Post #238088 by caerthe on Thu, Jun 15, 2006 8:27 PM

On 2006-06-10 12:12, twitch wrote:
I'd have to agree with some of the above members in saying that you gotta be careful what you wish for!

I remember back in the early punk days wishing the same thing for that scene, then shortly after having the shows loused up by "normal" people starting fights and mocking those of us there in the first place for looking different. (And it just dawned on me that this thread mirrors a great hunk of discourse that went on in punk fanzine letters pages in the 1980's!) They were there because of a greater exposure of a subculture with "outsider" (tho' I'd say elevated) tastes, and soon after you get a homogenized version of the original vibrant scene. Just imagine everyone in town wearing the same mass-produced K-Mart Hawaiian-style button-ups! Yuk!
I say let the lowest common denominator ramble about in their hummers and Hilfeger's and never know the true joy of Tikidom...

You make a very good point Twitch. It's not my wish to see this lifestyle Wal-Mart-ized either, however with natural growth and evolution (even if it stays underground), there's going to be some change as new ideas, interpretations and energy are added to the mix. Changes that could be considered by those who there at the beginning, or the rebirth, as repulsive.

I have to wonder what Trader Vic's, Don the Beachcomber, etc. thought of Tiki Bob's unique art style or The Tikis making tiki available to the masses. I venture to guess that some thoughts of bastardization, maybe a watering down or pollution of the lifestyle and concept came to mind. Yet these are both establishments that are held in high regard within the tiki tomes of history.

Not to mention Walt Disney's contribution which made an amusement park attraction out of tiki.

Just my thoughts.