Blessing Opara

Blessing Opara
Reading Response 6: Identity of Subcultures

Subcultures are cultures within the mainstream or parent culture that hold distinct values, practices, and beliefs. They provide a sense of identity and belonging for individuals who don’t necessarily fit societal standards. As subcultures give them the chance to find people similar to them whether through their common beliefs or interests and allows them the ability to make their own community and further develop their sense of self. Thus, the groups of people that seek out subcultures overall seek to find similar others that also want to essentially escape or separate themselves from the wider society as they feel as though their concerns are neglected within the mainstream culture so they form their own communities (or subculture) in which to seek out solutions for their concerns. The reading, “Subculture: The Meaning of Style,” Dick Hebdige discusses this emergence of subcultures primarily concerning punk and reggae subcultures which formed due to common resistance at the margins of society. As most subcultures consist of marginalized groups that face oppressive social conditions, the
Individuals in this community socialize themselves by finding a place of belonging within a subculture such as fandom, hipster, or goth and then interacting with like-minded individuals who also shares the common interest or belief. Moreover, these individuals become socialized within these subcultures by finding others who feel neglected by societal standards and have differing values and beliefs that match up with their sense of identity. Thus, subcultures essentially allow marginalized populations to develop their own communities that share common values, practices, interests, and even fashion tastes to form their own distinct sense of identity separate from the mainstream