That is to say someone whose life may be considered authentic is always fully aware of both what they are doing and why they are doing it. The music videos of “Institutionalized” and “Possessed to Skate” uphold similar themes and values. Both are displaying an adult/youth binary that is reflective of mainstream/alternative understandings of American society. There was a distinct message being delivered, live the life you want, be self directive, challenge hegemonic norms...

The case study will generate an understanding of how Suicidal Tendencies has come to represent the subculture of skate punk, maintain longevity and authenticity, and contribute to the understanding of “the reflexive project of the self” which focuses upon freeing yourself from societal institutions and creating a life you wish to lead.

For the purpose of this thesis, the understanding of authenticity correlates with Giddens concept of “the reflexive self”, where “the self is ‘made’, rather than inherited or just passively static” (Giddens, 1991, p53). Self-identity is therefore created without being bound by the restrictions of tradition and culture.

This thesis aims to portray to the reader the complexities of authenticity within a music subculture and they way in which subculture is signified and represented to create meaning. The use of the music video as a form of mediation to society offers great insight into the understanding and comprehension of the subculture of skate punk, its ability to inform further ideological discourses within society, and it’s impact on sociological and cultural understanding.