The Punks Are Alright

When we watched the movie, the first thing I really thought was that the world really is not as nice a place as I had previously believed. Hearing about how the kids in Brazil have to deal with drug cartels, and Indonesian people being totally under the thumb of western capitalism.  That definitely changed what I think about Brazil. I had no idea they had such a problem with drugs and violence. I didn't really have any idea of how Indonesia was though, so I can't say the movie changed my perception of Indonesia. In both places, punk rock seems to be a driving force maybe not for the whole culture, but it makes an enormous difference in the lives of individuals within the punk community, and for the people they help, like the school that Heinrich (spellcheck?) taught at.  He also said that punk helps keep kids off the streets, by giving them something to do, or work towards. Instead of roaming the streets, or running drugs, they're in their garages or rooms with friends writing songs, or just playing instruments.  Punk rock also gives the people in these countries (and everywhere else) an escape from the political and religious battles going on around them. It's used to convey a sense of "screw the government, we do what we want".  All three of the guys who were interviewed said that punk is a way for them to get away from whatever it is that is bothering them. Like the one guy said, "Punk is the remedy for my sickness", I use my heavy metal and video games to get away from boring everyday life, and go to a place where glory is won by heroic acts, not how much money you manage to steal from everybody else.  On that note, we here in the United States are very connected to these punk artists. Those guys over in Indonesia work in factories, in terrible conditions, for companies that we help to support by buying their products. By purchasing certain products, we provide the Indonesians with jobs, but at the same time help to support a system that leaves them with a dependency on American money, and a corrupt government that can't or won't care for it's people.  Building from today’s movie and discussions, assess the role of Punk Music in contemporary religious and political debates in Brazil and Indonesia. A couple questions to consider: ·         How has this movie changed your perceptions of youth culture in these two communities? ·          In what ways can you relate to the lifeways of the artists chronicled in this movie?  ·         How do your lives intersect in terms of global flows of cultural, political and economic influence?  How are you connected to the artists portrayed in the film?