Who Directs Whom? Films and Reality for Young Heroin Users in a Swedish Town

Abstract

Through interviews and observations the researcher investigates the links between a “real” heroin-based subculture in the Swedish town Norrköping and the simulated subcultures in different films. Drawing on Goffman's theories of everyday-life dramatics, the focus is on how the young heroin users idealize a personal front and a façade in creating an image of themselves as genuine outsiders. From films they internalize a media package that they use for self-reflection. This package includes 1. knowledge about how to perform to create an outsider identity; 2. an image of success, a fast-reward system that is contrasted to the “mainstream's” view of how a career should be done; 3. an alternative morality in which the established “rule enforcers” are not seen as superior when it comes to moral issues. When internalizing this media package, by interpretations and negotiations in the group, outsider acts and symbols become something of value, a subcultural capital.

Keywords

Media film Goffman heroin subculture gang film

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