Subcultural Discrimination

[kolibri [thread killer]]

An article posted on dailymail ( www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=509713&in_page_id=1770 )was brought to my attention a few weeks ago, and I started thinking. How much does society reject subcultures just because they are different and foreign to them? Whether it be Goth, punk, JPop or whatever. It's really beginning to get to be an issue in public places. One really good example is school. How many times has a kid been picked on and harrassed because they've chosen to join a subculture that their peers aren't used to? What do you guys think about this issue?

[CountessRachel]

Subculture, imo, is strictly a population/area thing. If you live in a small, rural town where everyone knows everybody, you're going to stand out if you go against the grain. However, if you live in a relatively modest-sized city, statistically, you're going to find at least one or two people in your same "subculture." Heck, in some cases the "norm" is looked down upon. I know where I was, you got talked bad about if you were a "prep."

For the small groups that get stigmatized for enjoying a style of music or dressing a certain way, so long as they have each other, I honestly think that they won't care what the majority thinks. If a person is all alone, they might cave to peer pressure and assimilate in order to fit in.

[kolibri [thread killer]]

I know people will generally stand out from the crowd and have both positive and negative attention drawn if they want to be different. But it becomes a problem when other people decide to verbally or physically harrass them about their decision. It's one thing to say that they're weird or strange and a another thing to attack or refuse services to someone because they're not the norm and basically getting off on it too.

[firefists101]

I know first-handedly that people are very cruel when it comes to being different. I was treated very coldly when I went goth/emo last year. Everyone teased me and said mean things. I was strong enough and smart enough to handle it and throw everything right back in their faces. I had to earn their respect in order to be who I wanted to be.

Now what CountessRachel said is true, population does have a large effect on the amount of harassment and negitivity toward an individual, but it all kind of ends up the same in the end. Just like she said, they have their own little groups of people that think and dress like them. That doesn't mean that they don't still want to be accepted by others though.

I think that this issue is totally dumb. I don't think people should be outcasted just because of what they like or wear. The people that push them aside are totally ignorant and nieve imo.

[Fireman]

You are right firefists101, people are very cruel when it comes to being different. I get wierd looks because I am I guy and I have really long hair. Even my family members (ecept my mom and grandpa) pick on me because of my hair.

[firefists101]

Thank you, Fireman.

The thing is, I don't understand why others are so ignorant and cruel to those different from them. I mean, why is society today so unaccepting?

[Paraiba Ocean]

I live in a city where it's a predominantly white or black population. There are only a handful of Hispanics, and even less Asians.

Therefore, any Hispanic friends I do have, are few and far between.

As far as the subculture goes, I don't really tell people about my fascination with Asian music because I don't really feel like people making a mockery of it. I know we're told not to let other people affect us, but some people can be mean. ;;

Thankfully, my closer friends are open to at least trying my music and if they don't like it, I usually try not to berate them about it.

I only wish they'd extend me the same courtesy...