It bothers me to see kids wearing all of this stereotypical punk clothing with tumblr leggings and shit. I live in a neighborhood which, until recently, was pretty punk. It's about the attitude and the struggle to work toward what you can. Most of my punk friends just wear denim jackets and skinnies. Studs, tons of patches, and crazy hair just make you look tryhard in any real scene.
>>10629518
Is there anything wrong with punk that focuses on smaller issues? If anything, choosing to focus on global issues is the least effective way to see change. You gotta act locally. Anyway, most of the classic punk bands were framing broader social, economic, and political problems within a local context (Guns of Brixton, California Über Alles, etc).
I've always loved Ted Leo because he's never stopped singing about relevant issues. He's pushing fifty but unlike a lot of old punk rockers, he's still out there writing songs about current issues ranging from politics to eating disorders to race relations. There are still plenty of good artists keeping the attitude alive, but the playing field is changing. The classic simplistic punk style of the '70's is gonna sound dated. The best current bands are the ones that have embraced new musical styles and worked within them to put out something that's modern and relevant, but still meaningful.