It is safe to say that every person, and especially a teenager, had to meet people who differ in their appearance and behavior from the rest. Someone has long black hair or pink bangs, corsets or leather jackets, many bracelets, high platforms, numerous punctures on the body, causing make-up. Most often, these are informals - representatives modern subcultures. Moreover, most of them are teenagers studying in secondary schools. educational institutions. One of these is secondary school No. 2, where we study. In this example, we will conduct our study by summarizing the collected data.
IN modern society there are dozens of subcultures that are always in motion, changing. Individual publications in the press do not allow a person who does not belong to subcultures to get a unified picture, and sometimes they give a distorted idea of certain formations, since, as a rule, they consider only one side of their activity. There is a lack of objective information regarding informal groups. Therefore, in our work, we want to fill in the gaps about these currents by examining many sources.
As a result of the work on the project, we found out the main reasons for the entry of young people into informal movements. Of these, the main ones are: a) the struggle of fathers and children - opposition to the adult world, the unwillingness of a teenager to listen to the wishes of his parents; b) the loss of a teenager, the uncertainty of himself, his capabilities and aspirations; c) self-expression, spiritual and physical finding of oneself; d) the influence of the environment and family on the psyche of a teenager; e) inattention to a teenager, homelessness, loneliness, neglect, defenselessness; f) the desire to learn something unusual, something new, to get new emotions and impressions, to develop their interests.
We believe that every person should at least a little, in in general terms know what a subculture is. Because given word increasingly used among young people. Informals live among us, and they are people like us, just with their hobbies, maybe even oddities. But don't non-formal people have their own different unusual interests, they just don't show them so brightly. Every subculture has different people. In fact, subcultures are a colossal colorful world revealing to us all shades of life.
In the work, we started the study based on the behavior and clothing of various informals, referring to the fact that there are both differences and a certain similarity between representatives of various subcultures, in particular in their goals - to be an individual, to be heard, understood and accepted.
The project is a link between the world of teenage informal groups and the surrounding society. It may also be of interest to parents of representatives of subcultures, teachers and other adults who work with them, in addition to the teenagers themselves.
Subcultures? Informal youth associations - who are they?
Informal associations are not the discovery of our days. They have rich history. Of course, now they are significantly different from their predecessors. Nevertheless, in order to comprehend the nature of today's informals, let's turn to the history of their appearance.
To begin with, we decided to look into Dictionary Russian language Ozhegov and see the explanation of the words. So, there is no definition of “subculture” at all, and “informal” means a representative of an informal, not officially approved organization, group. This information means that these words are not fully explored.
Analyzing scientific books, identified modern definition culture. Culture is beliefs, values and means of expression that are common to a particular group; they serve to streamline the experience and regulate the behavior of the members of that group. The culture of any society is diverse, since there are various social groups and subgroups, different nations and nationalities that have their own value traditions and their own understanding of social norms and orders. Such cultural groups are commonly referred to as subcultures. There are various subcultures: ethnic, class, religious, youth, etc.
A subculture from the point of view of cultural studies is an association of people that does not contradict values traditional culture, and complement it - they bring individuality, bright elements, accompany their trends with rapid development. Subcultures are also a kind of “growth zones” on the body of a “big” (mainstream) culture. They are necessary as a guarantee against cultural stagnation, and the introduction of new directions - for self-expression. They are a kind of cultural leader who always “keeps up with the times”.
The term "informal group" became widely used in sociology after the Hawthorne experiments conducted under the guidance of E. Mayo, in which the essence of the work team as a small social group was revealed: each worker felt himself not a loner, but a member of a united social organization an informal group that spontaneously arises in the formal organization of an industrial enterprise. The main function of the informal organization group was to protect the economic interests of the workers: to maintain an unchanged output rate corresponding to the informal group standard. Research has shown that individual work performance is strongly influenced by interpersonal relationships within the team.
