Subterranean Traditions of Youth

Abstract

Because of tensions inherent in the modern position of youth, they have been vulnerable to a variety of deviant patterns. These deviant patterns manifest a spirit of rebelliousness and have taken three major forms in Amer ican life: delinquency, radicalism, and Bohemianism. Each has been a subterranean tradition of American youth. The subterranean tradition of delinquency, which is guided by a Celebration of prowess, manifests a spirit of adventure, disdain of work, and aggression. The delinquent enterprise consists primarily of victimization and status offenses. Radicalism is guided by an apocalyptic vision, populism, and evangelism. The radical enterprise consists of mundane political activity that, to its participants, seems extraordinary as a result of unconventional definitions of politics. The Bohemian tradi tion and beat, its modern manifestation, are committed to romanticism, expressive authenticity, and monasticism. Be cause of the importance of expressive authenticity, Bohemi anism has taken two major paths, friviolous and morose. The Bohemian enterprise consists of two interrelated features, unconventional art and unconventional personal experience. While only a small proportion of youth participates in any of these traditions, many more are vulnerable. That more do not participate and that many who do participate return to conventional life seem related to the existence of conven tional versions of these traditions.