Is Punk Rock the way for us to go to save the planet we live on? Probably. I can’t definitely say yes, but the ethos of Punk Rock can certainly help correct the course we’re on right now. Presently, much of the world appears to be run by an oligarchy that allegedly has no problem with abusing children for their own sexual desires. If that’s the establishment, then the anti-establishment ethos of Punk Rock aligns perfectly with fixing many of the world’s problems.
The Punk Rock Spirit contains the elements of Do-It-Yourself attitudes, non-conformity, and anti-establishment beliefs that reject mainstream corporate culture, authoritarianism, sexism, homophobia, classism, war, and racism. Another thing I’ve noticed about most Punk Rockers is their willingness to accept others as they are. I remember when I went to Punk Rock shows: almost everyone rushed to pick people up who had fallen in the pit. If they weren’t picked up, those people would have been stepped on.
Can you think of another way of being that can correct this ultra-authoritarian oligarchical state? I don’t think so. Of course, there will be people who wear the Punk clothes and say all the Punk slogans, yet they gatekeep and don’t display the Punk ethos. Are these people actually Punk? I’ll answer with another question. If you put a spikey leather jacket on a turd, is it Punk or still a turd? It’s still turd.
So how can we embody the Punk ethos without being turds with mohawks? You can start by accepting everyone and picking people up when they fall in the metaphorical pit of life. You can reject racism, homophobia, sexism, and classism by calling it out when you see it. You can also speak out against war, corporate culture, and authoritarianism. These things will generally be done using the Do-It-Yourself method with your chosen medium. It could be any way you feel necessary. Maybe you’re a dude with a website who has a wife who encourages you to write about how Punk Rock can save the world. Your way of being Punk Rock can be completely different. Maybe you’re going to start a community garden that grows food for people who fell in the proverbial pit of life. Or maybe you make your own clothes to share with the same people. It could be anything that helps others!
This sounds a whole lot like a famous religious figure (minus the wife telling him to write about Punk Rock saving the world). I’m not a Christian, nor am I a huge fan of most Christians for the same reason I’m not a fan of turds wrapped in Punk Rock garb. They simply aren’t Christ-like (Of course, this isn’t true of all Christians). Whether Jesus Christ was a real person or a story is irrelevant. The ethos is still very real and still super Punk Rock.
Jesus would always pick you up if you fell in the pit. There’s no way he’d walk away from a fallen brother or sister. Real Punks do this. Should Punks pick up others when they fall in life? Yes, yes they should. Jesus would. Jesus has many parallels to Punk Rock, and I’m far from the first person to make this comparison. This may be becoming a tired trope, but it’s a testament to how true it is. It’s difficult to deny, because the story of Jesus is filled with Punk actions.
Jesus was anti-establishment and anti-corporate culture to such a degree that he flipped tables in a temple when he found out people were exploiting worshippers in his dad’s house. Punk Rockers need this attitude. Of course, we can’t walk into a bank and start tearing it up, since there will be dire consequences, but we can choose not to use banks that engage in improper practices and have a history of mishandling customers’ funds. Of course, we can protest and file class action lawsuits against these entities.
There’s also the saying of going the extra mile and turning the other cheek. Many people use these as examples of giving and being a pacifist. Still, some say that going the extra mile was meant to get the Roman occupiers in trouble, because they were only allowed to force people to carry their supplies for a set distance. Going the extra mile could get the legionnaires in hot water. I don’t know if this is true, but what a way to protest! Then there’s turning the other cheek. Often, people backhanded others to show great disrespect. By turning your other cheek, you’re forcing them to strike you with their palm, not allowing them to disrespect you. Again, I am unsure whether this is true, but what a powerful, nonviolent way to maintain your own dignity. Of course, the original meanings are just as powerful. Either way, Jesus’s sayings were Punk Rock.
Many Punk Rockers talk about hating Nazis. This sentiment is quite earned, because Nazis are the opposite of what Punk Rockers stand for in every shape or form. What if I told you that you’re becoming what you hate? Remember, Nietzsche said, “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster.” Fighting hate with hate is ineffective because it only creates more hate. In this fight, you’re the adult. You’re the person with the fully functioning brain, as the Nazi has issues. So, that means it’s up to you to make the change.
Punk Rockers often say, Punching Nazis is the right thing to do. If you’re being attacked, absolutely defend yourself, but as mentioned before, you’re the one with a brain that isn’t full of propaganda. This is why Jesus’s teachings about love are so important. What if there were a way to help reform nazis? What if you could talk them out of their hateful rhetoric and help make them better people? Couldn’t these people be seen as folks who fell in the pit of life and need to be picked up? As a Punk Rocker, it’s hard to accept hate, and you shouldn’t. So, why hate people yourself? You don’t have to like Nazis, and you certainly don’t have to be violent. If you are, those people will be lost to their pitiful ideology forever, and you’d confirm their beliefs about us.
If safe, maybe ask a Nazi why they hate. Maybe get them talking, and perhaps they’ll see how ridiculous they sound when they speak and are questioned. Make them explain it in detail. Then explain the truth. Perhaps, they’ll listen. Perhaps, they won’t. But at least you tried. Of course, that’s going to be a super unpopular opinion, but it’s worth a shot. What else is more Punk Rock than going against what the mainstream of Punks says? You’d be the Übermensch of Punk if you can pull this off. It’s risky, but the payoff could result in a changed life and a changed community. That is so much better than people wanting to commit violence against each other.
You may say, so I helped people around my community just like Jesus, and even changed a single Nazi’s mind, what good did that do? That did a lot. You started somewhere, and that’s all you can do. The world changes with one helped person and one changed mind at a time. It’s the Do-It-Yourself spirit that Punks everywhere can respect. Imagine if it’s you doing it in one part of the world and another person in another part of the world. That’s two people helped, and two minds changed. What if you inspired more folks? What if people watched you and you created a community centered around helping people and changing minds? Imagine how the world could change if one percent of the world’s population did this. I’d even say that if one percent of a country’s population did this, it would be an absolute revolution that more than likely wouldn’t be televised. That’s okay, but you know you’re changing the world.
What’s stopping you from being more Punk Rock? What’s stopping you from changing the world? Nothing! You have your own unique talents and gifts to give to the world. Use them to help and inspire others. Who knows, perhaps you’ll change minds and change people for the better. Jesus would be proud. The Punk Rock spirit would most definitely be proud. You would be the reason why Punk Rock saved the world!
