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I've heard a lot of talk about people refusing to label themselves punks, and various reasons why and why not, but I think the issue comes down to one thing; your definition of what a punk is. So, what's everybody's definition?


Some food for thought:
"A guy walks up to me and asks 'What's Punk?'. So I kick over a garbage can and say 'That's punk!'. So he kicks over the garbage can and says 'That's Punk?', and I say 'No that's trendy!'" Billie Joe Armstrong

If you call yourself punk you're automatically not punk! It's the law.

I know I am supposed to discuss what punk means but this is my guild and I'll post what I want in it. So rather than talking about what punk means I am going to talk about my thoughts on labeling.

ahem- Many thirteen year old Wiccan bisexuals who shop at hot topic will tell you that labels are for soup cans. While I do enjoy being able to tell the difference from a delicious can of tomato soup from a cold and soggy soup of cream of chicken I believe that labels can be used for oh so much more! Imagine for a moment that you live in a trailer and that your mother is too poor to afford condoms ( you do live in a trailer). Needless to say she has 12 kids running around the place. You‘re mom‘s lazy and in-between her ‘stories‘ she want you to get her a nice cold beer. She could say, “hey you get me a beer!” but who is hey you? Instead she should say, “hey -insert your name here- get me a beer!” That way she knows who she‘s directing it at. At that moment you become -insert your name here- that‘s who you are and it‘s part of your identity. Of course there‘s more to -insert your name-, but I am too lazy to get in to that. The same thing with labels. It describes who you are and identifies at least a part of you. Labels and cliques are sort of like super cool secret clubs. There‘s nothing wrong with identifying yourself with certain people who share your same views is there?

I am sorry for butchering your topic but I felt the need to rant about it. I feel so bad that I‘ll post my definition of punk when I am not feeling so lazy.

Now, the reason for me not calling myself a punk is not that I'm against labels, it's because punk is dead and I just see it as disrespectful. I think that anyone who calls themselvs, or anything, punk is like pissing on its grave.
I see, and label myself, as an anarchist. Because, while punk is dead, the idea will live on forever.

my thoughts isnt against the word punk, its against the word "a" that comes before it. "a" refers to you as not being individual, as simply being an extension of what your associating yourself with. i follow the beat to my own drum, not someone elses. its cool and all, but instead of saying your a punk, say your a liberal, or a liberitarian, or a socialist, or an anarchist, or whatever varying political party you might be part of. punk is a movement, not a stereotype. i dont get pride out of being a "punk", i get pride out of my dedication to making a difference and my many political stances. calling yourself a punk doesnt work for me because my definition of someone who could be considered a punk is that they like the music, they believe in equality, and they believe in freedom. that leaves such a large gap there for you to choose your own political views that all might have the same basis of freedom and equality. calling yourself a punk is too broad of a statement to me. to show who you truly are, talk about your political views, not what stereotype you fit into

Actually, my official label is star-wars freak... It's all I used to talk about.. I played every game I could get my hands on, i had like, 30 SW posters, the soundtracks for all of them... i used to be.. until the 3rd movie... that really let me down (except for Padme Dying, that was funny). I still play Star Wars Galaxies (when I can) but i'm not all that much of a fanatic...

thats true, but stand for punk as a movement and not as a stereotype. i like the message, but songs like sheena was a punk rocker from the ramones, and tragedy from the casualties(the whole chorus is "PUNK ROCK TRAGEDY!", and any song that says the word punk in it pisses me off. you know why? kuz what the ******** is that supposed to do for anyone else? its cool that sheena was a punk rocker, its cool that one dude was born to lose... but that right there is using punk as a stereotype, and using it that way does absolutely NOTHING for the general population and doesnt even go as far as attempting to. the way i look at it is anyone using the punk label is being a follower instead of a leader. its hard for me to explain what i mean, but the label of punk does nothing for anyone, its the message it brings about that does something. instead of being so quick to say youre a punk, be quick to explain your political views, ESPECIALLY if youre talking to someone who isnt into punk. some people dont know what it is, and saying youre a punk again, does nothing. also, ive faced alot of criticism because people assume im your average person who calls themself a punk, which i dont. im secure enough to devote my life to a message instead of a stereotype. im just going to repeat myself again... punk is NOTHING, its message is something

ya but you could say that about anybody, preps, jocks, goths, emos, but theyre all still stereotypes. atleast people who do a working paying job arent always the same. your job doesnt define who you are, but the only reason people use the punk label is to define who they are, and everyones personality is alot deeper than just being a punk

another definition is:a young male partner of a homosexual