Chapter 6 Summary and Analysis

Hebdige discusses the idea of subcultures as cultural "noise," representing interference in the mass culture. Such noise suggests a snag or blockage the dominant culture has failed to address for some people, a significant cultural discourse. Subcultures arise to challenge societal taboos that serve the status quo, thus drawing attention to the cultural blockage. These challenges involve transgressions, usually of language or behavior, which seem profane to the eyes of mass culture.

The dominant culture's engagement with a subculture is complex. Perverse styles incite a cultural fear of further hidden transgressions. These fears create a discourse where fearful imaginings are assumed true. The assumption of the violent punk is reinforced and sensationalized by the media, framing the subculture as a social problem. If one punk participates in violence, this behavior is understood (by the general public) to be representative of the...