Cultural Norms
Culture, Subculture and necessary separation
Over the years my view point on life and the world has gone through a few very deep paradigm shifts and some more subtle changes in general thinking. However one thing that has remained firmly consistent is the belief that if one should choose to separate him self from any cultural norm that separation must be complete. I have met many people who belong to one sub cultural group or another yet still find them selves compelled to hold fast to some idealized cultural belief such as the belief that man should be strictly monogamous. This seems to be a thread through out many sub cultures in America. No matter how outrageous the cultural norm in any group there is always a steady pairing off and degeneration into the petty jealousies that arise from the monogamous ideal. More so is a trend toward religious separation from the main stream and a moral separation. As a religious example; in the Wicca community there is a religious shift from the modern patriarchal mono deific belief systems into what is claimed as an ancient, more natural poly deific matriarchal system. It would seem that this idea would allow for a whole new way of viewing and approaching the world we live in. Yet, this group, afraid of being viewed as “evil” or in league with Satanist, Pagans, or any other relevant religious minority, relent to social pressure and spend, what in my opinion is a great deal of wasted time trying to show the Christian majority that they are not so much different. “We are still ‘good’ people;” they will say and soon rush off to prove it. In another example we can look at the Satanist. This group tends to be more willing to find a point of separation from general culture, indeed that separation is part of the very roots of Satanic thought. However look more closely and you find that a belief system that should give one true freedom to create and live within their own paradigm only gives rise to a great deal of bitter in fighting amongst the various sects. This in fighting is caused as I see it by the very Christian and modern idea that there is only one correct way of thinking about and looking at the world. Most main stream faiths hold the belief that all of the others are spiritually doomed. Many of those who take up the mantle of a sub culture originate from one of the established cultural groups, and bring along all of the programmed behavior from the very culture they seek to escape. Truly, if one is to take up a mantle and say I am this thing and not this other, then he in that instance must move fully away from that which he is not. This requires more than simply a change in religious belief systems.
Although much of any society is governed largely by a general thinking of what is and is not acceptable in polite company, or what is and is not legal in the books, even those who subscribe to certain beliefs within a society do not always follow them as they should. Often this gives rise to separations in religion but also to separations in morality. Morality, like religion is subjective and open to interpretation. Many will say that morals are what they are and there can be no individual moral base. This idea, though it may sound logical is wholly untrue. Morality is as individual as it is necessary. Within Culture and subculture the thread that binds the whole is morality but it must be understood that one subscribes to established morality because one chooses to, not because one was told or taught to. Some will argue that morality is a learned behavior and therefore more open to manipulation from others. While this is true in part, one must also realize that that which can be learned can also be chosen. One can choose to follow one moral guide as opposed to another. A noble and moral act in one culture may be viewed as foolish and insignificant by another. Many will subscribe to those moral bases that serve their individual purpose and conveniently discard the others as foolish or out dated. And in the next breath those same people will argue the moral law they just violated. As an example, you may have a person who subscribes to a belief that sex outside of marriage is wrong, yet this same individual may be unmarried and fucking like crazy. If they find you in violation of the same law, you are often beaten over the head with how wrong it is. It is in my belief that should one decide to take up a mantel of morality of any sort they should then live wholly by that moral code and not find or tolerate any excuse to separate from it. Just as you can not pick and choose what gasses enter your lungs when you take a breath you cannot separate your morality from your honor and you cannot separate your honor from your belief.
It is necessary, if one is to truly find a place of separation from a culture that does not hold the moral code you find fulfilling, to fully separate yourself from that culture completely. Not just by jumping religions or living a life of unfocused morality. You have to take on a whole new view point of the world you live in and the life you lead. Your separation from the parent culture must be complete to the point of a new cultural formation not simply a sub cultural shift. The prefix sub implies that one is still a part of, albeit a lesser part, of some whole. Taking on the mantle of subculture automatically places one firmly in a position to be judged as such and subjected to all of the abuses reserved for those in your low station. Those still within the cultural norm, from whom you chose to separate, will be your accusers, your judgment and your end. There are simply too many bottle necks where one well versed in cultural norms can say to you “why if you believe this do you not believe this or the other? They are intrinsically tied.” And the truth of the matter is that this person would be correct. One cultural belief is in its definition as a culture tied to the history of that culture and the elements apparent in each place and time that culture has touched. You can pick and choose as you wish but you are still on one level tied to the parent culture and thus sub.
