Moonshiners: Counterculture

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A counterculture is a group that is disobedient towards the larger society by not following their norms, values, and practices and make up their own (Thomas). An example of a counterculture would be the moonshiners in the 1920s era when they illegally made alcohol during the Prohibition because the rest of society had to follow the law of not being allowed to manufacture alcohol, but moonshiners dismissed this law and made their own (Rosenberg). In the 1920s, after the American Revolution, most people fulfilled their weekend activities with alcohol consumption (Rosenberg). Societies organized a Temperance movement in which they tried various techniques to try to dissuade citizens from drinking because they thought that the alcoholics were causing society’s tribulations like crime; however they did not work that well so they started focusing on trying to complete ban any alcoholic consumption (Rosenberg). It was in 1919 that the 18th Amendment was ratified, stating that it was illegal to sell and manufacture alcohol, and it went into effect during the 1920s (Blumenthal). Many people were outraged by this new amendment; however they began to find loopholes such as how the amendment never stated that they were forbidden to consume alcohol (Blumenthal). Some people did not follow this amendment and began to find ways to manufacture and sell alcohol to various citizens; these people were called moonshiners and they would make alcohol and sell it to people illegally. (Grabianowski). Moonshiners were around before the 1920s, mostly in Tennessee and more southern states, however they were not as popular until Prohibition became in effect (Saloon). The people making the alcohol used to worry about the quality of the alcohol, however onc... ... middle of paper ... ...ishment in order for people to enjoy something they love. Ultimately, I do not agree with this counterculture because of the law they were breaking. I do not think anyone should go against or sneak around the government in any way. I think every law is made for a reason and if one culture does not follow them it could cause others to follow, and then there would be no order in our society. Also, if I did agree with the manufacturing I do not believe in how they did not care about the quality of their alcohol, thus it caused many long term illnesses (Saloon). The careless people only cared about the money they received rather than the health of the citizens they were bestowing the alcohol to. Everyone should follow the law or else it could cause many different countercultures and we would not be one society or have the same norms, values, or practices as a whole.

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