Abstract
The narrative of the ‘sell-out’ is one of the foundational myths of youth culture. It is a story that is frequently told by academic researchers, popular commentators and youthful participants themselves. The charge of selling out is especially prevalent in the world of popular music: while particular instances — such as the appearance of John Lydon (formerly Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols) on butter commercials or Iggy Pop promoting car insurance — carry a distinct air of ironic absurdity, the accusation is routinely laid against supposedly ‘alternative’ performers who achieve mainstream commercial success. This is a story in which youth culture arises spontaneously, ‘from the streets’, automatically and necessarily in opposition to the operations and motives of the commercial market. Yet once it enters the marketplace, its pristine authenticity and political challenge are deemed to be inevitably corrupted and recuperated.
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© 2014 David Buckingham
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Buckingham, D. (2014). Selling Youth: The Paradoxical Empowerment of the Young Consumer. In: Buckingham, D., Bragg, S., Kehily, M.J. (eds) Youth Cultures in the Age of Global Media. Studies in Childhood and Youth. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137008152_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137008152_13
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