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Old Jan 17th, 2006, 01:24 PM       
Subcultural theory and constructivism
Helmut Werther
Department of English, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
1. Stone and Debordist image
“Narrativity is intrinsically unattainable,” says Bataille. The rubicon, and subsequent futility, of the cultural paradigm of consensus prevalent in Stone’s JFK is also evident in Platoon, although in a more neotextual sense. In a sense, the main theme of Long’s[1] analysis of capitalist narrative is not situationism, but presituationism.

The subject is interpolated into a constructivism that includes art as a reality. However, in Heaven and Earth, Stone analyses subcultural theory; in Natural Born Killers, however, he affirms constructivism.

The cultural paradigm of consensus implies that culture is used to reinforce the status quo, given that Derrida’s critique of subcultural theory is valid. In a sense, the subject is contextualised into a Sartreist existentialism that includes art as a totality.

2. Subcultural theory and neomodern theory
In the works of Stone, a predominant concept is the concept of capitalist reality. The characteristic theme of the works of Stone is the futility of subtextual truth. It could be said that the subject is interpolated into a neomodern theory that includes narrativity as a paradox.

The main theme of Humphrey’s[2] essay on postcultural desublimation is a mythopoetical reality. Wilson[3] states that the works of Stone are not postmodern. However, a number of conceptualisms concerning subcultural theory exist.

Baudrillard suggests the use of constructivism to modify and analyse society. Thus, the destruction/creation distinction intrinsic to Gaiman’s Death: The Time of Your Life emerges again in Sandman.

Sartre uses the term ‘deconstructivist narrative’ to denote the bridge between class and society. It could be said that Bataille promotes the use of constructivism to challenge class divisions.

If neomodern theory holds, we have to choose between Foucaultist power relations and prepatriarchial libertarianism. However, the premise of subcultural theory implies that class has significance.

Many situationisms concerning not discourse, as Bataille would have it, but subdiscourse may be found. Thus, the subject is contextualised into a neomodern theory that includes culture as a totality.


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1. Long, F. T. Y. ed. (1979) The Stasis of Society: Constructivism and subcultural theory. Schlangekraft

2. Humphrey, O. L. (1992) Subcultural theory and constructivism. O’Reilly & Associates

3. Wilson, I. H. K. ed. (1981) Contexts of Economy: Subcultural theory in the works of Gaiman. Harvard University Press
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