The Commercialization of American Subcultures

Abstract

Once a subculture reaches a certain threshold in size it starts to attract the attention of companies and soon becomes fashion causing the subculture to ceases being really different. At this point, those who are driven by the need to stand out have to go on and find a new deficit within society against which to start a new subculture. Rebellion in time becomes mainstream and if the ethical norm carried by the subculture is found to serve humanity, then in time it not only becomes accepted but becomes evident. Therefore the final conclusion of the present thesis is that the procedure through which subcultures become re-incorporated into mainstream society and lose their countercultural nature is social evolution itself.