Elitism In Subcultures

(Disclaimer: I’ve included various examples but I speak primarily from a metalhead’s perspective.)

“But can you name five songs?” 

I can name the whole discography. But you don’t care for that, do you? :p 

I’ve personally never been bombarded by the classic question in many years; it was more something I dealt with in my early teens, 21 now.

Of course there’s plenty of discourse on the internet if elitists have the right of way in these spaces. Some say that it is necessary to keep out “poseurs” and those who are only into whatever specific subculture as a phase. Then, there are some who take a counter position, saying that all are welcome to enjoy the music and literature as they please, and if it’s not for them for the entirety of their existence on this planet, they’re welcome to come and go as need be. Some expect people to study the discography like it’s a medical exam, while others simply ask you “Do you enjoy the sounds you’re hearing? Well, welcome to metal.” Without all of the semantics of whatever sub-genre one enjoys most. 

For some reason I have happened to noticed lots of women get this question barked at them, not just those who are entering the scene. Do not be afraid to enter a subculture due to those who ask you how many BPM a certain song is and how many cups of coffee the singer had before recording it :P. Enjoy the scene, learn at your own pace and make sure it stays enjoyable to learn the discography or the literature, the dance moves, etc. We already have so many things to stress about already, let metal be your escape. 

In my view, while I see and understand both sides of this argument, have to agree with a majority of what the latter says. We have to remember that newbies come in all shapes and sizes, all intensities . And, if it happens to be a phase, whether goth, metalhead, or unicorn, let these newbies and often very young people at least have a taste at these lifestyles/subcultures. Allow them to explore, without entirely infringing one’s own experience and beliefs on them. This doesn’t mean we cannot share our input and our thoughts; but it means accepting the variety of our natures. Not to mention how subcultures have changed and grown over time, they’ve grown up and branched out over the years. 

Another thing that is absolutely astounding is how these subcultures vary in terms of geographical location. Thanks to the internet and media, we now have plenty of easily accessible communal aspects between subcultures where our differences can be shared. Whether from England, to Australia, to Montenegro- who knows!? We all have similar likes that make us a part of such a group regardless of religion, country, or language. This is absolutely the beauty of metal and other genres as well. But, we also have vast differences in sound, in thought, in belief depending on where we’re located, and we all add it into the melting pot of metal, goth, alternative, whatever your subculture or interest may be. 

To me, this isn’t a super controversial topic, but as with anything, people could become volatile. Feel free to share your experience in the comments, whether you agree or do not, be respectful to one another. 🤘