The Ethos of DIY by Clunes

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” – Albert Camus

It should come as no surprise to you that punk music has something more to say than funny lyrics about getting drunk and hanging out with friends. There is a paradigm behind the lyrics, a lens through which we punks see the world.  You cannot separate the ideology from the music, and the foundational ethics of DIY are some great examples. Those silly songs about drinking beer are an expression of this mentality because it is music that punks created for punks to enjoy.

But why do we do this? The ethics of DIY within the scene are inherently rooted in the anti-consumerist, anti-capitalistic ideology of punk. We create our own music that reflects our life experiences. We don’t want to wear clothing made in sweatshops overseas with brands that reflect superficial status symbols and corporate greed. Punks tend to create art that reflect our own ideals, rather than those that corporate America would encourage us to pursue.

Creating our own content is a break from consumerism. By creating content ourselves, we give it significance. Furthermore, that act of non-participation in this capitalist economy is in and of itself, however small, an act of defiance. Supporting your fellow punks in their DIY endeavors, (and doing it yourself of course) not only ensures that there is more content for all of us to enjoy, but directly detracts from that capitalist machine that we rail against.

This zine is a manifestation of DIY ethos. The content that is submitted here is created by regular punks just like you. They are not any more special or qualified than you are to be creating their own content for us to share with you. Those songs that you listen to about creating your own music, those singers mean that sincerely. We want to hear what it is that you have to say; so do it yourself and say it!

~Clunes