Difference between subculture and counterculture

Anthropology
2023-04-25T21:49:46+00:00

Difference between subculture and counterculture

Difference between subculture and counterculture

Culture is the set of values, beliefs, norms and customs that people share in a society. However, within each society there are groups that share certain cultural characteristics different from those of the majority, thus forming subcultures.

Subcultures are groups that differ from the dominant culture in some ways, but are not necessarily opposed to it. Examples of subcultures can be skaters, hippies, punks, among others. The term subculture refers to a smaller group within a society into which the culture is subdivided.

counterculture

Furthermore, the counterculture It is a movement in which an opposition to the dominant culture occurs in society. In this case, the group is defined by its denial of the values ​​and customs of the culture in which they live. The counterculture seeks a break with established society and proposes an alternative way of life and thought.

The counterculture emerges as a response to the dominant culture, usually as a form of rebellion against it. These types of movements can be temporary, in an attempt to change social norms and influence the dominant culture, or permanent, creating an alternative to the prevailing culture.

Examples of counterculture

An example of counterculture can be the hippie movement in the United States during the 60s. Hippies opposed the American culture of the time, rejecting violence, materialism and the Vietnam War. Hippies advocated free love, pacifism and life in communes. Although this movement had little influence on mainstream culture, it did have an impact on later counterculture and rock music of the time.

Another example is the punk movement, which emerged in the 70s in the United Kingdom. Punks were differentiated from the dominant culture by their aggressive aesthetics and music and their anti-capitalist discourse. Punks were seen as a threat by the establishment of the time due to their attitudes and way of dressing and expressing themselves. Although the punk movement has largely dissolved, its ideas and aesthetics have influenced subsequent mainstream culture.

Conclusion

In summary, the main difference between subculture and counterculture is that the former differentiates itself from the dominant culture without opposing it, while the latter seeks a radical transformation of the values ​​and customs of the prevailing society.

  • Subcultures are not usually a threat to society.
  • Countercultures seek a transformation in society.

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