The Punks Are Alright!

Before watching The Punks Are Alright!, I had only one idea of what the word Punk meant. After viewing the movie, I have a better understanding of the genre and the impact that punk music has on people around the world. The film helped me have more informed viewpoint of the youth cultures in Indonesia and Brazil. The concerts and events that the kids in both countries attended were indexical of concerts that I had attended before, and I felt like I could relate to them in that aspect of their lives. Unfortunately, that was the only aspect of their lives that I could relate to. The film allowed me to see the hardships that the youth of Brazil and Indonesia had to endure just to survive on a daily basis and try to receive a decent education. The dangers that they face are due to drug cartels and religious extremists that make  up the majority of their population. I was unaware of the extremist religious cultures in both Indonesia and Brazil prior to watching the film. The documentary also brought to my attention the issues that arise from United States labor relations with third world countries

In Indonesia, there is a struggle with identity due to the history of the country. Indonesian youth are caught between two different lifestyles. One lifestyle is one that conforms to western ideals and values that are favored due to the effects of hundreds of years of Dutch colonialism. Their other lifestyle choice would be to follow traditional and often extremist Muslim religious practices. Taking part in the punk movement in Indonesia can serve as a temporary escape from the chaos that occurs in the country and can provide the youth with a unique identity. 

In Brazil, drug cartels and gangs rule the streets and make it difficult for young people to live their normal lives. There are issues with sexual abuse and violence that cause trouble at home. At times, children aren't even able to go to school because their school have been taken over by gangs. Punk music and the punk community also serve as an escape from hardships for Brazilian youth.

Even though the punk scene is something that helps people in both countries, it is something that is do it yourself (DIY). Everything about the punk scene in both countries is created by the people that participate. One punk artist from Brazil argued that the style of music and clothing had nothing to do with it's classification of being punk. Anything could be classified as punk if a person made it independently.

The documentary also showed me the impact that large corporations and companies have on third world countries. Due to the lack of labor laws and the ability to gain a large profit, many large corporations set up factories in countries like Brazil and Indonesia. The workers in these environments are paid very little and are often abused. One of the young people in the film worked for a large American corporation and had this experience. This opened my eyes to some of the various negative effects of capitalism in underdeveloped countries. People are suffering due to the greed of American corporations and consumers. Workers endure the abuse and take the terrible wages because there are no other sources of income in their countries that don't involve drugs or illegal activity.

The Punks Are Alright! Opened my eyes to the positive effects of music in negative situations. It showed me that the Punk movement has a lot more to it than just chaotic sounds and song lyrics that are made to piss off parents. I was able to understand that punk music brings people together around the world and provides new ideas of being self sufficient and creating things that can help people escape from their problems.