Where’s the rejection of Modern Media, where is Punk?

Art by Sasha Guobadia

Mohawks, studded leather jackets, and plaid, loud music on stage, smoking outside, moshing, initials carved into bathroom stalls. That’s what you can expect at a Punk show, though that only describes what happens on the surface. Wars across the ocean, a silent pact not to end the world, the warming earth, and presidential corruption. People gathered together, dressed to reflect their voice, partied to forget, fundraised, created zines to spread their words, and fought back. 

In the 1970s, being Punk wasn’t just to signal to others in the subculture but rather to follow Punk's underlying philosophies, non-conformity, anti-capitalism, anti-authoritarianism, and direct action. All contributing to a sort of dissonance. The pioneers of Punk were reclaiming the word that once referred to petty criminals, cowards, weaklings, amateurs, apprentices, and inexperienced youths in general. Punk, then and now, understands that it is not mainstream or classy; they wear spikes to lean into the stereotypes, they scream their lyrics because they aren’t being heard. In a time of uncertainty, Punk had a grip on Western culture as a way to cope.  

This all begs the question, where is Punk now? It was a cultural movement that spanned from the 1970s to the early 2000s. You would think now more than ever, Punk would have a rejuvenation to its previous strength, especially when we think back to when it was born, the 70s, when the world was grappling with the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Energy Crisis, and Watergate. Punk was a direct reaction to the world being on fire, having no escape, no voice in these matters. Doesn’t that sound familiar? Gaza, Ukraine, large companies like Meta are preying on us, Trump's authoritarian escapades with DOGE, and an ever-looming recession that could make us collapse at any second. Punk wasn’t just a reaction to what was happening; it was a coping mechanism, a way to deal with nihilism. When the world feels like it’s falling apart, people use Punk as an outlet, creating music, poetry, and Zines to express their hatred for society and mourn a world that could have led with human nature. 

Punk may not come back with mohawks and plaid pants, but I believe our generation has a Punk Nihilism to us that we’ve gained from these shitty cards we’ve been dealt. Are you benefiting from capitalism anymore? I thrift and mend my clothes with a do-it-yourself attitude. Our generation has been Nihilistic from the beginning. I’ve seen “low buy year” YouTube videos. Yes, they are a product of our economy, but more importantly, they share the same Anti-Consumerist philosophies. In class, I’m told to find “my style,” to be unique is to have a voice. And Americans love to say we are the land of the free, but what kind of Authoritarian bullshit am I witnessing, but fearful to speak out against? The seeds have been planted, and I believe Punk could be a catalyst for our generation to cope.

Kaeden Green