Sociology & Juggalos
With what subculture do you most identify?
The subculture that I most readily identify with is one that not many people had heard of till just a few years ago. I listen to a band called Insane Clown Posse. Their fandom itself is a subculture that has, not too long ago, been labelled a counter culture by the less informed. This came about as the FBI decided to label all fans of this group as a gang. Let me just say that these fans are the furthest thing from a counterculture there has ever been. If anything, I would say that the majority is more devoted to the cultural values of America than most claim to be. In this subculture you can be whoever you truly are in your heart, as long as it doesn’t harm anyone else. In an article that I found right here in our very own CTU library it is stated, “Perhaps more notable than the fact that they follow ICP is the fact that Juggalos-often stereotyped as violent, racist, uneducated, and ignorant-constitute the “most mocked and reviled subculture in existence . ” 35. Violent J of the ICP described the prototypical Juggalo as “some sort of underdog” that “feel[s] like they’re fucked with a lot, or they’re misunderstood.” (Fudge, 2014). To experience it, is to see in living color the practice of do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This gang classification is the most ludicrous thing that I’ve seen since I’ve become a fan. That was the early 90’s, and juggalos were called ninjas back then. Just being able to say that something is ludicrous, as an ICP fan, is making a statement.
What language, jargon, slang, or specialized terms are attached to your subculture?
Juggalos/Ninjas have many phrases that are common place among the subculture. Most recognized as of late is, “Whoop whoop”. I for one am whooped out after all these years, but this is a greeting as common as hello. Probably even more common. While in the military we had a different term that held the same value, this was hooah. This military term holds the same exact weight that whoop whoop holds for juggalos. It can mean almost anything positive, the context is your clue.
What are some common values and experiences of your subculture?
Ninjas tend to come from rough family lives. Places where being poor is more common than Walmart. Coming from places where parenting skills are almost nil, tends to give us all the same overview. These are the nerdy kids, the abused, the out-casted, and downtrodden. These are the folks who feel like they don’t fit, or aren’t accepted, almost anywhere. They fit with us, because we adore the unique. You look like the elephant man, or just feel like you do? Come sit with us! Not only is our lunch-table open, but if you forgot your lunch money (or had it stolen), we have no problem sharing our good fortune. We get a lot of our bad name from the fact that, if you harm children or are extremely judgmental, we are the last people you want to talk to. Every year we have the opportunity to share an experience with each other. This is a 3-5 day festival called The Gathering of the Juggalos. This festival was started in the year 2000, and happens every year during the summer. You will often hear chants of “family” throughout that weekend, and that does cover the vibe of the whole event. For people who have felt like “the other” almost all their lives, this is an opportunity to finally have that feeling of belonging and community.
How does this group identity affect your individual identity?
In the beginning the way that this group most affected my identity was to make me feel like I wasn’t facing the judgment and bullying of this world alone. I was happy to know that feeling worthless, and wanting cruel people to suffer cruelty themselves, wasn’t something that only happened in my own mind. This group gave me a sense of community, of belonging, a sense of self-worth, and most importantly a sense that I wasn’t alone. Many who never experience a feeling of community have overwhelming thoughts of suicide. This is an escape that being a part of our subculture has saved a lot of people from. Where most people you know would just shake their heads, most ninjas would sit down and remind you that they know how you’re feeling and that you’re not alone. It is a subculture full of really great and charitable people, but it gets a bad rap. In my opinion, we would all be better off if everyone was a little more Juggalo.
References
1. FUDGE, Z. D. (2014). GANG DEFINITIONS, HOW DO THEY WORK?: WHAT THE JUGGALOS TEACH US ABOUT THE INADEQUACY OF CURRENT ANTI-GANG LAW. Marquette Law Review, 97(4), 979-1037.
The subculture that I most readily identify with is one that not many people had heard of till just a few years ago. I listen to a band called Insane Clown Posse. Their fandom itself is a subculture that has, not too long ago, been labelled a counter culture by the less informed. This came about as the FBI decided to label all fans of this group as a gang. Let me just say that these fans are the furthest thing from a counterculture there has ever been. If anything, I would say that the majority is more devoted to the cultural values of America than most claim to be. In this subculture you can be whoever you truly are in your heart, as long as it doesn’t harm anyone else. In an article that I found right here in our very own CTU library it is stated, “Perhaps more notable than the fact that they follow ICP is the fact that Juggalos-often stereotyped as violent, racist, uneducated, and ignorant-constitute the “most mocked and reviled subculture in existence . ” 35. Violent J of the ICP described the prototypical Juggalo as “some sort of underdog” that “feel[s] like they’re fucked with a lot, or they’re misunderstood.” (Fudge, 2014). To experience it, is to see in living color the practice of do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This gang classification is the most ludicrous thing that I’ve seen since I’ve become a fan. That was the early 90’s, and juggalos were called ninjas back then. Just being able to say that something is ludicrous, as an ICP fan, is making a statement.
What language, jargon, slang, or specialized terms are attached to your subculture?
Juggalos/Ninjas have many phrases that are common place among the subculture. Most recognized as of late is, “Whoop whoop”. I for one am whooped out after all these years, but this is a greeting as common as hello. Probably even more common. While in the military we had a different term that held the same value, this was hooah. This military term holds the same exact weight that whoop whoop holds for juggalos. It can mean almost anything positive, the context is your clue.
What are some common values and experiences of your subculture?
Ninjas tend to come from rough family lives. Places where being poor is more common than Walmart. Coming from places where parenting skills are almost nil, tends to give us all the same overview. These are the nerdy kids, the abused, the out-casted, and downtrodden. These are the folks who feel like they don’t fit, or aren’t accepted, almost anywhere. They fit with us, because we adore the unique. You look like the elephant man, or just feel like you do? Come sit with us! Not only is our lunch-table open, but if you forgot your lunch money (or had it stolen), we have no problem sharing our good fortune. We get a lot of our bad name from the fact that, if you harm children or are extremely judgmental, we are the last people you want to talk to. Every year we have the opportunity to share an experience with each other. This is a 3-5 day festival called The Gathering of the Juggalos. This festival was started in the year 2000, and happens every year during the summer. You will often hear chants of “family” throughout that weekend, and that does cover the vibe of the whole event. For people who have felt like “the other” almost all their lives, this is an opportunity to finally have that feeling of belonging and community.
How does this group identity affect your individual identity?
In the beginning the way that this group most affected my identity was to make me feel like I wasn’t facing the judgment and bullying of this world alone. I was happy to know that feeling worthless, and wanting cruel people to suffer cruelty themselves, wasn’t something that only happened in my own mind. This group gave me a sense of community, of belonging, a sense of self-worth, and most importantly a sense that I wasn’t alone. Many who never experience a feeling of community have overwhelming thoughts of suicide. This is an escape that being a part of our subculture has saved a lot of people from. Where most people you know would just shake their heads, most ninjas would sit down and remind you that they know how you’re feeling and that you’re not alone. It is a subculture full of really great and charitable people, but it gets a bad rap. In my opinion, we would all be better off if everyone was a little more Juggalo.
References
1. FUDGE, Z. D. (2014). GANG DEFINITIONS, HOW DO THEY WORK?: WHAT THE JUGGALOS TEACH US ABOUT THE INADEQUACY OF CURRENT ANTI-GANG LAW. Marquette Law Review, 97(4), 979-1037.