Presentism, dystopia, negative solution: Three forms of the punk chronotype ‘no future’

Abstract

In recent years, the slogan ‘no future’ has been used to illustrate punk ideology, focusing on notions of nihilism, pessimism and anxiety against the backdrop of various crises. It has also been interpreted as emblematic of a certain temporality typical of the years after the post-war boom. However, the meaning of ‘no future’ in and for punk cultures is rarely explored in detail – a gap this article seeks to address. It conceptualizes ‘no future’ as a central chronotype of punk, manifesting in various forms. Providing close readings of the exemplary punk songs ‘Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue’ by the Ramones, ‘London Calling’ by the Clash, and ‘Deutschland’ by Slime, the article explores three such forms: presentism, choosing the present over the future; dystopia, detailing a negative future; and negative solution, calling for the negation of a certain aspect of the present. In doing so, the article shows the plurality of meanings of ‘no future’ in punk and points to further research to be conducted on the time culture of punk.