CoPA Core: Soc. Engaged Artist.BB.

Fa21

Dmitry Mironov

Final Assignment: Final Paper

Prompt 1.

I agree with the statement that fashion and style can be a socio-economic form of
destruction of society, but I would use the verb - to transform. At this stage of the
globalization process, when national, gender, ethnic differences are deliberately erased, it
would be strange not to use fashion as a tool to achieve these goals. It may be recalled that
emancipation began following the fashion among women for certain types of men's
clothing, or rather for trousers. Women, while struggling with social addiction, ended up
destroying some types of economic structures. The list of jobs that women are now allowed
to do has increased significantly. And it all started so lightly!
The second example, from the transformation of the social stratum, the maximum erasure
between people of social status. I'm talking about jeans fashion. Here's an example of
perfect social engineering in action. Jeans, as clothing for a very narrow specific professional
circle of people, are turning into a large-scale fashion performance.
With the help of fashion, you can transform the usual stable ideals in the psychological
sphere of human relations.
The growing fashion for tattoos is creating a mental connection to this subculture.
Consequently, this will already manifest itself in the social behavior of a person as a whole.
Freedom of self-determination, gender neutrality, diversity are three concepts that came
into our society along with fashion, and perhaps precisely because of it. Fashion is
necessarily associated with ideas, a way of life, and events in society. These are the sources
of fashion inspiration.
It seems to me that the "front men" of new trends in fashion can be people who have
achieved a high social status in our society. The idols of millions, willingly or unwillingly, give
us an example to follow, and we have a choice to accept this example or not. So, the more
serious a thing that idols offer me to follow, the more I reflect and think about it. For
example, I don’t care what fashion brand I’m advised to wear, but I don’t care what style of
behavior and communication in society fashion offers me now. I always start from my inner
convictions and ideas of what is good and what is bad. I respect professionalism, hard work,
tolerance, education, intelligence, tolerance, so my fashion is connected with these
concepts. It is comfortable, practical, environmentally friendly, versatile, elegant and simple.
I am a poor helper for destroying anything. I am for peaceful coexistence and creation.
• Prompt 2.

Now Sapeurs are no longer just "funny" people who made their own fashion,
brought their style to the ultimate extravagant level, but also subordinated their
lives to this idea. S left their narrow circle of influence, and became, I think, the
founders of a whole socio - political trend. I am sure that it is completely wrong to
consider S as people with a simple desire to dress beautifully and fashionably. To
answer this question, it is necessary to go back far into the history of the state of the
Congo, which was at that time a colony. We, of course, do not know for sure that
first message of the first S, but we can reflect and assume that he was like that - I am
a free person,
I think and behave like a free person, I am no different from other people, I am also
a person! It was a challenge to that colonial mindset, racial injustice and physical
oppression of the African population. Imagine that you are offered only one
"corridor" of development in your life, along which you can walk. This is a corridor of
poverty, poor education, lack of medicine, political instability and spiritual
devastation. And you are full of strength, inspiration, energy, desire to create, to be
noticed by this world, you want to become famous, beautiful and rich. It seems to
me that these desires and aspirations are inherent in all people in all countries.
For historical reasons, the inhabitants of Africa were severely limited in their
capabilities and S gave a small ephemeral opportunity for the first step into another
world, to search for another "corridor". I was amazed at the pictures of S. They don't
just wear famous brands and copy their style. S in a new way it is combined in terms
of color, style, accessories. They started to create their own fashion trend and were
very successful at it. Now S take an example of fashionable style and notice their
trends. I also noticed with what admiration, love, tenderness, pride and smile
ordinary people look at their S. Their severe monotonous life begins to play with
bright colors and becomes, even for a moment, not so hard. How not to recall here
the famous phrase of the Russian genius writer Fyodor Dostoevsky: "Beauty will save
the world"!
Prompt 3.

Youth subculture is a special form of culture, which is "preached" by young members

of society, which differs from the dominant form in its worldview, value system,
external and internal content. Any subculture is based on demographic, national,
geographic and professional foundations. Probably, young people are more active,
more impulsive, more categorical and more devoted to their subculture. They take
her seriously and give her a meaningful place in their lives. It follows from this how
important it is to understand the nature and origins of the most ambitious youth
associations.
If earlier young people closed in on themselves, were afraid to be
incomprehensible, were upset by the inability to accept certain postulates of society,
share their thoughts and anxieties with someone, suffered from loneliness, only
dreamed of meeting a like-minded person, now in our age of absolute digitalization
and communication, easy to find friends with the same interests. In the society of his
like-minded people, each person gains a sense of security, psychological comfort and
receives moral support. It seems to me that youth communities have taken on the
task of smoothing out the transition from parental care to an independent adult life.
I would compare it to someone who has almost learned to swim, but is a little afraid
to take the first step and prefers to still hold a small swimming board in his hands.
Young people, much more than all other categories of the population, want to
stand out in society, transform the world in their own way, turn over the usual world
structure and say their "word". Of course, it's great to do these great things in the
company of your friends and associates.
I am totally against aggressive, nationalist youth communities. From the point of
view of the classical concept of belonging to any youth subculture, I am not a
member of it. Although from the point of view of my love and devotion to classical
vocal music, the duration of practicing it, I can classify myself as a community of
"Music Lovers". Music lover means from the Greek melos - singing and mania -
passion.
Prompt 4.

I am interested in subcultures with a seemingly funny "specialization". I am always

curious to know how the idea came to found this or that community. Sometimes it’s
hard to believe that such exotic projects have numerous members. For example, the
Mexican subculture of long-toed boots. The city of Matehula is a place where there
is a fashion of wearing huge, colorful and shiny boots with very long, tight toes.
These shoes are similar to the shoes worn by court jesters in the distant years.
However, now they are worn by lovers of traditional Mexican music. This music
combines Spanish and African traditions. She is so fiery that she makes people dance
right on the street. A wonderful community of people with a good mood and a
singing soul.