Ultimately, it is the value that subcultures such as skate punk add to society through their mode of representation, their expression of an alternative to the hegemonic norm, the encouragement of self determination and awareness, the activation of socio-political thought processes and the encouragement to live the life that you want to live, which inspires countless people in society every day.

There is a propensity of subcultures to become commercially absorbed into mainstream ideology as examined by Adorno and Frith, making them less viable as an impassioned social and political voice. I believe that Suicidal Tendencies are in an even stronger position to live an authentic subculture due to their success as a skate punk entity, which has elevated them to a position of complete self sufficiency, the height of D.I.Y. achievement.

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...

“Skaters have a completely different culture from the norms of the world’s society. We dress differently, we have our own language, use our own slang, and live by our own rules. People feel threatened by foreign attitudes. Everyone has his own views on different types of society and their own stereotypes…Please stop viewing us as a totally negative race of people.”

The importance of these videos as propagation of an authentic music subculture and indeed a way of life, are still just as popular and relevant in conveying meaning on an international scale in the present age. They are a visual representation of a time and a place, but include an attitude that still prevails to this day...[this band] as a representation of skate punk subculture, sustains its ideologies, whilst also challenging mainstream and conservative political and societ

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.