So words have their own historical background, and they have a meaning slightly different from the original.
The phrase "informal youth associations" arose in opposition to "formal" associations: the Komsomol organization and others allowed by the authorities. Currently, the term "informals" is often used as a self-name by representatives of various subcultures that oppose themselves to others. "Informal" now means unusual, bright and original. IN colloquial speech abbreviated forms are also used - “nefors”, “nifers”, etc. An informal person is a desire to show one’s “I”, to say to a dull mass of people: “I am a person”, to challenge the world with its endless everyday life and lining up everyone in one row . Especially, it concerns us - teenagers who are in eternal search of their unique personality.
We have decided on the meanings of words, now let's talk about literate names or more correct ones.
It turns out that not all people who are members of such organizations can be called informals. So there are three names depending on the direction of the goals: informal, amateur, amateur. Members of amateur associations are fighting for the preservation environment from pollution and destruction, they save cultural monuments, help to revive them free of charge, take care of the disabled and the elderly, and fight corruption in their own way. Rapidly emerging youth groups are called differently. Therefore, the term "informals" originally used is not entirely accurate and can only be used in relation to individual groupings. They are characterized, most often, by a spontaneous, unorganized, unstable character. "Amateurs" are traditionally called people who have devoted themselves to creativity in a non-professional form: stage or art, invention, social activity. Therefore, the term "amateur organizations" in relation to such associations seems to be more optimal, and can be attributed to all types and areas of youth activity.
Characteristics of subcultures in general. Separating them by type
What are the main characteristics of the youth subculture? Its main characteristic feature is its isolation, detachment, often demonstrative, outrageous, independent of other people's opinions, cultural values of older generations, national traditions. In the mass consciousness, the perception of youth subculture often has a negative character. Against this background, the youth subculture with its specific ideals, fashion, language, art is increasingly falsely assessed as a counterculture.
Another characteristic feature of modern youth subculture is the predominance of consumption over creativity. This is a very negative feature, because a truly familiarization with cultural values occurs only in active independent creative activity.
The third characteristic feature of the youth subculture can be called its excessive focus on the future, often unsafe. Often these features are combined with the absence of a serious foundation of historical and cultural traditions, knowledge. The English sociologist M. Break noted that subcultures as "systems of meanings, ways of expression or life styles": developed by social groups that were in a subordinate position, "in response to the main systems of meanings: subcultures reflect the attempts of such groups to resolve structural contradictions that have arisen in more broader social context. Another thing is culture mass phenomenon- the system of values inherent in most of society and the way of life dictated by society. We are all similar both externally, and in the way of life, and in our habits. We are influenced by fashion, public opinion and obey orders. The informal has its own world and its own rules: when moccasins are in fashion, they dress exclusively as they want, or as is customary in the subculture: be it sneakers or grinders.
Young people, as the most sensitive and receptive group, are the first to perceive new forms of development in the field of leisure with all the pluses and minuses. She cannot be completely satisfied with the existing generally accepted entertainments and ways of spending time. And young people come up with their own way. Previously, under the Soviet Union, there was more control over the youth, there was a pioneer organization and the Komsomol, which were obligatory, but most of their members were passive and joined them rather because "it was supposed to be." Now everything has changed, more youth is provided, which sometimes carries negative traits, in addition to the free expression of one's "I".
But there are some negative aspects of a teenager joining these organizations. Firstly, the spontaneous, uncontrolled communication of young people in groups is dangerous by the degeneration of associations into asocial ones. Secondly, at present in our country there is an abrupt growth of informal youth associations. The participation of adolescents in informal youth associations can lead to various consequences in their later life.
Moreover, urban living conditions create prerequisites for uniting young people in various groups, movements that form a collective consciousness in these groups, collective responsibility and general concepts about socio-cultural values. Thus, youth subcultures appear. There have been many attempts to classify informal movements. First, we give all the possible classifications that we found, and then offer ours.
