No System, No Conformity

No System At All?

You can be against the current system of government, society, and even the world. Hell, sometimes I wonder if they're trying to turn people against them, but to say that you’re against systems in general is an oxymoron because that is a system in itself. Punk is a system. It’s a system of speaking out against our leaders and society, and standing up for what you believe in. It's about going to shows to support your favorite bands and getting beat up in the pit or pogoing along side everyone else. It’s a system of unusual appearance, often with clothing sporting offensive messages, images, or making some sort of point, wild colored hair in outrageous styles, and a pretty common look over all; to each other, that is. It’s basically a system of rebellion. A rebellion against the normal way of life of most people in this country or on this earth. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that way of life, but it’s still a system. Even things as common and overlooked as getting up in the morning, going to bed at night, getting dressed everyday, and showering as often as you may are all part of a system.

Not a Conformist in the Least?

You don’t have to conform to the average American/human lifestyle to be a conformist. It’s a matter of what you conform to, rather than if you choose to conform or not. Being a punk is a kind of conformity. You’re conforming to the basic punk lifestyle, look, etc. Every punk may not be exactly the same, but it’s still the basic structure. Just like how your mom and your principal could both be what is most commonly known as a “conformist”, but one could be a catholic, the other protestant. One a married parent, and the other a widower. They’re still both conformists despite their differences. It’s not just punk that's a type of conformity; it could be anything. A druggie, a Christian, a metalhead, a college student, or even an Amish child… anything. Overall, it's not really conformity that they're against; it’s the traditional way of life...

Author's Note

This is article is taken from a book I was writing in 2005. I had started writing it because I had so many ideas and debates going on in my head that I needed some way to release it. This is not meant to offend anyone.