For the average layman, the term "counterculture" might seem something sudden, disruptive and perhaps even invasive, as if it were a term coined to explain "going against" a certain social concept. However, just like any well-oiled machine, counterculture is not all bad, and is essential to the healthy development of society as a whole, whether it is challenging existing norms or creating awareness about a certain issue that has been buried beneath the mainstream. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Counterculture is a radical form of subculture. Countercultures are movements that are supposed to inspire social changes for the worse or for the better. Where the main purpose of countercultures is to oppose dominant cultures, subcultures, by nature, do not conflict with them. A subculture can have its own principles. Examples of subcultures would be Goths and Emo (Emotional Hardcore). They both come from the same mainstream culture which would be the punk rock music culture. However, where they differ would be in terms of habits and practices. Regarding their musical preferences, Emos have remained true to their roots while Goths have deviated towards electronic music. From a personality perspective, both are usually associated with moods associated with unpleasant aspects of life such as depression and gloom. The key difference between the two subcultures would be their fashion sense. For Goths, it would be black from head to toe, while Emos would still be willing to wear colorful clothing if it floats their boat. To summarize, although Goths and Emos have different beliefs, practices and habits, they are not in conflict with their main culture which would be the culture of punk rock music. They would be able to carve out an identity within the culture. Countercultures, on the other hand, are fundamentally different from subcultures. Countercultures arise for one reason and one reason only and that is to contest existing dominant cultures or some aspects of them. They are made up of people who have equally strong feelings about certain issues and come together to challenge them and find a way to characterize themselves and adapt to a society in which they feel misrepresented. The most important countercultures would be the Beat Generation and the Hippie movement. . The Beats Generation originated in the 1940s after World War II and lasted through the 1950s, eventually paving the way for the Hippie movement in the early 1960s. They aimed to reject mainstream American culture with their shared ideals, beliefs and fashion sense. They promoted peace and harmonious living with their signature phrase “make love, not war.” They are flexible to cultural rules and regulations with their recreational drug use and their open sexual relationships. Other examples would be Romanticism, or the Romantic Era, which arose during the Enlightenment, where people placed more emphasis on emotions rather than intellect. The motivation behind this company was to draw attention to the value and value of imagination and creativity while the rest of the world relied more on logic and facts. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay At the end of the day, the unacceptability of countercultures is ephemeral. Ultimately, their unconventional ways will surely be welcomed by the dominant culture and will soon become widely accepted in society and become known as subculture..