Open Topic: Need help understanding certain US sub-culture nomenclature!

[Cyber-Angel]

Could some one form the US tell me how the whole social structure at senior high and college works right down form the popular through geeks, nerds, dweebs and the like, the social structure, which group is lowest on the scale, most likely socio-economic background for members of each type etc.

Also could you tell me when each term is used for some one and what affect that label has on who that individual may or may not associate with?   

I have had an interest in studying North American culture for as long as I can recall so I have a genuine interest in this.

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel

           

[Will]

ahhhh SO many sub cultures, I don't think anyone has a complete knowledge of how they all work as it changes on a daily basis. But from my little ventures outside America I know a lot of it is the same as it is in the rest of the world.

A short list of the major sub groups in my school:

Jocks
Potheads
Goths
Emos
Computer geek <---Me
Anime club
Music geeks
Art geeks
political people
intellectuals


One can belong to most of these without conflict or really any polarizing effects from here groups form. But all in all I have friends in every category so I'm not really sure if there is anyway to categorize everone other than the simple heading of "Individual".

I would recommend looking at UrbanDictionary.com to help you in this.

[Oshyan]

Assuming there is a strict or even linear heirarchy is a mistake. It also varies quite a lot between high school and college, and perhaps even more importantly between schools. Frankly I think it's a fairly useless exercise. You can only hope to understand vague generalities and stereotypes from such an inquiry. But if you're really interested, watch any typical American movie about either high school or college. They're filled with the kind of stereotypes you seem to be looking for.

- Oshyan

[Sethren]

I quote Grace:
"Oh, he's very popular Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude."     

I agree though that no-one falls into just one sub-culture. Humans are more complex that this. We vary our life-styles, personal beliefs, politics that all can be mixed and so on. Hollywood does commonly make the mistake of stereotyping culture. But this is what makes film entertaining and some films just stupid. I do beleave that every human being has his and her own unique personality that is near-impossible to classify into a particular category, it is not like we are robot nor simple minded animals. Also fads, pop-culture and people moving around becoming more globalized constantly changes culture and sub-cultures that also makes it difficult to categorize anything let alone anyone.

[Cyber-Angel]

Motion Pictures and TV shows on the subject are one thing I was more interested in what actually goes on if at all, Motion Pictures and TV shows offer in my view a not vary deterministic view of what is reality. My inquire steams from an interest in socio-anthropological study of social sub-cultures within North America and how they fit within the more complex whole of society in general.

Motion Pictures and TV Shows are the only means by which some people get to know a place but a student of humanity can not use these as their only source as they offer a limited view of the more complex whole.

What I was looking for was the social attitudes towards various social sub-cultures and the inter-dynamic relationships between them and any shift in attitudes toward them over time.

I understand that what people see on TV and in Motion Pictures is of limited value but dose offer some incites into certain prevailing social idioms, attitudes and trends from decade to decade and are of use in that regard.

Stereotypes are an unfortunate consequence of misconceptions that have populated them selfs into the mainstream I do not like using them as they are dangerous and history has shown this time and again when they are used as means to unjust ends; however my research calls for me to do just this at this time.

Motion Pictures are fine for what they are and I will close by saying that you can cannot really understand a place unless your born of its people and I also understand that there is so much to learn but we only live for a short while then we're gone. As they used to say in Hollywood "Thats not life...Thats Entertainment ".

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel