Defining Counterculture

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines counterculture as “a culture with values and mores that counter those of established society.” 

In order to understand this definition, it must be dissected. Culture is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the beliefs, customs, arts, etc. of a particular social group, place, or time.” As used in this definition, “culture” more accurately means “subculture”, which is a smaller culture that lies within a dominant culture and holds differing values, while not directly going against or rejecting the larger culture. This distinction is important, as to have a counterculture, there must be a major culture to counter.

 Next, defining values. This is more difficult to do, as components of society as a whole aren’t easy to identify. Oftentimes, values are political, social, and religious normatives that a society has adopted as its “way of life”, and are often paired with rules and guidelines that establish order in society. Values, within the realm of “counterculture”, can be split into three parts. The first part is the general use of “values”, as explained above. The second part is behaviors; how people act and interact with each other and objects in their daily life. The third is the “norms” of a society. To me, this represents the fads, fashions, and societal expectations. The “norms” are more passive compared to behaviors and values, and act more so as the everyday thoughtless action and viewpoint that come from being raised in a particular culture. These “values” create the political atmosphere of a specific culture. 

Finally, “established society” must be identified. An established society is when individual humans come together and create a structure for social relations and community. Society exists within the bounds of culture, politics, and core beliefs that hold people together and allow them to identify as a community on a larger scale. 

So… what exactly is counterculture?

Counterculture is a type of subculture that exists when a culture within a larger culture of established society is different from the larger culture; counterculture actively defies the culture it lives within. Or, in simpler terms, when a subculture’s identity revolves around actively going against the current dominant culture. 

How do you identify counterculture in a society?

Due to the constant change of dominant cultures over time, countercultural movements are also defined by when they took place, and the environment of that time. 

To identify counterculture, the “norms”, behaviors, and values of a dominant culture of a chosen established society must be evaluated. From there, subcultures that have been fostered must be identified through their divergence from this mainstream culture. Some of those subcultures will be countercultural and hold niche values that actively oppose that of the dominant culture (such as the anti-war movements in the 60’s, modern socialist movements, and civil rights acts of the 50’s).

Counterculture exists, I dare say thrives, in physical art, music, clothing, accessories, political ideologies, and communities. By studying these manifestations of culture throughout the United States since its founding in 1776, identifying major eras of culture, and analyzing materials that actively fought against the dominant culture of the time, one can pinpoint countercultural movements that fought for change. 

Over the next few months, I will be writing about countercultural movements of the West. Specifically America and Ancient Rome. This outline will act as a guide toward identifying and understanding these movements.