freak nation: thoughts on subcultures and phases of identity

express yourself!

the only thing we all can agree on is that we all won’t agree. 

this is a message that came to me in my adolescence and still rings true. with so many ways of viewing the world, there will never be absolute congruence of thought and that’s a strength of being human — to be able to open ourselves up to another’s perspective. the ability to think and live differently. to find your tribe. subcultures as a concept are sociological proof that we all inhabit reality differently.

i have always been drawn to experiences on the fringe — counterculture and subcultures alike — which is something i will speak to often within my work. so when i read this book “freak nation” by Kate Stevens around 2010, i was enthralled by just how many defined subcultures have been recognized in the u.s. the term “freak” has myriad definitions and is often used pejoratively or suggestively, but in this text, Stevens approaches it in a way that acknowledges how fandoms can make someone hyper-obsessive (and protective) over their interests.

“freak nation” is a sardonic, slightly out-of-date take on modern culture and begs the question of just how many subcultures have gone unnoticed or have yet to be defined? with this book having been released over a decade ago, how many of these have perhaps gone under the radar or fallen out of favor? i purchased “freak nation” on sale around the time bookstores were being roughly affected by the Obama-era recession (remember books-a-million? i probably got this during their close-out sale).

what i always liked about this book is the way it riffs on various stages of embodying these societal archetypes. you can be a geek about something or you can be a super-freak (cue Rick James). so there’s levels to it. i am or have been previously associated with the following:

• an audiophile — always needing a particular type of headphones/speakers or the listening session is cancelled! vinyl and cds are where it’s really at, but i’ve accepted streaming — this is why tidal is better from an audio quality standpoint.

• a bohemian + a psychonaut

• admittedly, i got very used to adapting the habits of being a hipster (while rejecting being called one as was the nature of the term)

• a Beatlemaniac — i used to have a large Beatles poster that spanned from ceiling to floor of my high school bedroom.

• vegetarian/vegan (i maintain a steady plant-based diet, often ovo-vegetarian)

• a utopian and a grammaticaster, but as you can see i have specifically rejected the latter in terms of my personal writing to push back against the academic imperialism and elitism inherent in correcting someone’s grammar. (i’ll dive more into why i type in mostly lowercase in the future.)

but i digress: i have been all of these things at once and even fluidly navigating between them. i don’t think we ever need to situate ourselves so rigidly in these types of boxes. there can be some overlap, as you might move on from a phase and integrate those behaviors later on in life. but there are also some eras and patterns that need to be left where they are and that’s ok too! here’s the table of contents for more context on the subcultures mentioned in “freak nation.” where do you fit amongst some of these? have you or someone you know been inaccurately portrayed as one of these superfans? i’d love to know!

an excerpt from “freak nation”

true to form, here’s my january jams playlist with a song for every day of the month. i’ve been building it throughout the month but it’s also giving heavy full moon in leo energy. happy weekend! 

( apple music | tidal )

p.s. thank you Ms. Cicely for paving the way. fly high, queen.