So there are classifications according to the social and legal basis, according to the orientation of interests (sociologist M. Topalova), also the structure of Professor S.A. Sergeev, according to the informal amateur movement of youth (Professor Z.V. Sikevich) and many others.
We believe that youth organizations can be divided into the following groups:
- Sports: sports fans, rollerbladers, skaters, street bikers, bikers, snowboarders.
- Musical: music fans, cultural followers musical styles: rockers, metalheads, punks, goths, rappers, trance culture.
- Gaming, including another reality: role-players, Tolkienists, gamers
- Worldview, ideological: goths, hippies, Indianists, punks, rastamans, emo.
- Computer: hackers, users, gamers.
- Asocial groups: punks, skinheads, RNU, gopniks, Lubers, Nazis, periodically: football fans and metalheads.
- Religious: Satanists, sects, Hare Krishnas, Indianists.
- Aesthetic, related to art: graphitters, break dancers, pro-modern painters, sculptors, musical groups.
- Elite: majors, ravers.
- Antique: beatniks, rockabilly, mods.
- Counterculture: gopniks, rednecks.
- Socially active: societies for the protection of history and the environment, pacifists.
We have identified the most famous of them, even going a little deeper. When compiling the characteristics, we used many sources of information and our own observations.
Instruction
The term "informals" is officially used as common name representatives of certain subcultures, youth movements. Informals are certain groups of people that arose back in the USSR in the 80s in response to “formal” associations (for example, Komsomol organizations). In the mid-80s, various teenage gangs, interest clubs, neo-Nazi communities (for example,) began to fall under the concept of "informals". It is curious that initially the term "informals" had a rather bright expressive coloring and a negative meaning. Then various youth subcultures such as goths, emo, punks, hippies, rockers, etc. did not fall under this concept.
Currently, an informal is any person who is somehow different from the general mass of people. The fact is that informals demonstrate their commitment to a particular youth movement or subculture by their manner of dressing. It is noted that in most cases the appearance of the informal does not correspond to his true interests at all, but is only a reflection this hobby which can pass as quickly as it appeared. In order to further emphasize their attachment to any movement or subculture, informals shock not only with their appearance, but also with their behavior.
Nevertheless, appearance for non-formals, this is the main indicator of their commitment to one or another trend. Vivid examples are , punks and . The styles of their clothing are close and reminiscent of each other: these are hoodies and T-shirts with images of their loved ones. musical groups or with symbols. For example, metalheads prefer images and bikes, while punks prefer skulls. In addition, the representatives of these movements are characterized by everyday wearing of the so-called leather jackets - leather jackets with a huge number of locks. The main castle is located right side jackets, hence its name.
One more distinctive feature appearance informal is a leather wristlet on the hand, equipped with chains or metal spikes. It is curious that punks are not pretentious in clothes and can wear khaki (camouflage) pants. At present, such informal movements as emo and goths have become widespread. For adherents of these social groups, it is important not to hide own emotions, naturally reacting both to happiness and joy, and to pain and sadness. The style of their clothes is also extremely unusual. Emo adhere to only two colors in their clothing style: pink and black, and goths even less - only black.
At the word "informal" people have different associations. Someone remembers goths, punks, etc. All of these have common characteristics.
General information
So, informal - who is this? In a generalized concept, such people include those whose thinking, behavior, habits and appearance differ from socially accepted norms. In fact, any person who stands out from the general mass of people, even just by his style of dress, is already taken for informal. To do this, bright laces on shoes or long hair will be enough. young man. All. Ready! In the eyes of society, you are already an informal person. But being different from everyone else does not necessarily mean standing out from the crowd due to an extraordinary appearance. It is quite enough to have what makes an informal such - thinking and views that are radically different from generally accepted norms. The absence of frames that people draw for themselves is a characteristic feature of the considered representatives of various subcultures and simply extraordinary personalities.
