Punk is a term applied to a child or teenager who acts in an antisocial way. Punk music is a form of rebellion, and it turned against all other musical forms and influences at its time of creation.
Punk music is as much cultural as it is musical. It is anarchic, against society, and against everything in established order. Patrick Goldstein’s article, “Violence Sneaks into Punk Scene”, is about one man’s observation of the experiences with violenceand aggressive nature of youth’s rebellion. In the author’s opinion, “The accounts of senseless violence, vandalism, and even mutilation at some area rock clubs read like a report from a war zone. ” Throughout Goldstein’s article, Freudian theory can be utilized to explain the aggressive nature of the punk movement and youths involved in it.
There are many different theories as to human nature. One of these theories exists under the thoughts of a prominent philosopher, and founder of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. His deductive argument entails his conclusion that man is bad, or as Freud explains it in his book, Civilization and Its Discontents, “Homo homini lupus. ” This phrase literally means man is a wolf to man.
Freud felt all men are innately evil and his aggression lies within him as part of human nature. Freud felt aggression can be hidden deep in our subconscious and explode in certain situations. In Goldstein’s article, there are many examples to show Freud’s opinion to be true. As one punk rocker stated, “It’s no wonder there are so many fights . . .
these idiots kept punching us in the back. Finally I got fed up and started hitting these guys, even though they were bigger than me. ” Another was quoted as saying, “All they want to do is fight. And next time I’m going to be ready to give’ em one. ” When we have provoked someone with any form of aggression or violence, the first reaction, even if it is not considered normal for their particular behavior, is to show aggression in return.
Aggression does not have to be subconscious in nature. It can be on the surface of our behavior and in constant use. Our inclination to aggression is apparent in one’s relationship with their neighbors and apparent in what they see as every day, casual behavior. One manager of a club remembered a situation dealing with two young women from a local punk band. “While one was talking to me, the other went into the girls’ room and broke a bunch of beer bottles in the sink and ran her hands through the glass. Then she came out to talk to me, blood steaming down her arms.
” Others reported situations where several girls would carve X’s into their arms with broken glass in support for a local band. Self mutilation in a show of aggressive behavior can come with positive outcomes and continues to reaffirm violence and aggression. Freud also believed aggression is another human instinct that brings us joy and happiness. However, civilization refuses any acts of violence, it oppresses this need of aggression deep in our consciousness. The first thing we do when no one is watching is anything civilization refuses to allow us to do.
Goldstein, in his article, describes the dance craze called the Slam. He believes it is, “an organized gang of punk youths, leading to numerous incidents of violence at many area clubs. ” On the contrary, a member of an area band the Germs who would be considered a participant observer feels, “If they’re doing that (Slam), then Iknow they are having fun. ” Freud’s opinion of releasing aggression, bringing about happiness and going about it by defying civilization and cultural opinion, is the underlying reason for the punk movement. As seen through the classic examples of aggressive behavior in Goldstein’s article, Freud’s argument comprises factually correct statements, for both his time and the punk movement. His arguments conclusion is well supported and his premises meet the conditions of a deductive argument with relevance and ground.
This means that wherever we come from, whatever our culture is, we are aggressive by nature. From that sense, civilization steps in with a beneficial purpose, as it tames the human nature. However, civilization creates human source of worry and distress, and oppresses our basic human instinct.
