Guido As A Counterculture

The development of how people perceive words is a strange thing. Words that meant something ten or twenty years ago may mean something completely different today. This is somewhat the case for Guidos, who experienced this turnaround quite rapidly compared to others. Originally, the word Guido held a lot of negative connotations (and it can be argued that it still does) and was used by bigots to negatively describe working class Italian Americans. But, as of late, the definition of the word has changed, which is speculated to have occurred either in the 1970’s or the 1980’s. There are some similarities between the two definitions, as they both speak of working class Italian Americans, but they are so different at the same time. Prior to the
A counterculture is a culture or group that attempts or succeeds unknowingly in countering a societal norm of the time. Just like the gay liberation groups challenged society’s views on homosexuals, modern Guidos countered the previous definition of the word and transformed it into something more positive. While the term is still technically controversial, there’s no arguing that the whole light of the word has changed exponentially. The word has went from something degrading and humiliating to Italians to something that is to be embraced. To older Italians who lived through the previous definition and experienced it first hand, it will be almost impossible to change their views on the word, but to younger Italian Americans it provides identity and is very empowering. There is not a ton of meanings attached to this counterculture, though there are a few catchphrases and phenomenon among the culture, all stemming from again, The Jersey Shore. Most notable being GTL, which is an acronym for Gym, Tan, Laundry, which is a routine that is sacred in the Guido culture. The second most popular one is probably the term Smush, which is a euphemism for intercourse (Netflix and Chill, anyone?). While there are not many specific ideas or meanings, the ones that exist do a really great job of summing up the culture, and have become exponentially popular and lucrative over the years. Guido culture is very misunderstood. Most view it as just a dumb trend, and perhaps that is what it was intended to be, but unknowingly it has accomplished a lot more. At the very least, it has turned an offensive word into a more positive identity, and that is admirable in and of itself. While The Jersey Shore has been long since cancelled, the popularity and influence it has brought to the culture