Informal teenagers are not just a youthful rebellion against society. This is a break in the framework, opposing oneself to the preference of the majority of people. They deny the past experience of generations. Their goal is shocking, the search for a new, mind-turning one. Avant-garde and aspiration for the future - best features informal environment.
There are a huge number of extraordinary currents. Moreover, some of them are characteristic of certain countries, while others have acquired a global character.
Goths
Goth, of course, is also informal. Who is this? Gothic subculture appeared in the seventies of the last century. Her roots come from punk culture. So what happens? Are these two streams the same?
The Goths differed from the punks in their more refined demeanor and also the difference is that the Goths are more diligent. They can be proud of their performance in educational institutions. Often such people have a penchant for art. With the advent of the current in question, gothic rock music began to develop.
Representatives of the subculture themselves are often accused of promoting suicide and death. But so it seems to those people who look at them with the naked eye. Psychologists, in their statements, note that the Goths are potential suicides. And, gathering together, they help each other to adapt to society.
Clothing for non-formals who consider themselves Goths has a style that matches their worldview. Representatives of this subculture prefer black, sometimes combining it with white, red. The main materials for their clothes are goat fur, suede, satin, velvet. The decorative part is obligatory - corsets, jewelry, lace, flounces, lacing. When applying makeup, goths of both sexes practice excessive lightening of the skin of the face. Feature- Eyes lined with black pencil. By these basic parameters, you can recognize a Goth at any time. Any additions to the image are allowed. For example, a haircut
IN given time there are even brands. The most famous are the following companies:
1.Spiral Direct.
Emo informals
Have you heard of this flow? Emo is also informal. Who is this? This direction came to us in the eighties from the West. The last wave was about 5 years ago. It is worth noting that in the course of its revivals, the movement acquired striking differences from the emo culture of the West.
Western informals (see photo below), entering the emo trend, are teenagers who prefer pastel or natural colors in clothes. Representatives of this trend do not accept tattoos and piercings. Such teenagers position themselves as children with hyper-emotionality. Representatives of the considered subculture Western countries fundamentally different from emo from the East.
Among our teenagers, tattoos and piercings are considered obligatory attributes. And informal girls practically do not differ from boys. No, you don't think they dress like men. Rather, on the contrary, guys are very similar to girls. They also line their eyes, paint their nails, wear the same hairstyles. In emo clothes, one can distinguish the predominance of black and pink flowers, cells, stripes. Also an essential attribute is a great variety of bracelets and a large shoulder bag with an incredible number of badges. Emo identify themselves as bisexual. Perhaps this explains the similarity of guys and girls, as well as the fact that they promote peace throughout the planet.
Emo listen to music that reflects sadness, sadness, apathy.
Gopnik
Yes, that's right, gopniks are also informal youth that have existed at all times. Why are they considered a separate subculture? The answer is simple. They have their own style of clothing, attitudes, slang, behavior and musical preferences. Therefore, it turns out that the gopniks are also informals (the photo is presented below).
Seeing a representative of this subculture, you can unmistakably recognize him by a tracksuit, baseball cap and sneakers (or shoes). Moreover, guys wear classic shoes all under the same sports suit. Advanced gopniks may have a rosary and a purse with them. These informals have a reputation as bullies and hooligans. They also have personal business card: beer with seeds. The reason for this reputation is their rejection of dissent. Not only representatives of other informal groups, but also the intelligentsia can become victims of gopniks.
The main part of the subculture is made up of young people from working class families.
Punks
Punk is also informal. Who is this? Punks appeared in the USSR. They frightened the adult generation with their numbers and behavior, and now this movement has subsided. There are not so many punks who have remained true to their tastes and views today.
This movement does not recognize any authority and laws. Punks reject accepted social norms. In short, they prefer anarchy to any kind of framework.
Punks wear shabby clothes, dye their hair in bright colors or shaved patterns, there are piercings, chains, tattoos and wristbands. There are also girls among them. Informals of this trend prefer rock.
