The Punks Are Alright

            The documentary film The Punks Are Alright closely examines punk rock music as it exists around the world today, focusing on specific stories of people in Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia. Despite the diverse geography, the parallels of the movement across the globe reveals common, universal struggles facing millions of people, struggles of poverty, of identity, of economic depression, of dead-end jobs and no future, of hopelessness, and of powerlessness. The fact that these individuals, each of whom represent a broader social group in their respective countries, turn to punk as an answer is extremely telling of the current state of these countries. They say they protest against violence, against capitalism, and against globalization. Globalization seems to be the root of many of their sufferings; however, I would argue that at this point, it could also be the remedy.

            At first glance, punk-rock music seems like the most horrific outpouring of violent, angry, unruly, teenager yelling that has ever been created by anyone. The pounding drum and bass line combined with the repetitive power chords of the guitar and the shouting vocal line is difficult for many to stomach, let alone the spiked mohawks, sleeve tattoos, chains, piercings, and studded leather jackets that have all become integral parts of the punk rocker style. The movement is, by definition, underground, and consequently, concerts tend to be in rather small, cramped, probably very dirty venues. Each event is characterized by a mosh-pit of an audience; shoving, pushing, screaming, yelling, fist pumping, jumping, stomping around, crowd surfing, and other similar behaviors are completely acceptable, and in a sense, expected. The mood seems angry, dangerous, wild, and destructive.

            Misunderstood, I would say.

            After having watched the documentary, I can only feel respect and admiration for those who perform and listen to punk music. It is not about the music itself; it has never been about the music itself, but the beliefs, concepts, and ideologies that the music is, are revolutionary. For the youth of Brazil and Indonesia, I cannot imagine the kind of bravery it must require to be a dedicated fan or a dedicated musician of punk rock music. (I am purposefully excluding the Canadians from this. No offense, but their situation does not seem as comparable.) As we discussed in class, there seems to exist a direct correlation between the increase of poverty in an area and the increase of religious fundamentalism. It makes sense that when a person suffers materially, he or she is likely to turn to a higher power for answers. The communities in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Jakarta, Indonesia are incredibly poor, and, as the documentary revealed, religion was a huge part of both. Brazil is home to the largest population of Catholics in the world, and Indonesia is the home to the largest population of Muslims. The societal pressures placed upon a community like this cannot be overlooked. The courage it must take to shove off those pressures is something to be admired, and it reveals the potential force the youth of these nations has in instigating change in their communities.

            Music has a purpose in our lives; if it did not have a purpose, it would not have survived this long and this vibrantly in human history. Music fills my needs, and music fills the needs of Henrike and Dolly. This is how we are similar, despite the differences that separate us. My own personal suffering may seem paltry and pathetic in comparison to what Henrike and Dolly have seen in their lives, but nonetheless, we are connected by this. By examining the type of music we both look to in filling our needs reveals the depth of the nature of our needs. The fact that they both turn to punk rock is incredibly telling of the problems facing both individuals and both societies. In this way, music can be seen as a tool for understanding a culture and the issues associated with that culture. Both turn to punk because punk fills a need they both share.

            The effects of globalization are extensive and widespread. The documentary certainly shows the negative side of the increased flow of culture and economy across borders, and while watching this film, I cannot help but feel like the oppressor in these stories. I am the capitalist America who is building the factories in these third world nations. I am the consumer who is creating the demand for the products produced in the sweatshops where they work. I have all the wealth, all the technology, all the education, the opportunity, the arrogance, and they have the suffering. It is easy to see how our lives intersect economically; I buy the shoes Dolly makes in the factory where he works. We are both parts of a capitalist global economy.

Politically, the United States, Brazil, and Indonesia operate with representative governments, and so we have that in common as well, although that is not necessarily a negative effect of globalization. Culturally, we are growing closer, and there is good and bad that comes with that. There is an argument that exists criticizing the spread culture between nations as a ‘cultural gray-out,’ that this loss of diversity around the world is something to be mourned. Although there may be some truth to this argument, it is also worth considering the benefits of globalization. Punk, a music that originated in Western culture, is now available to billions of people in virtually any place in the world.  Bands from Canada inspire bands in Brazil, who send their music to Indonesians. In all of these places, punk is welcomed by thousands of people as a means of satisfying a desire to find an escape from the framework of their lives. The chaos of punk music is a reaction against the oppression and structure of living. Globalization may have caused the problem, but if it also provides, as Dolly would say, the remedy to the sickness, then it should be welcomed and utilized to its fullest potential.

Punk is considered to be a liberating and freeing music and style to its followers. A punk rocker is free to dress however, say whatever, be whoever, and step beyond their situation. There are no social, ethnic, or cultural limitations at a rock concert. The music is intentionally simple and accessible to everyone. There is no hierarchy in sound, form, behavior, or concept. Everyone is equal. It is the opposite of the economic and social realities in Brazil and Indonesia, but it opens the mind to an alternative framework. Punk rock is, essentially, participatory music. Because of this and because of its powerful appeal to so many people in these areas, the punk movement in the youth of these countries has the potential to grow into something greater than merely the music itself. Punk music, or any music for that matter, provides an alternative model for living and a means of transcending the framework of the people’s current situation.