#ivegotyourback

To alleviate any confusion, here’s an extremely solid description of what Punk is.

Discussion

Punk is not just a style or a musical genre—it’s a whole culture. At its core, punk is working-class, left-leaning, and rooted in an art-based ethos. It’s a movement that embraces all the facets that come with being a true culture—history, art, fashions, music, literature, philosophies, social customs, and ideologies. Punk has its own set of values, a mosaic of ideas that have been forged over decades, and while not everyone agrees on everything, there are some key threads that run through it.

First and foremost, punk is anti-authoritarian and fiercely anti-fascist. It rejects oppressive systems, whether they be political, social, or cultural. Punk fights against any form of control or oppression that stifles freedom, individuality, and expression. The punk ethos is one of resistance: resisting systems that force conformity, resisting censorship, and resisting the status quo.

Punk is pro-vulgarity, pro-noise, and pro-expression—even if that expression is jarring or controversial. It’s about saying the things you’re not supposed to say, rejecting polite, sanitized versions of reality. Punk is not about being agreeable; it’s about being honest, loud, and real, even if that means offending people along the way. It’s the rawness of unfiltered thought and emotion, the kind of speech that doesn’t fit neatly into society’s comfortable boxes. This freedom of expression is a key part of what makes punk a living, breathing culture.

It’s utilitarian and working class, in the sense that punk values practical, direct action and rejects elitism. It’s not about luxury or convenience, but about making do with what you have and standing up for the people who get the least attention in society—the underdogs, the outsiders, the marginalized. Punk speaks to the reality of living in a world that often doesn’t care about the struggles of ordinary people, and it gives voice to those who are often unheard.

Punk is also a culture of DIY (Do It Yourself). It’s about creating your own music, your own art, your own fashion, your own rules. It’s about taking control of your own narrative, and rejecting the idea that only the mainstream or the commercially sanctioned can create culture. Punk has always been about making things happen yourself, even when you don’t have a budget, even when you don’t have the resources. It’s about self-reliance and independence.

Punk is a culture that challenges and deconstructs traditional notions of beauty, success, and normalcy. It embraces imperfection, messiness, and the beauty of chaos. It’s not about fitting in; it’s about standing out, questioning everything, and always pushing forward.

It’s a culture of ideas—of radical, critical thinking that doesn’t accept things as they are just because they’ve always been that way. Punk engages with philosophy, politics, and social issues, but does so in a way that’s accessible, that doesn’t demand you have a degree or a specific set of credentials to participate. It’s about community, dialogue, and the shared goal of challenging injustice in all its forms.

Ultimately, punk is a celebration of freedom—freedom to think, to express, to live, and to be exactly who you are without apology. It’s messy, loud, and at times uncomfortable, but it’s never boring. It’s a culture of rebellion, yes, but also one of creativity, solidarity, and a refusal to bow down to anything that tries to silence or oppress. It’s an ongoing conversation that refuses to be neatly categorized or defined. Punk isn’t just something you can put on or take off—it’s a mindset, a lifestyle, and a movement that continues to evolve as long as there are people willing to fight for a different world.

Punk is incompatible with the majority of modern right wing ideas, and therefore, cannot be inclusive of them.

Homophobia, racism, capitalism, right or left wing authoritarianism…. Aren’t what the culture of punk has built itself to be.

UPDATE 2

Punk is also very fun… it’s not all doom and gloom and political rants.

It’s also a great time at a shitty house show.

UPDATE 3

Old heads..… don’t harass younger punks who enjoy the aesthetics and fashion of punk… y’know… the aesthetics and fashions that YOUR generation created?