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innovation Archives - The Punk Rock MBA

Finn McKenty 3
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Lessons
July 13, 2015

LESSON 4: Take a stand

Punx (left); Youth Of Today (right) I got into punk back in 1989 after discovering The Sex Pistols and some random local bands who fell into the "mohawks, leather jackets and Anarchy signs" camp. In other words, classic "punk rock by the numbers." Being a weird kid who felt like I didn't belong in the "normal" world, I definitely responded to their aggression and anger, but something didn't feel right. Their anger felt directionless and inarticulate, there was an undercurrent of self-destructiveness that I definitely did not respond to (coming from a family of fuckups, that was the LAST thing I wanted more of), and if I'm being honest, I thought they looked stupid with their ridiculous haircuts and spiky jackets. Punk was a start, but I was looking for something more-- something that could channel my anger and alienation in a positive direction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfFdqXImxIU The line "living fast and dying young was…
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Finn McKenty 3
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Lessons
June 8, 2015

LESSON 1: Don’t ask for permission

If I had to choose the single most valuable and important lesson that I learned from DIY culture, it's that you don't need anybody's permission to act on an idea that you're passionate about. The only permission you need is your own: the permission to jump in with both feet into something you know absolutely nothing about and figure it out as you go. The classic example of this mindset was when the punk and hardcore bands of the 1980s pioneered the concept of DIY touring as we know it, when bands like Black Flag took matters into their own hands and booked their own tours, sidestepping the lame "rock club" circuit and building their own scene. Just a few of the zines that inspired me back in the day. I could literally write a book about how many amazing zines there were in the 90s and how much they meant to me.…
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