Subculture vs Counterculture
What distinguishes subculture from counterculture? All societies possess their own unique cultures, but within a mainstream culture, there can also be subcultures and countercultures. Subcultures maintain the primary values of the mainstream culture while possessing their own distinct characteristics that set the subculture group apart. In contrast, counterculture does not align with the common culture and actively opposes it, functioning more like a deviant group within a specific community.
Key Takeaways
- Counterculture is a situation in which a group of people actively oppose the mainstream culture of a particular community, forming their own rules and behaviors that deviate from the primary culture.
- Subculture is a group of people that share the values of the mainstream culture but also possess their own set of characteristics, distinguishing themselves from the main culture without opposing it.
- The main difference between counterculture and subculture is that counterculture goes against the mainstream culture, while subculture shares the values of the main culture while adapting their own identities.
What does Counterculture mean?
Counterculture refers to a group of people who oppose the mainstream culture of a specific community. Generally, members of a community are expected to adhere to the socially accepted cultural and social behavioral patterns. However, some groups may not wish to follow the accepted social ethics and values, instead forming their own rules and behaviors that evade the primary culture. These groups can be identified as counter-cultural groups. The main characteristic of counterculture is that it has its own rules and ethics, which differ from the main culture. For example, in certain societies, gay/lesbian people can be considered counterculture when they oppose the accepted social behavioral pattern. A counterculture in one particular community may not be regarded as a counterculture in another community because cultures differ from one another. Moreover, countercultures demonstrate total opposition to the mainstream or dominant culture.
What does Subculture mean?
Subculture represents a group of people who share the values of the mainstream culture but also have their own unique identity. Subcultures do not oppose the dominant culture, but they have their own ways of distinguishing themselves from it. Examples of subcultures include youth subcultures, university subcultures, and music subcultures. These sub-cultural groups may have their own style of dress, vocabulary, rules, etc., which may also reflect the dominant culture. Thus, they do not oppose the mainstream culture.
Members of a particular subculture may share ideas using a specific vocabulary that might not be understood by non-members of that group. Additionally, some large companies have sub-cultural groups within the company that help facilitate smooth functioning. These groups are known as organizational cultures. However, subcultures are not considered a threat to a community and primarily serve to define a group identity.
What is the difference between Subculture and Counterculture?
• The main difference between counterculture and subculture is that counterculture goes against the mainstream culture, whereas subculture shares the values of the main culture while adapting their own identities.
• Countercultures are often looked down upon in societies, but subcultures are mostly accepted.
• A counterculture in one community may not be identified as a counterculture in another community, but sub-cultural groups may be identified similarly everywhere.
• Counterculture can be considered a type of subculture because the group identifies itself as distinct from the mainstream culture.
• In terms of similarities, both counterculture and subculture have their own set of rules and identities that differentiate them from the dominant culture.
