One of the popular subcultures around the 60’s from a working class background was the Mod’s. This group was a type of smooth delinquents, imitating a little of the upper class, “aspiring to be competitive, snobbish phoney” ( Nuttal 1969, cited in comparative youth culture, Rake M pg74). As mentioned they were of British born, even though they had a distinct middle class style combined in their appearance, were also some black culture which they adopted, presenting themselves a rough look and taking on the black music and spending time in the local black hangouts such as clubs.
The Mods were typically associated with scooters which they normally used as a means of transport to get to the sea fronts; the public describes them as having too many boys on each scooter then allowed (folk devils and moral panics, Cohen.s)
The second subculture was the Mods rival, the Rockers. They were also around the same time as the Mods and also spent their time on the sea fronts fighting each other. This is were the vandalism erupted from and the picture that these groups represented danger and violence. Their name Rockers is self explanatory in terms of dress: big boots, leather jackets and rough looking jeans. Compared to the Mods means of transport, the Rockers drove around in motor bikes, revving their engines and sending a message that they are dangerous. Another difference between the two is that the Mods were more of a lads group with little interest in females and dating.
Another popular subculture amount the working class was the skinheads, they were famous for their obvious racist attitudes and hatred towards homosexuals. The skinheads dressed similar to the others: worn jeans, big boots and their hair was shaved off completely. They appeared violent and dangerous were also referred to as tending to look for trouble.
There are other groups among the working and middle class, such as the Goths, hippies and punks. The former three that were mentioned are generally associated with violence and crime, with a tendency to involve the public in their youth activities. The type of drug that was popular amongst these subcultures was weed (skunk, hash etc) and the latter were more involved in class a drugs such as heroin, ecstasy and other pills. These three subcultures were more politically minded, their focus was how not to fall in to the trap of the system. Therefore theses groups consisted mostly of school drop outs and unemployed youths who were deviating from societal norms. Their belief and interest was to promote individualism and attack conformity- however it can be argues that a new turned hippy is actually conforming to their shared beliefs and interests?
The focus on this essay will be more on the Mods, Rockers and skinheads, because they were more working class associated middle class youth subcultures. ]
In terms of social class being important or not, one can argue that through being part of a sub or counterculture the individual has created his identity that his social class has no part in and it should not matter what their background was. It may be the case that these youths are trying their best to wash that status from themselves and trying to hide it, as social class will have an impact on others judgment towards a middle class youth. The middle class youth may want to just fit in with his chosen group with out too much questioning and uncovering of their upbringing, this act in itself could be seen as a cry fro normalcy. From the middle class parent view, it is very much the case that such deviating behaviour is disliked and should be avoided at all costs. This is because the parents have built up a noble representation of themselves among their family and associates, which the child has a danger of destroying through his misbehaving acts. It is quite different for the working class parents; they expect their children to cause trouble on the neighbourhood at some point of their youthful time, because this is normal. This same idea is taken on by the government and society as a whole as the official statistics for crime 2004 state that every teenager is expected to shoplift at some point of the adolescent life (homeoffice.gov) this gives us, the society an idea that it is normal and expected, therefore can be used as an excuse for such behaviours.
The middle class youth tend to take up or conform to these subcultures from the working class youths and believe it to be 'cool' and popular. They take part in these activities for the sake of having a good time, whether it be vandalising or harassing the public. A modern example to illustrate these types of behaviours is, if we look at the difference between Prince William and Prince Harry. William is the perfect prince picture, good-looking, kind person and very well behaved. On the other hand we have Prince Harry who has been in the media for his opposite behaviour: getting drunk with friends, chasing girls, fighting and accused of taking drugs. It can be argued that this type of behaviour is more working class related and defiantly not the picture of an upper/middle class upbringing.
In terms of class and importance of it I have discussed how important it may be to get rid of that label. however from a working class youths point of view, one can argue that class may be important in joining a particular sub or counter culture if it is more popularly existing around the middle class such as the hippies or Goths. The working class youth may well argue and say it should not matter in the same sense that it will be the same argument from a middle class youths view: social status should not matter as I want to be part of a group or I share the same interest as this group which has nothing to do with class. This challenge may be more agreed on as support for class should not matter in subcultures. The whole idea of becoming a part of a separate group is that one is creating a new identity so the background should not be important. Being part of this group is their identity and they are representing their way of life through their outward expression whether it is a leather jacket and motor bike or their outrageous hair colour and drug taking habits.
The Mods and or Rockers will share an idea that they are a Mod or a Rocker and this is what they do: vandalise public property and are loud and disruptive, because they enjoy it. Such a view is excusing ones behaviour, for example they are allowed to commit these crimes because they are such a type of person. This leads me on to the concept of labelling firstly proposed by Becker he suggests that groups of people or individuals are labelled as a whole or stereotyped because of a common act or way of life. Jock Young further develops this to deviance amplification which is also supported by Cohen: an individual (s) is may be arrested for a particular act. The media then exaggerates this act and who or what type of people they are committed by. The law enforcers then look out for that type of person through their appearance and tend to arrest them. The end result is that in theory people are arrested before they have committed a crime. This can either be a middle class or working class youth as both parties end up dressing all the same so one can find it a little difficult to distinguish the difference.
In conclusion the argument still stands to an extent that class is important in youth subcultures but varies when different aspects are considered such as important from a the actual youths view and from both classes. Also if it is important from a theorists view. In terms of trying to find a more relevant answer one must decide which view point to challenge this from
Words: 1890
Bibliography:
Cohen. S folk devils and moral panics, (1973)
Frith. S the sociology of youth (1984)
Hall. S & Jefferson. T Resistance through rituals (1976) edited version
Rake. M comparative youth culture (1991)
Willis. P learning to labour (1977)
Zahida begum
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