Chapter 8 Summary and Analysis

Hebdige refutes the notion that subcultures exist as lawless forms, suggesting instead that subcultures observe alternative value systems to differentiate themselves from the parent culture. This separation is achieved materially through the subculture's adoption and adaption of objects seen by the group as meaningful. Skinheads adopt boots, braces and cropped hair to represent the subculture's values of masculinity, hardness and working class. These objects form the collective self-image of the culture.

This notion breaks down when applied to the punks. Punks, by virtue of their perpetual rebellion and impermanence, hold nothing sacred. They are less concerned with specific objects than with the shock and awe they might potentially generate. Since they are lacking in consistent iconography, it is difficult to definitively establish what is or is not "punk" without making assumptions beyond the empirical. Examining specific objects as to their role...