So what do you do about it? Change is my answer. First of all do not categorize what you believe as sub. Say I am a “Waxahatchiean” and we believe thus and so, and live that life. Not a pseudo-Christian or false Buddhist life with personal tweaks. If you are going to be something be it and don’t alter it for your own ends and call it a branch. One thing people don’t realize when creating these ideals is that branches are one part of what makes a tree a tree. You are still part of that tree, not separate from it. You can’t call a branch a petal and expect us to say, “I see you are not a part of that tree at all, you look like a branch but you call yourself a petal. Good enough for me.” Ha!
Secondly, you must understand that there is no need to have a group of followers validating what you think with membership cards, poorly written articles backing up what you say, and lip service you your ideals. They are your ideals and if someone else shares them that is great and where once there was one now there are two. But without them, without a group of followers these ideals, this life is still yours and no less valid than anyone else’s. Know that you have a right to be and that is all you truly deserve. So take that right, that life and live it according to your standards of living and allow nothing to separate you from it. Be it or be claimed false.
So, what to do then if you do belong to a sub-cultural group? Well examine it and yourself closely. If you find the group lacking, or if you find that you don’t truly live by the laws set forth by this moral perspective…leave; do something else, try again, and shift your perspective. And why shouldn’t you? If you find that everything fits then stay loyal to that moral code and never be moved. I am this thing and I live by this law. I’d respect you for it more so than if you two-faced, hedged and faltered.
So be part of a culture or be a part of another culture but never sub-culture yourself. It’s comparable to cliques in high school…. You are a “roper” or “prep” or “jock” or “Black-guy” (like being black is a social group) I understand children trying to find a place and understanding in a world they have little control over. But as adults is cliquing up really necessary?
Libertad!
Culture, Subculture and necessary separation
Over the years my view point on life and the world has gone through a few very deep paradigm shifts and some more subtle changes in general thinking. However one thing that has remained firmly consistent is the belief that if one should choose to separate him self from any cultural norm that separation must be complete. I have met many people who belong to one sub cultural group or another yet still find them selves compelled to hold fast to some idealized cultural belief such as the belief that man should be strictly monogamous. This seems to be a thread through out many sub cultures in America. No matter how outrageous the cultural norm in any group there is always a steady pairing off and degeneration into the petty jealousies that arise from the monogamous ideal. More so is a trend toward religious separation from the main stream and a moral separation. As a religious example; in the Wicca community there is a religious shift from the modern patriarchal mono deific belief systems into what is claimed as an ancient, more natural poly deific matriarchal system. It would seem that this idea would allow for a whole new way of viewing and approaching the world we live in. Yet, this group, afraid of being viewed as “evil” or in league with Satanist, Pagans, or any other relevant religious minority, relent to social pressure and spend, what in my opinion is a great deal of wasted time trying to show the Christian majority that they are not so much different. “We are still ‘good’ people;” they will say and soon rush off to prove it. In another example we can look at the Satanist. This group tends to be more willing to find a point of separation from general culture, indeed that separation is part of the very roots of Satanic thought. However look more closely and you find that a belief system that should give one true freedom to create and live within their own paradigm only gives rise to a great deal of bitter in fighting amongst the various sects. This in fighting is caused as I see it by the very Christian and modern idea that there is only one correct way of thinking about and looking at the world. Most main stream faiths hold the belief that all of the others are spiritually doomed. Many of those who take up the mantle of a sub culture originate from one of the established cultural groups, and bring along all of the programmed behavior from the very culture they seek to escape. Truly, if one is to take up a mantle and say I am this thing and not this other, then he in that instance must move fully away from that which he is not. This requires more than simply a change in religious belief systems.