How do currents appear?
Each of those who have become an adherent of one of the subcultures has their own reasons for this. The most common ones are listed below.
1. Awareness of one's uniqueness.
2. Problems in understanding with peers or parents.
3. Desire for recognition.
4. Loneliness.
What should the parents of such children do?
In order for this period to pass quickly and painlessly, it is necessary to act non-belligerently.
1. Do without scandals.
2. Learn about the subculture maximum amount information.
3. Find positive side in this (maybe your child will learn how to play the guitar).
5. Tell us about your youth and how you were. Perhaps if he realizes that you are similar, then you will be able to find a common language.
6. Allow your son or daughter to display their subculture paraphernalia in their room.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to note that belonging to any informal group does not always make it possible to characterize a person. More often than not, these preferences are temporary. A person finds his "I", realizes that he is unique. To do this, it is not necessary for him to stand out from the crowd in any way.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
FEDERAL GOU SPO
ABSTRACT
On the topic: "Informals"
Discipline: "Social psychology"
Completed: st.gr. 23PV
Khudoyan Roza Amarovna
Checked:
Belogorsk
I. Main part.
1). The concept of "informals". "Informals" - who are they?
The concept of "informals", "informals" - who are they? The answers to these questions are ambiguous, just as informal associations themselves are ambiguous and heterogeneous. Moreover, stormy political life forces to change amateur formations, and these changes often concern not only the forms and methods of their activity, but also the proclaimed goals. FORMAL is usually called a social group that has a legal status, which is part of social institution, organizations where the position of individual members is strictly regulated official rules and laws. But informal organizations and associations have none of this.
INFORMAL ASSOCIATIONS are a mass phenomenon. For the sake of what interests do people and children, teenagers and youth, adults and even gray-haired old people not unite? The number of such associations is measured in tens of thousands, and the number of their members is measured in millions. Depending on what interests of people are the basis of the association, various types of associations arise. IN Lately V major cities countries, looking for opportunities to meet their needs, and not always finding them within existing organizations, young people began to unite in the so-called "informal" groupings, which would be more correctly called "amateur amateur youth associations." Their attitude is ambiguous. Depending on their orientation, they can be both an addition to organized groups and their antipodes. Members of amateur associations fight to preserve the environment from pollution and destruction, save cultural monuments, help to restore them free of charge, take care of the disabled and the elderly, and fight corruption in their own way. Spontaneously emerging youth groups are sometimes called informal, sometimes amateur, sometimes amateur. From my point of view, the term "amateur movement" seems to be the most adequate. And here's why: firstly, they are all formed on the principle of voluntariness and are organizationally independent; secondly, for the most part they are engaged in some particular type of activity, counting on a real return. That is why the term "informals" originally used is not entirely accurate and can only be used in relation to such groups and associations as "Hippies", "Punks", "Metalists" and other other groups. They are characterized, most often, by a spontaneous, unorganized, unstable character.
"Amateurs" are traditionally called people who have devoted themselves to creativity in a non-professional form, whether it be theatrical or fine arts, collecting, invention, social activities. Therefore, the term "amateur organizations" in relation to such associations seems to be more optimal and can be attributed to all types and areas of youth activity. Speaking about amateur associations and their mutual connection with state and public institutions, it is necessary to note three situations according to their significance:
1. Cooperation.
2. Opposition and criticism.
3. Opposition and struggle.
All these three functions are organically interconnected and cannot be artificially abolished.
Thus, I think we have already sorted out the question a bit: "Who are "NONFORMAL"? Although this is a rather short explanation this concept, yet I think the gist is more or less clear. Can you say even more short definition, which I will try to formulate myself: "NEFORMAL" is a group of people that arose on someone's initiative or spontaneously to achieve some goal by people with common interests and needs.
Maybe my definition is not quite complete and accurate. I just tried to be brief.
A). external culture.
