Is there room for rebellion in our current culture?

Image - Shalom de León

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In a society where activism is essential yet quelled, culture is fluid rather than fixed, and politics are increasingly blurred, the question is raised as to whether there is room for rebellion in our current culture? Whilst the contours of rebellion have undeniably changed, it hasn’t vanished; it’s simply transformed.

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Historically, rebellion entailed protest marches, underground art, pun rock, and civil disobedience. It was loud, visible, and often came with consequences - even criminal labelling. Vast and powerful, they broke their version of reality and pieced it back together in a way that changed history forever. Their impact reverberates throughout generations from the French revolution, to the Women’s Suffrage movement, to the Civil Rights movement. Whilst these examples certainly adhere to the Oxford Dictionary definitions of rebellion, resisting an established government or leader, and resisting authority, control, and convention, today rebellion doesn’t always wear a leather jacket or raise a clenched fist. It can appear in subtler, quieter forms such as choosing slow fashion over fast or logging off social media. In some cases, rebellion is practiced through inaction: the radical act of doing nothing despite conventions of being productive every hour.

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However, modern forms of rebellion are often problematic. It is often commodified by turning symbols, language, and aesthetics into marketable products, stripping rebellious acts or ideologies of their radical intent and repacking them for consumption. A famous example of this is that of the 2017 Pepsi ad with Kendall Jenner which, despite trying to harness the energy of protest movements was widely criticised for trivialising them, prompting the company to pull the campaign after one day. Alongside corporate co-optation, companies often adopt social justice language during marketing campaigns - a process known as ‘woke-washing’. Rebranding themselves temporarily for the cause of Pride month, Black history month, etc., it often does little in terms of structural change internally, once again depreciating the value of rebellion for corporate gain. Despite intentions for inciting a counter-culture dedicated to social justice, it gets absorbed into the mainstream, and its edges dulled for a broader appeal. In such a sense one can’t help but wonder whether rebellion can still exist in a culture that feeds off it.

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The answer to this may lie in intention and impact. In simple terms: a rebellious act loses its potency when its performed for aesthetic or commercial gain, but can still carry revolutionary potential when applied in a way that disrupts power structures, challenge norms, or reclaim personal agency. 

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Living in a society in which one can get in touch with someone on the other side of the world via a couple of taps/clicks, behaving outside the norm can in itself be a manifestation of insurrection. Turning away from consumeristic popular trend, living for pleasure instead of money, and reclaiming mental health all form outliers in what is considered standard by current society. If we look at life through this lens, acts of defiance as minimal as going to sleep late or even eating more than the recommended daily sugar intake transform into conscious acts of rebellion.

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Also, the constantly evolving digital age in which we inhabit in many ways both incites and stifles notions and execution of rebellion. On the one hand, digital platforms empower individuals and groups, capacitating like-minded groups to organise, mobilise and disseminate dissenting voices on an unprecedented scale. The charity Trans Kids Deserve Better have proved the efficacy of utilising online services, with the campaign raising nearly £7,000 through digital donations, proving once again that new technologies have increased accessibility and ease in mobilisation and contumacy . This has specifically led to a rise in youthful rebellion and counterculture in a way that, whilst not executed with the same gang rivalry or uniformed difference, in many ways echoes the vigour and anti-authoritarianism stance of the mods and rockers. Whilst there are certainly challenges with online forms of rebellion, such as misinformation and surveillance, activism in the sense of the name is not designed to be straightforward and complicit, but rather a path to be navigated carefully. In such a sense, rebellion is not only constant and adaptable, but a legacy in itself. No matter what the state of the world, there will always be room for rebellion. 

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So, is there room for rebellion in our current climate? In short: absolutely. Perhaps a deeper discernment is required so that we consciously recognise rebellion not as a product or trend, but rather a display of passion and integrity in a culture that often rewards the opposite. It’s not always loud, not always dramatic. Sometimes, it’s simply the decision to see clearly and live differently. As quoted by the anarchists before us: “viva la revolución!”.