NationStates Jolt Archive

or Underground?

I've just been thinking about this for a while and observing the world and people around me.

It used to be that Indie was music or films that were made by people outside of the mainstream but were enjoyed. Now 'Indie' is just another genre label which really doesn't make sense as very few indie bands, for example, are independent.

Cult used to refer to obscure movies, shows, music etc that few people had heard of on release but later gained a following. Now phrases like "instant cult classic" are thrown out there undermining the meaning of the whole thing.Underground is basically another word for the above but even that seems to be changing.

What was once "counter culture" is now pretty much mainstream. I see people who want to be 'indie' not for what it stood for but for what it has become. I've seen people go goth, grunger etc for the fashion statement and trying to assert their individuality...just like everyone else.

To me it just seems the world has turned every subculture into a mass marketing event like "geek chic" or Hot Topic opening up in places. Subculture is now mainstream. I think we're now living in a world where you're unique or individual if you don't identify with any sub culture.

What say you NSG?

You're simply clinging to old, obsolete subcultures that have exhausted themselves.

Clowns are the last indie cult underground subculture. *nod*

You don't see many stores in the mall selling big floppy shoes do you?

Be yourself, they will never take that away from you.

Fraxy has over a thousand videos on Youtube, yet Gamefaqs refuses to even acknowledge its existence...

Be yourself, they will never take that away from you.

What about identity theft?

What about identity theft?

That's a bit of a misnomer. It's more like Identity Duplication. Unless you are starring in a movie called 'The Net'. Then you're fucked. *nod*

What about identity theft?

Shit!

What about identity theft?

True, true -- it seems that nobody (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eCdIe0wdvU) is immune.

True, true -- it seems that nobody (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eCdIe0wdvU) is immune.

I haven't seen much Python, so that was a genuine first-time pleasure :)

I got told that I was a cult once; at least I think that is what they said...

That's a bit of a misnomer. It's more like Identity Duplication. Unless you are starring in a movie called 'The Net'. Then you're fucked. *nod*Nah, the identity is rightfully yours and someone is taking it and using it without permission. A comparable example would be cable TV theft. You wouldn't be diminishing the supply by stealing access to channels you haven't paid for either.

Mining is still underground. Mostly. Damn open-cast mines.

The Internet has killed indie/cult/"out there" stuff. In music, metal has become way more accessible, for example.

The Internet and a population of 6 billion+ (Don't remember the latest figure), have essentially killed off all small, absolute sections and subcultures. Now they're all large, as everyone has the ability to hear them and enjoy them. For those who like that kind of thing at least. Now, even 'Indie' bands can get quite a lot of attention thanks to the internet.

Well... would you consider NSG indie? I don't know any other forums that can transition as easily from politics to video games to sex.

You have to ask yourself some important questions:

Do you only like it because so few others do? Are you trying to be 'in' on something that others aren't? Do you find yourself wanting to say, "They were cool before you all found out about them."

The marketing of subcultures as they become prominent is nothing new. How do you think hippies wound up on the Enterprise or 'beatnicks' in the Munster's house? You've essentially discovered the sunrise.

This statement confuses itself:
I see people who want to be 'indie' not for what it stood for but for what it has become. I've seen people go goth, grunger etc for the fashion statement and trying to assert their individuality...just like everyone else.
"Indie" or "independent" is really just a distinction for bands or movies that exist outside of the major distribution companies (the former 'big six' in music BMG, Sony, etc, or the major distributors in film, Paramount, Universal, etc). That's it. It doesn't stand for anything. There are artists that prefer to work in that environment because they are allowed to work towards a more specialized audience or not comply with what they feel is a restrictive corporate structure, some work in that environment because they have no choice and are hoping to catch the attention of those larger distributors.

The individual 'scenes' may feed off genres and styles that are largely serviced by independent distributors and artists, but they are aesthetics. So really, everyone who does it because some part of it speaks to them, even if it's 'the fashion.' The dose of 'the only way to be an individual is apparently to make your own clothes' thing is just as ridiculous as it always has been.

This is like someone who wasn't able to find his 'punk rock cred' nitch but still trying to decry other people's punk rock cred anyway.

To me it just seems the world has turned every subculture into a mass marketing event like "geek chic" or Hot Topic opening up in places. Subculture is now mainstream. I think we're now living in a world where you're unique or individual if you don't identify with any sub culture.

What say you NSG?



If you’re slow on the uptake, I’ll lay it out:
hipsterism (http://frontalot.com/index.php/?page=lyrics&lyricid=17)is a religion to which you got to be devout.
Must be seen
as in between
unpopular and hated
or else get excommunicated.

It's a story as old as fads themselves. A particular counter culture emerges, and identifies itself with a particular fashion. At first it is seen as outlandish, then acceptable, then enviable, then ubiquitous, then mainstream, then passe. It happened to the zoot-suit, it happened to hippies, it happened to punk, it happened to goth.

And I'm sorry LG. It happened to clowns (http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/hip-hop-7.jpg).

or Underground?

I've just been thinking about this for a while and observing the world and people around me.

It used to be that Indie was music or films that were made by people outside of the mainstream but were enjoyed. Now 'Indie' is just another genre label which really doesn't make sense as very few indie bands, for example, are independent.

Cult used to refer to obscure movies, shows, music etc that few people had heard of on release but later gained a following. Now phrases like "instant cult classic" are thrown out there undermining the meaning of the whole thing.Underground is basically another word for the above but even that seems to be changing.

What was once "counter culture" is now pretty much mainstream. I see people who want to be 'indie' not for what it stood for but for what it has become. I've seen people go goth, grunger etc for the fashion statement and trying to assert their individuality...just like everyone else.

To me it just seems the world has turned every subculture into a mass marketing event like "geek chic" or Hot Topic opening up in places. Subculture is now mainstream. I think we're now living in a world where you're unique or individual if you don't identify with any sub culture.

What say you NSG?

The mass marketing of subculture trends has been going on for sooo many years that I can't even remember. Yes of course there are still 'artistic' endevours that are not mainstream.

Well... would you consider NSG indie? I don't know any other forums that can transition as easily from politics to video games to sex.

I would call us, NSG, more of an underground thing. A cult forum, if you please. Why? Because there's no other forum out there that can compare to the level of inanity and insanity of NSG.:D

Be yourself, they will never take that away from you.What about identity theft?


*steal F4u's and DI's identities*
*swaps them*

Take that F4u, now you're a cute chick :p