Draft/Backup of: Discuss the role (/impact) of tribes and subcultures in youth identity

Question: Discuss the role (/impact) of tribes and subcultures in youth identity

(I still wish to expand on it more with more points, but I'm finding it a little difficult to come up with some - this is just a backup of what I have).

There are many different types and variations of tribes and subcultures. According to a modernist theory of approach on identity, we discover who we are as identity is given and is unchanging. However, a postmodernist view is that we choose who we are. It is your choice and it's ever changing, it's fluid. Factors such as how you behave shape who you are today.

Taking this into account, one example of how tribes and subcultures have impacted society's views is by looking at different stereotypes of how teenagers express themselves though different genres of music. Rock, Punk, Gothic and Emo suggest a negative vibe due to the vast amount of black styled clothing and wacky hairstyles as a form of rebellion against social acceptance of others which suggest chaotic riots are far overdue. This then suggests that each and every teenager is the same, whereas they are all different. This has an affect on youth identity since the youth community would then be seen as dangerous and rebellious by local newspapers and members of the public.

The use of belonging with a certain group gives teenagers a form to express themselves. This allows them to express who they want to be. Being in a group of people with the same outlooks is a sense of belonging, a collectively which shares the same identity.

Youth identity also plays an important role in business models for target audience demographics. This is so that the brand is able to establish a potential market to enter. Since tribes and subcultures in youth identity already exist, there is no need to do much, yet any research on how to establish a potential audience's attention. For example, the Gothic community stereo-typically are interested in churches  gravestones, religion, death and spiritual meanings. For a jewelry shop, crosses and angels would appeal towards and attract the Gothic culture due to their interest towards the subject since this is how they express themselves as being part of this culture.