's all vintage... hahaha Interviewer: You sure love vintage! Hippie: We all should try wearing vintage! Interviewr: Thankyou for your interveiw with the street searchers! Bye!
 * with a hippie:

Proposal:sdf Genre #3 will be a list of photos.  culchie (Ireland) edelweiss pirates electroclash kids emo goths hip-hop hipsters hippy mod/mods and rockers skaters skinheads
 * Genre 3 **


 * Works cited:**

1. Andrea MacDonald. "Youth culture: Encyclopedia- Youth Culture." //Global Oneness.// 1 September 2009. []

//2.// Joshua St. John. "Youth culture- subcultures." //Knowledgerrush// []

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinheads#Racism.2C_anti-racism_and_politics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippie#Culture

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=american+history+x+part+1&search_type=&aq=3&oq=american+history

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouphOqv7qlk

http://www.justsomelyrics.com/1579271/American-History-X-Nazi-song-Lyrics

http://images.google.co.kr/imglanding?imgurl=http://lavieboston.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/navajo-chic-by-anna-sui-isabel-marant-matthew-williamson-and-etro.jpg&imgrefurl=http://thecraftycameleon.blogspot.com/&usg=__oXLVUyw8tpw0HNkoWGFwJLxFW1E%3D&h=660&w=825&sz=145&hl=ko&um=1&tbnid=R_404ocdsT1EPM:&tbnh=115&tbnw=144&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhippies%2Bon%2Brunway%2B2009%26hl%3Dko%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1%26newwindow%3D1&q=hippies+on+runway+2009&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=G&um=1&newwindow=1&start=2
 * pictures**

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