The Punks Are Alright

     On Saturday afternoon our class watched a documentary called The Punks Are Alright, which details the lives of different punks from around the world. It starts with Mickey, a member of a Canadian band that started in the 1970s called the Forgotten Rebels. Next, the movie shifts focus to Henrike, frontman of the Sao Paulo, Brazil, based band The Blind Pigs. He was inspired to play punk music by a Forgotten Rebels record. From him, the setting switches back and forth between two different Indonesian punks, Dolly, who is a very poor factory worker whose band is only able to rehearse a couple times a year, and Jerinx, the drummer of a well-known band called Superman Is Dead. Even though they are from different backgrounds these men have found something that they all relate to in the punk ethos.

     Before watching this movie, I had an idea that the children and young adults in Brazil and Indonesia were not well off. What I did not know, however, was the extent of the poverty in which they live their lives every day. In the case of Henrike's town in Brazil, teenagers turn to the drug trade just to make a little money to support themselves or their family members. Even more unfortunate, they usually find themselves in the middle of a drug war and end up dead. As a response to this, some people turn to punk music just so they can get off the streets and do something that they feel is productive. Perhaps even better than this, people like Henrike who want to give the kids a chance to find a better path in life that is not necessarily music have started DIY (Do It Yourself) schools. In these schools, which are outside of the Brazil public school system, the children learn useful things like basic English and computer skills. In Indonesia, the main escape for youth portrayed in the documentary was punk music. Dolly characterized punk best as "a remedy for my sickness." In his case, he was trying to escape the daily horror of the factory where he works. Watching this documentary has shaped my perception of the struggles the youth in these communities go through to be even more sympathetic.

    Personally, I can relate to the lifeways of the artists in this documentary in a few ways. I understand why Henrike wants to belong to a community and to feel like he is a part of something. Much of the environment surrounding punk is welcoming to people of all backgrounds. I know what it is like to want to belong to a community of people. Also, the way that Dolly has become connected to The Blind Pigs is something to which I can relate. I have made friends from all across the country from going to shows, like Warped Tour, that have punk roots. As they said in the documentary, music can unite people from around the world.

     My life intersects with Henrike, Dolly, and Jenrinx in certain ways. For instance, like them, I am an appreciator of punk music. This would be a cultural aspect. In terms of economics, I have likely bought electronics assembled by people in similar poverty situations to Dolly. Akin to Henrike and Jenrinx, I understand the desire to have my political and social opinions heard, even if they might do it in a more confrontational manner through their punk music. While I do not necessarily think that all aspects of capitalism are bad, I do agree with Jenrinx and other punks to the point where I believe that there are many characteristics of the market system that could be changed or fixed or would be better off in the hands of a capable government.

     From a religious standpoint, Jenrinx believes that punk and religion cannot coexist, even going so far as to say, "Religion is about limitation, where punk is about self-liberation." His reasoning is derived from the religious fundamentalism and extremism that he has seen in Indonesia, but he backs up on that statement a little, though, saying that religion is a personal choice and a person can be both religious and a punk. This is something that Henrike would probably agree with, considering that he is very much a punk but still tries to practice the Catholic faith instilled in him by his parents when he was young. Henrike recounts a story in the documentary of these old women who did the Sign of the Cross after seeing him leave the church. He calls them hypocrites, not understanding what gave those women the right to judge him. I also believe that religion is a personal choice, no matter if a person is a punk or not, and if someone chooses to believe in something, that should not have any bearing on their punk nature.

     Punk is known for its DIY characteristics and some anti-capitalistic stances. In countries like Brazil and Indonesia, where the people are directly affected by the much darker side of capitalism, it is easy to understand why the youth and young adults in those countries might turn to punk as an outlet for their anger and frustrations. The punk movement started with the factory workers in the United Kingdom, Canada, and United States, and while the ideals and music of punk have not left those countries, they have spread to the many other parts of the world where people are struggling to get by and are looking to belong to something that gives voice to their discontent and gives them a strong sense of community.