Subculture: What is it? Is It necessary?

Many, many people belong to subcultures at one point or another in their lives. Generally speaking, subcultures are groups of people who hold different values from the society at large. Their shared norms of behaviour, values, beliefs, and lifestyle choices differ to varying degrees from those of the mainstream culture. They have no formal leadership or membership; they are simply a collection of people who choose to engage in similar beliefs and behaviours. Lifestyle-based subcultures, especially those centred around music and clothing, are probably the most widely recognised in current day societies.

A subculture is a safety net. It allows a group of people whose needs are not being met by general society to come together and create something that’s better for them. It cannot exist unless its members have a shared sense of identity. Adopting and participating in a subculture is about more than just a passing interest or an aesthetic phase. Bikers are considered a subculture, but not everyone who owns or rides a motorbike is part of that subculture. Subculture members need to incorporate their participation into their sense of self to give life to their cause.

The better we get at embracing subcultures as the larger society and within our organisations, the more we can help people thrive and feel included, and, as a result, the better we become at innovating, performing, and collectively succeeding.