Although much of any society is governed largely by a general thinking of what is and is not acceptable in polite company, or what is and is not legal in the books, even those who subscribe to certain beliefs within a society do not always follow them as they should. Often this gives rise to separations in religion but also to separations in morality. Morality, like religion is subjective and open to interpretation. Many will say that morals are what they are and there can be no individual moral base. This idea, though it may sound logical is wholly untrue. Morality is as individual as it is necessary. Within Culture and subculture the thread that binds the whole is morality but it must be understood that one subscribes to established morality because one chooses to, not because one was told or taught to. Some will argue that morality is a learned behavior and therefore more open to manipulation from others. While this is true in part, one must also realize that that which can be learned can also be chosen. One can choose to follow one moral guide as opposed to another. A noble and moral act in one culture may be viewed as foolish and insignificant by another. Many will subscribe to those moral bases that serve their individual purpose and conveniently discard the others as foolish or out dated. And in the next breath those same people will argue the moral law they just violated. As an example, you may have a person who subscribes to a belief that sex outside of marriage is wrong, yet this same individual may be unmarried and fucking like crazy. If they find you in violation of the same law, you are often beaten over the head with how wrong it is. It is in my belief that should one decide to take up a mantel of morality of any sort they should then live wholly by that moral code and not find or tolerate any excuse to separate from it. Just as you can not pick and choose what gasses enter your lungs when you take a breath you cannot separate your morality from your honor and you cannot separate your honor from your belief.
It is necessary, if one is to truly find a place of separation from a culture that does not hold the moral code you find fulfilling, to fully separate yourself from that culture completely. Not just by jumping religions or living a life of unfocused morality. You have to take on a whole new view point of the world you live in and the life you lead. Your separation from the parent culture must be complete to the point of a new cultural formation not simply a sub cultural shift. The prefix sub implies that one is still a part of, albeit a lesser part, of some whole. Taking on the mantle of subculture automatically places one firmly in a position to be judged as such and subjected to all of the abuses reserved for those in your low station. Those still within the cultural norm, from whom you chose to separate, will be your accusers, your judgment and your end. There are simply too many bottle necks where one well versed in cultural norms can say to you “why if you believe this do you not believe this or the other? They are intrinsically tied.” And the truth of the matter is that this person would be correct. One cultural belief is in its definition as a culture tied to the history of that culture and the elements apparent in each place and time that culture has touched. You can pick and choose as you wish but you are still on one level tied to the parent culture and thus sub.
So what do you do about it? Change is my answer. First of all do not categorize what you believe as sub. Say I am a “Waxahatchiean” and we believe thus and so, and live that life. Not a pseudo-Christian or false Buddhist life with personal tweaks. If you are going to be something be it and don’t alter it for your own ends and call it a branch. One thing people don’t realize when creating these ideals is that branches are one part of what makes a tree a tree. You are still part of that tree, not separate from it. You can’t call a branch a petal and expect us to say, “I see you are not a part of that tree at all, you look like a branch but you call yourself a petal. Good enough for me.” Ha!
Secondly, you must understand that there is no need to have a group of followers validating what you think with membership cards, poorly written articles backing up what you say, and lip service you your ideals. They are your ideals and if someone else shares them that is great and where once there was one now there are two. But without them, without a group of followers these ideals, this life is still yours and no less valid than anyone else’s. Know that you have a right to be and that is all you truly deserve. So take that right, that life and live it according to your standards of living and allow nothing to separate you from it. Be it or be claimed false.
So, what to do then if you do belong to a sub-cultural group? Well examine it and yourself closely. If you find the group lacking, or if you find that you don’t truly live by the laws set forth by this moral perspective…leave; do something else, try again, and shift your perspective. And why shouldn’t you? If you find that everything fits then stay loyal to that moral code and never be moved. I am this thing and I live by this law. I’d respect you for it more so than if you two-faced, hedged and faltered.
So be part of a culture or be a part of another culture but never sub-culture yourself. It’s comparable to cliques in high school…. You are a “roper” or “prep” or “jock” or “Black-guy” (like being black is a social group) I understand children trying to find a place and understanding in a world they have little control over. But as adults is cliquing up really necessary?
Libertad!
