A youth subculture is a group with distinct behavior and interest.

There is considerable evidence to

prove that their norms and values could be a threat to the society.

Cohen uses his idea of status frustration to explain why some people move to crime and form
subcultures. This idea applies to the Paul Willis Lads who belonged to the lower streams and
rejected their ideas. Walter miller saw the working class having a subculture whose values could lead
to deviance. These included seeking autonomy, attractions of excitement etc. as a result, they
destabilized the society and were a subject to sanctions. These young people had no prospects and
they could only rebel against the society by going against the dominant culture. For e.g. The
Rastafarians dressed differently to show dominance against white subcultures. The mods and
rockers and teddy boys were also responsible for the moral degeneration of the society. They had a
distinctive style of dressing and appearance. Some suggest that the punks rejected fashion by
making their own clothes. Phil Cohen also saw the skinheads defend their area against ethnic
minority and outsiders which he saw as a version of older working-class values.

However, some researchers reject the idea of subcultures being a threat. Most people conform to
the norms and values and those who are part of subcultures behave as one on the weekend and
wear normal clothes every day. Many may have begun as a subculture but they soon merged in the
system. Many girl sub cultures do not exist but those that do are no relevant. Angela Mc Robbie and
Ferguson suggested that female subcultures meet in their home and not in the street and do make
up and listen to music. Subcultures having a distinctive fashion were imaginary solutions and only
gave them a sense of satisfaction. Although the Paul Willis Lads rejected the school authority, they
ended up joining the labor force and serving capitalism. Mostly it was the media reporters who
exaggerated and sensationalized the news to create moral panic and were not really a threat.
Functionalists did not even believe that the teddy boys were a threat as they believed that the youth
only believed differently because they were going through a transitional phase. Moreover, their
distinctive style was commercialized, the media commercials exploited punk fashion and it was
featured in magazines. It was simply used to advertise and gain profits.