Is anything really 'alternative'?

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There is an arguement going on in ths here class about the nature of 'alternative'. I'm believing that nothing is really alternative.

Discuss.

― james, Wednesday, 31 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well, everything is an alternative to something else. That's because we live in a free market paradise yay!

― Tom, Wednesday, 31 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think this lot are meaning that a certain style of music or dress or lifestyle is always gonna be alternative regardless of it's popularity. No flux only fixed parameters.

― james, Wednesday, 31 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My god, it's 1991 all over again. Run!

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 31 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I R saying this thread has no real objectively measurable scientific basis, hence is still not highbrow enough for ILE. I R spoken.

― I R Zealot, Wednesday, 31 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This is officially the last time I ever try to ask a serious question! :)

― james, Wednesday, 31 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sure there's such a thing as alternative, it just moves on, rolls over, gets more extreme as time goes by. Once upon a time all you had to do was wear denim outside of the workplace to be alternative. Now you need to have 12oz of stainless steel through your genitals and have hair that'd make Sid Vicious look jealous.

There's always a place for alternative, but it doesn't stay still. Yesterday's alternative is tomorrow's mainstream. Tomorrow's alternative is probably beyond our imaginations.

― ogden, Wednesday, 31 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This answer is an alternative to the previous answer. In this way it's infinite. In some trend sense it's whatever you want it to be. Like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.

― Markx, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The question is serious, and deserves a full(y) historical answer. I'll try and write it some day. But I'd be very interested to see some more attempts from other people.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Trad Jazz = radically unrecuperable, hence it is (or indeed, it R) the most "alternative" thing evah.

Which surely somewhat undermines the concept of 'alternative'?

― mark s, Thursday, 1 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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