External cultures existed and exist in different societies. The early Christians were externals in the Roman Empire. IN medieval Europe are numerous heresies. There is a split in Russia.
External cultures accumulate certain norms and symbols. If the main culture is those norms and symbols that set the basic principle of ordering a given society, then everything that remains outside the main myth - the self-description of society - flocks to the external ones.
There is a balance between the two subsystems of society: a counterculture is unthinkable and does not exist without an official society. They are complementary and connected. This is one whole. The term "external" (from the Latin "externus" - alien) can be proposed for this kind of dropped out cultures. Communities like "Systems" are indeed alienated from society, although they are inseparable from it. The sphere of external culture includes, in fact, many different subcultures: for example, criminal, bohemian, drug mafia, etc. They are external to the extent that their internal values are opposed to the so-called "generally accepted". They are united by the fact that they are all local communication systems located outside the framework of the main network (the one that determines the state structure).
If we imagine society as a whole as a hierarchy of interrelated positions (statuses), then the "System" will be between positions, that is, outside of society. Not by chance public opinion and scientific tradition, it belongs to the sphere of the underground (from the English "undeground" - underground), counter-culture, or in the domestic lexicon the word "informals" was also popular. All these definitions point to externality, which is characterized by the prefixes "counter-", "under-", "non-". It is clear that we are talking about something opposing ("counter-"), not visible and secretive (under-), unformed. This localization outside the structures of society is quite consistent with the actual "Systemic" worldview.
It is necessary to give a description of the "System", at least the most general, so that one can imagine what in question. But doing so turns out to be difficult. Habitual traits there doesn't seem to be a community here. Sistema itself categorically rejects attempts to reduce it to any social scheme. A typical example of her self-determination is an excerpt from an article by A. Madison, a very old (Old) hippie from Talin:
“The movement, and it would be incomparably more correct to call it a shift, did not put up any cumbersome leaders dressed in bulletproof charisma, did not give rise to organizations that declared a holy war on everyone and, of course, especially each other for the right to oversee imperishable relics orthodoxy, finally did not bring any special hippie philosophy, ideology or religion under this non-existent orthodoxy. Instead of ideology, ideals were grounded from the very beginning, which are formed quite simply - peace and love.
Indeed, "System" cannot be defined either as an organization or a party, or as a community or a political (ideological, religious) movement. And how to define it?
Out of society.
There is a way of defining a community in terms of its place in the social structure. As for the System, it typical representative is in between positions social structure. Let's say one "old people" from Pskov says this about himself:
"About work: I worked at many enterprises, but I understood that this was not mine ... There is one job that I want to get, it is mine.
This is archeology. I could even work there for free.
It is characteristic that, on the one hand, he is a worker at a factory (this is the place that society assigned him), but he does not identify himself with this status: "This is not mine." On the other hand, he considers archeology "his" business, but such self-determination is not sanctioned by society. Accordingly, this "people" finds itself in an indefinite position in relation to the norms labor activity because norms are associated with status. In general, a typical example of a liminal personality "suspended" between positions.
In Sistema, whoever you approach, the same intermediate considers himself an artist, is known among friends as an artist, but works in a boiler room as a stoker; poet (janitor), philosopher (tramp without a fixed place of residence). Most of them are here. Status in one's own eyes is not the same as status in the eyes of society. Accepted norms and values are different from those prescribed by society. The system that unites such people, as a result, turns out to be a community located in the gaps of the social structure, outside it. Let us quote once again the already mentioned Madison, since he himself took on the role of a Hippie historiographer and theorist: “Hippism, he declares, does not enter into a relationship with the constitution, its unmanaged possessions begin where there is not even a trace of state borders. These possessions are everywhere where the fire of creative independence burns."
