Subcultural Identities

Published 31 Oct 2016

The history of sub-cultural identity and international inter-exchange or migration date back to human civilizations, this helps to establish international communication and will have its impact on the evolution of culture and customs. In this era of globalization, every country is accepting globalization phenomena and international migrations which may lead to an increase in minority culture and this will influence the evolution of local culture and customs by accepting minority culture. Sub-cultures may be of political, modern, religious and geographical

Political Culture

The United States is a federal constitutional republic, president forming the head. Most schools in U.S teach declaration of independence, constitution, definition of the countries governing ideology. The main things of modern political culture in U.S include democracy, equality before law, freedom of religion and speech.

Barbie Culture

Ruth Handler introduced Barbie dolls in 1959 at American Toy Expo, New York and it soon gained a huge response from teenagers of United States. Barbie became the cultural icon in the US and there were at least 2.5 Barbie’s in every house in the US.

Barbie’s body posture has influenced many young girls in and outside of US irrespective of their age, race and religion. Barbie has changed the terms of fashion in the US with her new appeal in fashion and with her body which is completely unnatural. As result of Barbie’s many girls tried to compare themselves with Barbie dolls of the small waist and large breasts and this increased plastic surgeries in the US and approximately half billion USD plastic surgeries are being done in the US every year. Those who can’t afford plastic surgery are taking loans and gifts to make a surgery.

Cindy Jackson forty-year-old American women have undergone 29 operations with the cost of $55000 to look like Barbie doll, she had an operation to remove wrinkles below the eye and made tattoos on her body to look attractive.Sarah Dunant, a writer opposes plastic surgery and she says that plastic surgery will kill feminism which is to make yourself something else rather being your own. But Philip Hodson, other writer says that people should be free to do whatever with their body and he also insists that what is needed to change yourself when you look beautiful. (Joshua Schindler)

The trend set by these Barbie dolls brought a revolution in fashion concern of women as well some men. Body art like tattoos and body piercing are seen common in many youngsters in the US. Advertising agency emphasizes thinness and due to the effect of Barbie in the ages of 18-34, seven percent of the women are very slim and thin like super models. (Olds, 1999).

Barbie is not only a doll but also wardrobe of clothing and a house with sophisticated kitchen, fine living room, and bedroom which is the dream of every teenage girl. In these days everyone compares their selves with Barbie’s and celebrities so Barbie has introduced dolls with celebrity faces and this created a mini consumer world by respecting and valuing consumers. (Joshua Schindler)

Tattooing and body piercing:

Tattooing and body piercing are nowadays more common among women than men in America. Individuals below 30 years are attracted more than the older generation.

The English culture of tattooing goes back to the period of James cook, who encountered tattoo’s in 1769 while visiting ‘Tahiti’. The English word ‘TATTOO’ was derived from the Samoan word ‘TATAU’. In the previous year’s tattoos were used mainly as a badge of belongings but now they are used to express the individuality which can be their favorite person, place, picture, and birth sign and so on.Even the picture may be a Barbie doll too. Some individuals cover most of the body parts by tattooing.

The habits of body piercing and tattooing practiced worldwide has some dangerous outcomes like skin allergic reaction due to the metal components in inks which can range from eczema to red lumps in the skin. The practice of skin piercing can damage the skin and may increase the risk of cancer. Genital piercing is also very popular in U.S. As the proliferation of the body piercing continues, the number of patients also increases with the variety of treatments including bleeding, nerve damage, piercing-related infections and even allergic reactions. (Myrna L. Armstrong et.al, 2006)

Fast food and consumer culture:

What are we? What we eat has been forgotten by the people worldwide due to the busy lifestyle. Fast food is the reason for roughly half of restaurant revenues in the United States. Fast food has made a revolutionary force in American life. (Eric Schlosser, 2001). The people turn to fast food as it is cheap, quick and heavily encouraged by peers. Having sodas and burgers should not be encouraged as it contains high fat, sugar, salt, forming the basic cause of epidemic global obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illness. Americans are spending more on fast food rather than higher education, computer software, personal computers or new cars.

The busy lifestyle of individuals leads people to fast food but it reduces the family orientation and affects the health of the individual. In a united state, 65 % of the adults are overweight and the developing children also face the problem of obesity spending more money on health. You know mc Donald has opened in 199 countries worldwide? The result of fast growing fast food culture.consumerism.umwblogs.org

CONCLUSION:

Development of modern culture and globalization has brought a drastic change in the lifestyle of individuals. These changes have both good and bad effects in it. But children and adolescence are mostly affected by these. The government should take effects on encouraging the good and must discourage the bad habits by creating awareness on bad consequences.

Works Cited

  1. C H A P T E R. Cultural Contact Zones? Defining Culture and Identities (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
  2. Hines, Sally, and Tam Sanger. Transgender Identities: Towards a Social Analysis of Gender Diversity. New York: Routledge, 2010. Print.
  3. Scraton, Sheila, and Rebecca Watson. Sport, Leisure Identities and Gendered Spaces. Place of Publication Not Identified: Leisure Studies Association, 2000. Print.
  4. “Subcultural Identity Practices.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subculture. 31 Oct. 2016.
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