In the light of credentials. I've been a mod for 0 years, or
in other words I'm not a "mod". *smiles*
However, I do have an outsider's opinion to rob's
statement:
>One of the things that interested me
>in Mod was its open-mindedness and its inherent
>desire to be different/individual/"away from the
>numbers"
i find this ultra interesting for i know
no other subculture that could be more narrow minded. hey, before you jump on my
back, that's a compliment!
maybe, narrow
is not the right word. should i say clean-minded? straight? figured out?
sussed? mod is a very distinct subculture/ lifestyle. It hints for me a do
or die attitude. You either look sharp or you don't. and when it comes to
modernism, i think sharp clean lines. well tailored/cut clothes. well defined
hair. clean skin. straight figure. i think style, and nothing less. So to
be open minded is questionable. when you can not compromise for anything but the
best, you're not really open minded or open to other options. being open minded
to me might entail adventures and willingness to go to south east asia, back
pack through vietnam to cambodia, sleeping on spider-infested floors of
abandoned temples. at least here in america my 'mod' friends will not find this
very ideal and will probably never in their lives take up such adventures. i
often doubt there desire to be an individual/different. there ideal vacation
would be going to london or the UK. there typical night includes drinking while
listening to some 'mod' record. there lives are confined to certain activities
and places like bars and clubs. Their style of dress...predictable, just like
somebody mentioned --fred perry, ben sherman, anoraks --not very 'different'.
(though maybe as a male, there is significantly less options for dress) So I
don't think mod a way of life has an inherent desire to be different. what it
means changes with the generation that represents it. it probably did for those
who were there in the beginning. when being modern was almost futuristic, but
today mod seems to be a retro movement at times. at least the 'mod scene' is
like that. people desire 60's patterned clothes, and such. So to be different is
not true. There was a time when "mod" was young and
revolutionary. (I love the sixties, though i wasn't there, i think i love
it. from situationism to modernism, there wasn't any other time in history that
was so radical and hot!) That is no longer true today. Today in the 'mod' scene
it just seems like the more generic you look the more accepted you are. The
closer you could imitate 60's aesthetics the more you are respected? I think
conformity happens to every subculture. But to me mod and punk (ala hardcore)
are two very significant subcultures that does not have any excuses to be
stagnant. As a concept i think modernism is lovely, but too many people
disappoint me with their failure to grasp the philosophy or essense of the whole
lifestyle. If only I know what I'm talking about. Ladies and gentleman, we are
floating in space!
XOXO misS.Carol
