>This is my major bone of contention with the contemporary
>punk/hardcore/Food Not Bombs/anarchist type scene. I personally don't
>think there's anything particularly rebellious about DIY culture. It's
>basically petit-bourgeois entrepreneurial spirit.
DIY culture also tends to get its impetus from that uber-American trait, rugged individualism. Plus it's usually content with its insular little subculture and doesn't try to take its (sometimes) great ideas and energy to another level, to try to bring about change in the whole of society rather than just parts of it; elements of punk that do try to make that leap are usually called sellouts (check out Stephen Duncombe's Notes from Underground for excellent descriptions of how this dynamic has played out).
But still...
>I mean, we he-man
>Leftists are always poking fun at Greens for thinking that buying from a
>food co-op and using Working Assetts long distance is contributing to
>social change. So how come the punk rock kids get a free pass?
While I think your point has some validity, there is at least one big differences between the two. The WALD revolution consists of social change through shopping. Check out their advertisements: "Hates Polluters, Loves Plastic" (which should just come out and say what it really means: "hates conservatives, loves capitalism"). But also check out what their whole business is predicated on: consumption. The more phone calls you make, the more golden-cheeked warblers we can save and the more protest letters we will send to Jesse Helms. Buy more, spend more, because every time you do you are helping to make the world a better place.
Punk/DIY, or at least the best of it, pretends no such thing. In fact, the best elements are aware of and try to minimize the exploitation that is inherent in anything that operates under capitalism's yoke, including the records they make and the tours they take; they don't celebrate consumption as the way out, but recognize, even try to counteract, its insipidity. That's why Discord sells its records for eight dollars. That's why punk labels have created not-for-profit distribution systems. That's why amongst punk labels there is an unspoken code that spells out what is responsible and nonexploitative advertising.
Of course it's easy to laugh at the naivete--and I do--but I think what some of these people have done is quite admirable. Is it ideal? Of course not. But if, outside of your valid critique, their main failing is that they haven't envisioned and created the Great Alternative, then we are all failures; even the smart people--Marx through Henwood--who know how the inner workings of capitalism have yet to set forth, let alone set in motion, a threat to the prevailing order. Perhaps we should all meet at the corner bar and see if, by consuming enough Miller Lite, we can undermine capitalism (well, I'll drink Anchor Steam, the rest of you can have Lite). We could invite Stanley Aronowitz to flatter us with how transgressive and democratic we are being.
> D. Boon was still a genius.
RIP *sniff*
>As for your Fugazi story, I personally think that whole DC hardcore scene
>reeks of proto-fascism. At least, I don't THINK Minor Threat is being
>ironic in the lyrics to "Guilty of Being White," but you never know.
Probably not, but Ian MacKaye was also like 17 when he wrote that song. This is pure conjecture, but my guess is that he listens to it now and says, What the fuck was I thinking. As for the fascism, I can see your point. Any groups whose ethic is don't smoke, don't drink, don't-fuck, and preaches that ethic constantly and forcefully, is bound to be guilty of bordering on fascistic. But there is something pretty exhiliarating when MacKaye screams "at least i'm fucking trying/what the fuck have you done?" Perhaps the exhiliaration comes from testosterone. But I'd rather have testosterone-driven, teenage boys listening to that than out doing date rapes.
Eric