Without exception, all "People" insist on their non-membership in society, or otherwise - independence. This is an important feature of the "Systemic" self-awareness. W. Turner, speaking about the communities of Western hippies, classified them as "liminal communities", that is, emerging and existing in the intermediate areas of social structures (from the Latin "limen" - threshold). This is where "liminal" individuals gather, persons of uncertain status who are in the process of transition or who have fallen out of society.
Where and why do "dropped out" people appear? There are two directions here. First: in this fallen, indefinite, "suspended" state, a person finds himself in a period of transition from the position of one to the position of another social structure. Then he usually finds his permanent place, acquires a permanent status, enters society and leaves the sphere of counterculture. Such reasoning is the basis of the concepts of V. Turner, T. Parsons, L. Feuer.
Informals ("nefors", "nifers") are called almost all people whose way of thinking, behavior, habits and appearance are clearly different from the generally accepted. And since they are judged primarily "by clothes", it is easy to become informal in the eyes of outsiders because of non-standard (or vice versa, standard for some subcultures) hairstyles, clothes, accessories: oblique bangs or long hair (for men), sneakers with bright laces, baubles and so on. On the street, informal people are easily recognized by their special slang and often anti-social behavior, which demonstrates a protest against social norms, standards and the system in general.
Unfortunately, external paraphernalia, the use of a few words that are understandable only to a certain group of people, and self-conceit are often limited. And in vain - after all, in fact, an informal person is not a rebel who lives only for the sake of rebellion, but a person with special non-standard views on life and society. Well-read, thinking, having non-standard tastes, liberated and free from the framework that people create for themselves. may not have an eye-catching appearance and conspicuous paraphernalia, remarkable clothing, but have an inner content, a special worldview and its own principles that differ from the generally accepted ones.
Informals are also called people who stand out not at the expense of their own features, but attributing themselves to some particular social group, often youth subculture, representatives of groups, organizations, movements, united by common interests and activities that are not the norm for society. Character traits This subculture is often traced in external paraphernalia: clothes, shoes, hair, piercings, special preferences in the color and cut of clothes, accessories and jewelry.
The very word "informal" arose back in the 70s - 80s in the USSR as a contrast to a person related to the "formal" (approved by the state) youth organization - the Komsomol, labor pens, sports circles, tourism, dances. Instead of participating in formal organizations that act in accordance with social stereotypes and the course of the country, some representatives of the youth (primarily students) created their own organizations. In contrast to the official ones, they were called "informal".
The first informals became members of self-created groups public initiatives, interest clubs, but often it developed into semi-legal and illegal activities - from the beginnings of the first musical and ideological subcultures to teenage gangs. The representatives of these social associations themselves did not call themselves informals - the term was fixed in society as a negative one, and only later, in the mid-1990s, it lost such coloring - then protest against society became, if not the norm, then at least a familiar phenomenon.
The informals of the 70s and 80s were from the environment of hippies and punks, the rest of the countercultures were poorly represented - besides, the effect of censorship, the inaccessibility of musical and other cultural achievements of the West (remember at least the status of rock) and pressure law enforcement did not allow the phenomenon to develop. Adjacent to the informal environment were song clubs and fandoms of fantasy books. It was easy to distinguish them by ripped jeans and bright clothes, bandanas, baubles, leather jackets and sometimes pants, long hair, some other non-standard symbols in the form of badges and stripes. Often the image was complemented by pronounced antisocial behavior: addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, sometimes even drugs.
Now representatives of the majority call themselves informals youth subcultures. The informal is a person, a person who opposes himself, his views and activities to the mainstream, that is, the preferences of the majority. What is characteristic of informals? First of all, novelty and a non-standard approach - they tend to deny the experience and ideals of past generations, they are alien to the culture developed by their predecessors, including classics, national traditions and features. Calling informal - outrageous; to impress the public, to challenge it - his ideal of life. Because of such clashes for each value orientation, the concept of the informal environment as a counterculture is born - however, the majority in it is still aimed at consumption, and not independent creativity. Avant-garde and striving for the future are its best features.
